I would recommend bookmarking this page for
further reference. You may need to hit the Reload/Refresh button to get
the latest version.
Sept 9
Reiman, CJ
Ethics (intro); Nash, Teaching Ethics
If
Reiman’s chapter introducing the moral theories is complex, please use
the links on the class webpage to explore the companion information on the
internet. Each theory has a summary and additional links to explain key
concepts.
Meiwes, a German citizen, has freely admitted to dismembering another German man and eating his flesh. Indeed, Meiwes carefully preserved the killing on videotape and still had pieces of the body in his freezer when he was arrested. During much of the process of dismemberment, the victim reportedly remained conscious.
The obstacle to a murder charge is the fact that the evidence incontrovertibly shows that Meiwes's victim wanted to be eaten. Indeed, he had agreed to the arrangement over the Internet, answering an ad placed by Meiwes that specifically sought a person who wanted to be slaughtered and cannibalized.
In the U.S., the victim's consent is no defense to murder, and it would be easy to prosecute an American counterpart to
Meiwes. But in Germany, the victim's consent renders the crime a "killing on request" -- that is, an instance of illegal euthanasia. Unfortunately, this offense is punishable by a very modest sentence of from six months to five years of incarceration.
[Is it Always Torture to Dismember and Eat a Conscious Human Being?
Findlaw.com]
IN CLASS QUIZ
#1: In
the reading for today, Feinberg discusses ‘the presumptive case for
liberty.’ Drawing from this section of the reading, your quiz will ask:
(1) what is the relationship between liberty and self-realization; and (2)
what are some of the ‘social benefits’ that are related to freedom? [4
points]
Two articles deal with differences between the U.S. and Canada on a variety of
issues involving paternalism and legal moralism - "Whoa! Canada!"
and "A Tolerance for IV Drug Users"
"the other
drug legalization movement" pharmaceutical companies make drugs
that have the same effect as illegal drugs; they make money, the rich
get access to the effect legally, while the poor are criminalized for
self-medicating.
The
Peace Drug: Rape-induced post-traumatic stress disorder had
destroyed Donna Kilgore's life. Then experimental therapy with MDMA, a
psychedelic drug better known as ecstasy, showed her a way out. Was it
a fluke -- or the future? (Washington Post, 25 Nov 2007)
Sept 25
Part 2, Prostitution (In re P; MacKinnon; Committee for
Prostitutes’ Rights)
"Dawson
Miller," one of the women who appears nude on her "own"
website does an interview: she did 10 shoots a day for a week
because she needed the money, but her Christian background gave her
regrets and she backed out of further involvement with her site (which
is still posting "new" content because of all the shoots
they did with her). (a few interesting comments if you have time to
scroll them)
IN
CLASS QUIZ #2: Read the article on the
feminist clash over prostitution. Your quiz will ask: (1) in 3-4
sentences, describe Audrey’s story and the larger point(s) it makes; (2)
in 3-4 sentences, describe Brenda Myers’ story and the larger point(s)
it makes; and (3) what arguments are made for and against legalization and
decriminalization [6 points]
IN
CLASS QUIZ #3: Read the
summary of Virginia
v Black. Your quiz will ask: (1) what are the facts that gave rise to
the case; (2) what is the basic
question in the case; and (3) what are 2 of the Court’s reasons [on the
webpage, these are identified as (a) (b) and (c)] [6 points]
IN CLASS QUIZ #4: Read
the
edited opinion in Brewer
v Williams (the 'Christian Burial' case). The quiz will ask: (a) what
are the facts that gave rise to the case; (b) what is the reasoning of the
majority; and (c) the reasoning of the dissent. [6 points]
IN
CLASS QUIZ #5:
Read Part III of Why
Driving While Black Matters,
where the author lists six specific reasons. The quiz will ask you to
review THREE of these reasons as well as their definitionor
explanation. This material will also be on the test. [6
points]
The text for the first edition of Just
and Painfulis available online.
Nov 13
SPECIAL TOPICS IN DEATH
PENALTY: WRONGFUL CONVICTION
We will be watching a
talk given by Dr Ron Huff on wrongful conviction. This was part of a
distinguished lecture series that is available on Youtube. We will be
playing it in class or you can watch it on your own. The talk is broken
down into seven segments. Part
1 ~ Part 2 ~ Part
3 ~ Part 4 ~ Part
5 ~ Part 6 ~ Part
7. [Class participation exercise and points]
As DNA testing frees increasing numbers of innocents from prison, Maryland and other states across the country are facing a politically sensitive and morally complex calculus: What is the value of a life unjustly spent behind bars?
"What's a prison rape worth?" asked Ronald Kuby, a New York lawyer who has worked on compensation cases. "What's missing your child's first day of school worth? Not being with your parents as they lay dying? Having your parents go to their graves with you branded a convict?"
("Putting A Price on Innocents' Lost Years"
Washington Post, 4 Oct 2004, p A1)
IN
CLASS QUIZ #6: Read this statement
by the president of the ASA. Be prepared to answer the following
questions: (1) in this context, who is the ASA, (2) which of the
following actions is ethical for them to perform - selecting injection
sites; starting intravenous lines as a port for a lethal injection
device; prescribing, preparing, administering, or supervising injection
drugs or their doses or types; inspecting, testing, or maintaining
lethal injection devices; and consulting with or supervising lethal
injection personnel, and (3) does the ASA President feel that having the
execution chamber be more like an operating room is good or bad? Why?
IN
CLASS QUIZ #7:
Read
the Findlaw.com column about RFID chip implants and employment. Your
quiz will ask: (1) what does RFID stand for and what does the chip do; (2)
what are the concerns about the chips, both general and as related to
employment; and (3) what are the author’s concerns about the
California
law? [6 points]
remember
to be on time because no one will be admitted to take the final after the
first person has left
If you're graduating, congratulations.
Whether or not you are graduating, check
out the commencement address given by Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple. He
discusses dropping out of college (he never graduated), getting fired from
Apple (a company he helped start) and dealing with cancer.
Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.
