...Introduction The purpose of this case assignment centers on the examination of the how the Adelphia Communications’ executives violated the trust of the company’s shareholders and the trust of the community through the analytical view of deontological ethics. This analysis will be achieved by defining deontological ethics and Immanuel Kant’s Categorical Imperative. A review of the Adelphia Communications Scandal will be conducted with a general assessment of what ethical issues were present based on deontological ethics and Immanuel Kant’s Categorical Imperative. The Adelphia Communications Scandal The Adelphia Communications Corporation was the sixth largest provider of cable services in the United States prior to filing bankruptcy in 2002 due to a major accounting scandal. Adelphia’s management intentionally misled investors by falsifying financial statements to give the appearance the organization was financially solid and performing well above normal, by excluding billions of dollars of debt from financial statements. The auditors fail to find any fraudulent action in the financial statements. John Rigas was the original founder of the corporation and later joined with his brother and sons. The Adelphia Communications Corporation (investors) provided over $2.3 billion worth of personal loans to the Rigas family. The Rigas family received assets via fund transfers from the Adelphia Communications Corporation through journal entries to purchase...
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...Application of the Normative Ethical Theories on Case 1.2 Abstract In this paper two chosen moral theories are being applied and analyzed on the provided case where John Smith, M.D., is a psychiatrist with a private practice. He has been extremely successful in helping child-abusing parents with his effective therapies but systematically refuses to report child-abuse cases to the authorities. This confidentiality has resulted into more abusive parents who were afraid of being reported to authorities and has avoided taking their child to the physicians (1). The leading idea here is to analyze the case on the basis of two ethical theories; Rule Utilitarianism and Kantian Ethics. Also to analyze the decisions and actions that pertains to the case on the basis of professional ethics issue. This will also focus on the questions below: * Identify the moral issue in the case * Analyze the case based on both the ethical issues and explain the insights into how the case and issue should be dealt with * What precisely should be the conclusion Moral Issue in the Case In this case John Smith, M.D., is a psychiatrist with a private practice. He has been extremely successful in helping child-abusing parents with his effective therapies but systematically refuses to report child-abuse cases to the authorities. Dr. Smith believes that by rigorously protecting confidentiality, he is able to help precisely those people who are most likely to injure their children. (1). Is...
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...Austrian economists believe in an entirely free market, with very little to no government intervention whatsoever, (even in times of severe economic downturn and in the midst of financial crises), whereas more liberal Keynesian economists believe that government intervention is key to maintaining a healthy, growing economy with little to no possibility of collapse. These two vastly different economic philosophies not only have monetary implications, but also very significant social as well as ethical ones. Keynesian economics was developed by the British economist John Maynard Keynes who was born in 1883 and died in 1946 (Keynesian Economics, 2). His economic theory, which would later bear his name, gained widespread recognition during the Great Depression of the early 1930s. The main components of his economic theories have to do with the role of the Federal Government in the mitigation of economic recessions. Keynes advocated capitalism as a healthy economic system, but also noted that in such a society there are going to be...
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...Praxis, a framework for practice Joe Smith University of Mine Praxis, a framework for practice Differentiating between praxis and practice is important for an advance nurse practitioner. Practice pertains to doing words of a nurse practitioner (NP), while, praxis relates to NP’s theoretical establishment. Taking time to reflect on personal believes, creates a moment for an advance practice nurse (APN) to realize, and understand the need for providing patient care, with up to date knowledge. The paper aims to discuss; the overview of nursing praxis and its benefits, overview of the APN, Empiricism influences on practice, comfort theory (CT) influences, deontology influences and utilization of the praxis in practice. Praxis Overview Merriam-Webster Dictionary (nd) defines praxis as first originating from Medieval Greek, and means doing, performing or practicing a skill, art or science. Chinn and Kramer (2011), explains praxis as a freedom of knowing that makes one reach a full potential, and optimal well-being. Praxis is different from one nurse to another. Nurse expertize develops overtime, through ongoing knowledge, critical thinking skills, and how one perceive the situation. Experience encourages self-motivation and promotes change (Chinn & Kramer, 2011). APN’s encounter with each patient is different, unique, and requires self-reflection of the encounter. With the current changes in patient care needs, praxis should be geared towards the APN area of practice...
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...Stanford University Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy Open access to the SEP is made possible by a world-wide funding initiative. Please Read How You Can Help Keep the Encyclopedia Free Author & Citation Info | Friends PDF Preview | InPho Search | PhilPapers Bibliography Kant and Hume on Morality First published Wed Mar 26, 2008; substantive revision Sun Aug 12, 2012 The ethics of Immanuel Kant (1724–1804) is often contrasted with that of David Hume (1711–1776). Hume's method of moral philosophy is experimental and empirical; Kant emphasizes the necessity of grounding morality in a priori principles. Hume says that reason is properly a “slave to the passions,” while Kant bases morality in his conception of a reason that is practical in itself. Hume identifies such feelings as benevolence and generosity as proper moral motivations; Kant sees the motive of duty—a motive that Hume usually views as a second best or fall back motive—as uniquely expressing an agent's commitment to morality and thus as conveying a special moral worth to actions. Although there are many points at which Kant's and Hume's ethics stand in opposition to each other, there are also important connections between the two. Kant shared some important assumptions about morality and motivation with Hume, and had, early in his career, been attracted to and influenced by the sentimentalism of Hume and other British moralists. The aim of this essay is not to compare Hume and Kant on all matters ethical. Instead...
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...Leadership and Ethical decision making Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission First of all this is an assignment what is very interesting again. As a foreigner this was a totally new topic for me. While reading and researching everything I learned about a lot of new stuff. I had to research everything since some of this stuff I never heard of or if I heard about them it was in another language. First I am going to start off my paper with telling the back ground behind Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission. Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, No. 08-205, 558 U.S. 310 (2010), is a U.S. constitutional law case dealing with the regulation of campaign spending by organizations. The United States Supreme Court held that the First Amendment prohibited the government from restricting independent political expenditures by a nonprofit corporation. The principles articulated by the Supreme Court in the case have also been extended to for-profit corporations, labor unions and other associations. In the case, the conservative lobbying group Citizens United wanted to air a film critical of Hillary Clinton and to advertise the film during television broadcasts in apparent violation of the 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (commonly known as the McCain–Feingold Act or "BCRA"). Section 203 of BCRA defined an "electioneering communication" as a broadcast, cable, or satellite communication that mentioned a candidate within 60 days of a general election or 30...
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...Assignment 1: Application of the Normative Ethical Theories * 15% of your final mark * Length: 1000 ±100 words * Submit after completing Units 1 & 2 (approximately 5 weeks into the course, according to the recommended schedule). 1. Choose ONE of the cases that appear in Units 1 & 2 of the Philosophy 333 Study Guide except Case 2. 1. However, please refer to the discussion regarding Case 2.1 in Unit 2, under the heading “Applying Normative Theories to a Moral Situation”, as an example of how to apply moral theories to a case. 2. Clearly state a professional ethics issue that pertains to the case. It is recommended that you state your issue in question form. 3. Choose TWO out of the five moral theories studied in Unit 2, but only one version of Utilitarian theory at most (e.g. not both Act and Rule Utilitarianism). 4. In essay-form[1], and in one document, apply each of the two theories to the case, focusing on your stated issue, by doing the following: a. For each theory, provide an explanation of the theories basic approach to moral evaluation and decision making. b. Ethically analyze your stated issue using each of the two theories. The idea here is to adopt the strategy of each of the theories to present what you think is a reasonable and balanced ethical analysis of your issue. In doing so, your aims are (i) to show that you understand how the theories work and (ii) to show that you can use them to express the ethical reasoning...
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...matters associated with the treatment of animals. The purpose of this discussion is to summarize and critique several different theories associated with the ethical treatment of animals. The discussion will focus on the treatment of animals as it relates to hunting and trapping animals, eating animals, using animals for research, and the manner in which domestic and wild animals are treated. The research will summarize and critique several theories including anthropocentrism, Animal liberation, Strong Animal Rights Theory, Weak(er) animal rights theory, Two-factor egalitarianism, biocentric egalitarianism, ecocentric views. Anthropocentrism Anthropocentrism views human being as the center of the universe and regards the world from the point of view of human values and experiences (Dictionary). According to the western philosopher Immanuel Kant human beings alone are rational beings and as such have intrinsic moral worth. Kant asserts that human beings do not owe animals anything because they are not rational beings. However, he does assert that people should be kind to animals but only because kindness to animals assists in developing character in human beings. In other words kindness to animals should not take place for the sake of the animal but for the betterment of the human being. In addition to Kant, others have also embraced the theory of anthropocentrism. For instance, Guthrie also posits that ethics is a phenomenon that is unique to the human species. He argues...
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...the sex of their child. Good afternoon everyone our debate topic today is whether or not couples wishing to undergo IVF treatment should be awarded the legal right to choose the sex of their child. I’m Melinda and along with Angelique and Melissa we will be presenting the affirmative argument and the negative argument will be presented by Kristen, Judy and Deb. Sex selection, also known as gender selection, has attracted great interest and controversy over the years. Gender selection has been associated with a number of ethical, moral, social and legal issues. Sex selection may be performed for medical reasons to avoid sex-linked diseases or for parental preference. The topics I will be covering include eugenics, beneficence, utilitarianism and pre-genetic screening in regards to sex linked diseases. Eugenics can be defined as the study or belief in the possibility of improving the qualities of the human species. In the context of IVF treatment positive eugenics encourages reproduction by implantation of healthy embryos with inheritable desirable traits and negative eugenics seeks to identify and dispose of embryos found to carry undesirable inheritable traits. Utilitarianism in the context of IVF sex selection and genetic screening is defined by the principle of utility which seeks to judge moral rules, actions and behaviours on the basis of their consequences. Where an action produces the best possible outcome; that being the greatest good for the greatest number it...
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...In Conjunction with History of Ethics Instructor: Robert Cavalier Teaching Professor Robert Cavalier received his BA from New York University and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Duquesne University. In 1987 he joined the staff at Carnegie Mellon's Center for Design of Educational Computing (CDEC), where he became Executive Director in 1991. While at CDEC, he was also co-principal in the 1989 EDUCOM award winner for Best Humanities Software (published in 1996 by Routledge as A Right to Die? The Dax Cowart Case). He also coauthored the CD-ROM The Issue of Abortion in America (Rountledge, 1998) Dr. Cavalier was Director of CMU's Center for the Advancement of Applied Ethics and Political Philosophy from 2005-2007. He currently directs the Center's Digital Media Lab which houses Project PICOLA (Public Informed Citizen Online Assembly), and is also co-Director of Southwestern Pennsylvania Program for Deliberative Democracy. Co-Editor of Ethics in the History of Western Philosophy (St. Martin's/Macmillan, England, 1990), Editor of The Impact of the Internet on Our Moral Lives (SUNY, 2003) and other works in ethics as well as articles in educational computing, Dr. Cavalier is internationally recognized for his work in education and interactive multimedia. He was President of the "International Association for Computing and Philosophy" (2001 - 2004) and Chair of the APA Committee on Philosophy and Computers (2000-2003). Dr. Cavalier has given numerous addresses and...
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...Nova Southeastern University Wayne Huizenga Graduate School of Business & Entrepreneurship Integrating Values - The Legality, Morality, and Social Responsibility of Caffeine-Alcohol Drinks Introduction The subject of this paper being presented is a specific review of how Phusion Projects, maker of the Four Loko alcoholic drink, acted between 2005 and 2010 in regards to their operation within the caffeinated alcoholic drink market. The paper will review the FTC and FDA legal issues specific to 2010 that were filed against Phusion Projects. There will be 3 different ethical theories used to determine how the company morally acted in their choices. The ethical theories that will be used are Utilitarian, Kantian, and Machiavellian views. Finally, we will review how Phusion Projects handled their social responsibilities. We will be limiting the focus of the paper to the decision to operate within the caffeinated alcohol energy drinks and the marketing decisions made by Phusion Projects. Their actions were important because they forced the government to ban the niche market they had worked so hard to operate within. To better understand the case we have included this brief overview of the market and specifics to Phusion Projects and the Four Loko product. Phusion Projects was formed in 2005 by a group of 4 friends. They chose to enter the alcohol energy drink market based on current drinking trends at that time. Red Bull and vodka was...
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...7 Step Case Analysis Copyright infringement has been a recurrent ethical issue that has revealed its presence in a multitude of industries throughout the realm of business for numerous years now. Of the thousands of products that have been reproduced and distributed without the authorized use of the copyright holder, it can be argued that the downloading of music is one of the most controversial matters pertaining to this era of mass internet usage. One of the most significant examples of such a case can be found in the Napster copyright infringement that occurred early in the twenty-first century. Napster proves to be a unique and worthy example for the reason being that the online file sharing service had been recognized to directly infringe the exclusive rights of artistes by freely distributing their musical projects online. Napster was developed in 1999 by Sean Fanning and Sean Parker, and it served as an independent, internet-based peer-to-peer file sharing service. The service used digital technology that created the opportunity for users to transmit and retain sound recordings. The service quickly gained immense popularity especially among students across the United States, who became the largest proportion of Napster’s subscribers. As Napster’s reputation grew, several recording companies such as A&M via the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) began to contest Napster, in order to regain dominance in the music industry. This...
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...International Journal of Mental Health Nursing (2008) 17, 236–245 doi: 10.1111/j.1447-0349.2008.00539.x Feature Article Whose life is it anyway? An exploration of five contemporary ethical issues that pertain to the psychiatric nursing care of the person who is suicidal: Part one John R. Cutcliffe1,2,3 and Paul S. Links4,5 1 ‘David G. Braithwaite’ Department of Nursing, University of Texas, Tyler, USA, 2Stenberg College, Vancouver, Canada, 3University of Ulster, Jordanstown, UK, 4Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto; and 5 Arthur Rotter Somnerburg Chair in Suicide Studies, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada ABSTRACT: It is self-evident that ethical issues are important topics for consideration for those involved in the care of the person who is suicidal. Nevertheless, despite the obvious relationship between Mental Health nurses and care of the person who is suicidal, such nurses have hitherto been mostly silent on these matters. As a result, this two-part paper focuses on a number of contemporary issues which might help inform the ethical discourse and resultant Mental Health nursing care of the person who is suicidal. Part one of this paper focuses on the issues: Whose life is it anyway? Harming of our bodies and the inconsistency in ethical responses and, Is suicide ever a reasonable thing to do? The authors find that this contemporary view within the suicidology academe and the corresponding legal position in most western (developed) countries...
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...Chapter 1 Ethical Reasoning: Implications for Accounting Ethics Reflection PENN STATE CHILD ABUSE SCANDAL: A CULTURE OF INDIFFERENCE What motivates an otherwise ethical person to do the wrong thing when faced with an ethical dilemma? Why did Joe Paterno and administrators at Penn State University look the other way and fail to act on irrefutable evidence that former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky had raped and molested young boys, an offense for which Sandusky currently is serving a 30- to 60-year sentence? According to the independent report by Louis Freeh that investigated the sexual abuse, four of the most powerful people at Penn State, including president Graham Spanier, athletic director Timothy Curley, senior vice president Gary Schultz, and head football coach Joe Paterno, sheltered a child predator harming children for over a decade by concealing Sandusky’s activities from the board of trustees, the university community, and authorities. The Freeh report characterizes the inactions as lacking empathy for the victims by failing to inquire as to their safety and wellbeing. Not only that, but they exposed the first abused child to additional harm by alerting Sandusky, who was the only one who knew the child’s identity, of what assistant coach Mike McQueary saw in the shower on the night of February 9, 2001.1 McQueary testified at the June 2012 trial of Sandusky that when he was a graduate assistant, he walked into the locker room and heard sounds of slapping...
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...a branch of analytic philosophy that explores the status, foundations, and scope of moral values, properties, and words. Whereas the fields of applied ethics and normative theoryfocus on what is moral, metaethics focuses on what morality itself is. Just as two people may disagree about the ethics of, for example, physician-assisted suicide, while nonetheless agreeing at the more abstract level of a general normative theory such as Utilitarianism, so too may people who disagree at the level of a general normative theory nonetheless agree about the fundamental existence and status of morality itself, or vice versa. In this way, metaethics may be thought of as a highly abstract way of thinking philosophically about morality. For this reason, metaethics is also occasionally referred to as “second-order” moral theorizing, to distinguish it from the “first-order” level of normative theory. Metaethical positions may be divided according to how they respond to questions such as the following: * Ÿ What exactly are people doing when they use moral words such as “good” and “right”? * Ÿ What precisely is a moral value in the first place, and are such values similar to other familiar sorts of entities, such as objects and properties? * Ÿ Where do moral values come from—what is their source and foundation? * Ÿ Are some things morally right or wrong for all people at all times, or does morality instead vary from person to person, context to context, or culture to culture...
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