Tagged with ethics …

Did you see that gorilla in the room? Most don’t.


  Some things are too sensitive to be discussed. No wants to talk about the eight-hundred pound gorilla in the room, as the saying goes. The ‘gorilla’ could be a problem that causes defensiveness or embarrassment or something so potent that to acknowledge its presence is dangerous to yourself or the group. So there is … Continue reading »

Is fairness in the eye of the beholder?


  Complaining about talk about taxing the wealthy, Michael Bloomberg said, “This business of ‘Well, they can afford it; they should pay their fair share?’ Who are they to say ‘Somebody else’s fair share?’ ”   N. Gregory Mankiw, a Harvard economist, doesn’t think there is an answer. “Fairness, like beauty,” he writes, “is in … Continue reading »

Good lawyers may be bad at ethics and here’s why


  In the wake of the General David Petraeus scandal, the Pentagon has reviewed its ethics training and recommends that training should start earlier and continued to be reinforced through an officer’s career. In all likelihood, the Pentagon’s legal counsel will lead the training, as it usually does.   And therein lies a problem. Lawyers … Continue reading »

When students lie to you


Lawmakers in Idaho will undergo ethics training before the 2013 legislative session begins. The training is four hours long and comes on the heels of ethical lapses on legislators’ part. Will four hours of ethics classes make a difference? Idaho needs only to look at hedge fund manager Mathew Martoma’s experience. Martoma, who is accused … Continue reading »

Key ideas of Ethical Humanism – part 2


Here are some more key ideas of Ethical Humanism/Culture: What are some important ideas for Ethical Humanists? Every person is different. This means that everyone is unique. There was never another person is just like you and there never will be another person exactly like you. If every person is different, what does this mean … Continue reading »

What is Ethical Humanism?


In 1968, I became the Leader of the Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island and am now the Leader Emeritus. Over the years, people have asked me to explain what Ethical Humanism is and what it believes. I have written the answers to the questions in a simple format. Here is the first of several … Continue reading »

You’re a Cheater, Don’t Lie


Studies by Duke University professor Dan Ariely and colleagues indicate that most people are inclined to cheat, despite the fact that “we want to view ourselves as honest, wonderful people.” The trick in maintaining our integrity is by cheating just a little. “ As long as we cheat just a little bit, we can still … Continue reading »

3 ways of doing ethics


All of morality aims at the same thing but there are several basic ways to get there. If you prefer, each approach is like a different tool—a hammer, a nail, a level. Using the right tool for the right job makes it easier to do your work and increases the chances that you’ll wind up with a … Continue reading »

Right, Wrong: It’s Not All Relative


Broadly speaking, ethical relativism contends that ethical rules are drawn from human experience and that what is right or wrong is dependent upon particular times and places. There are cultural relativist or the individual relativist. The cultural relativist believes that whether something is right or wrong depends upon what our culture, religion or government tells … Continue reading »