Our next class meeting will be on Sunday, Mar 01.
(No class this Sunday.)
Last time, I presented on the concepts of intrinsic and extrinsic dignity and about the three Universal Principles of Ethics, while students completed the handout "Principles of Ethics -- Key Concepts."
The concept of ethics deals with the rules by which a society guides behavior toward what is right. There are, for example, ethical rules for various professions such as lawyers, doctors, and engineers. However, some principles of ethics are so fundamental that they apply universally to all groups and societies.
We explored some ethics scenarios and determined that the choice that serves the greater good corresponds well with the ethical choice, while the self-serving choice is frequently unethical.
The three Universal Ethical Principles are:
- the Principle of Non-Maleficence -- the Silver Rule
- the Principle of Consistent Ends and Means -- the end does not justify the means
- the Principle of Full Human Potential -- "Every human being deserves to be valued according to what he is capable of achieving at his highest potential, not according to the development he has achieved at a particular time."
These principles not arbitrary or subjective but follow logically from the principles and insights we have already studied. In particular, our capacity to find ultimate fulfillment in (and only in) the Transcendentals is the source of our intrinsic dignity, which is the foundation for objective principles about the right way to treat human beings.
Students then worked in groups to analyze and discuss a news article: "Evidence complicates decisions on when to save preemies." Rather than being glad for advances in medical care that made it possible to save more very-premature babies, students thought, the article's title implied that it was unfortunate that as parents learned that their babies might have a chance, they would no longer blindly trust the doctors and instead would push more strongly for treatment for their infants. The author also seemed concerned about the potential impact on abortion availability as the point of viability outside the womb gets earlier.
Our final topic concerned both the benefits of reason in understanding and evaluating ideas, and its limits in discourse. Most people don't reason their way to a belief, but rather come to it for more emotional reasons, and then rationalize it. Two approaches that can help open hearts to being willing to reconsider are:
- Asking questions to get at why they believe what they do.
- Pointing out the ugly implications of their beliefs.
- You can agree that these things are horrible, but point out that they must follow if their beliefs are true.
- The hope is to get them to question the goodness / rightness of their belief.
One question that came up was with regard to the ethics of dissection of human cadavers, and whether the Church had ever forbidden this practice. I had stated that I was pretty sure that that was an urban legend, and promised to send the link to an article with more details. Here it is:
"Cadavers, Calvin, and Anti-Catholicism" by Robert P. Lockwood, This Rock magazine, March 2007.
Homework:
- I handed out short assignments to each student, exploring the Principles of Ethics. If your assignment included a PCS code, you will enter it at the Principles & Choices website. Be prepared to report on your findings in class next time.
If you missed the class and want to catch up, please see the resources post at the class blog. I also have a class recording and can send you the handout as well.
Additional Resources:
- "All This Useless Beauty" by Jessica Hooten Wilson, January 21, 2020 - an exploration of the Transcendentals, particularly Beauty
Future class schedule:
The complete class schedule is posted at the class blog.
Blessings,
Suchi / Mrs. Myjak