This module introduces the topic of ethics and ethical thinking. It aims to help students identify the ethical aspects of human life, define relevant terms, and evaluate difficulties in maintaining common notions of ethics. The introduction uses the example of a student who died from injuries sustained during a hazing ritual at his fraternity to illustrate questions of ethics, including what value we place on human life and determining what is right and wrong.
This module introduces the topic of ethics and ethical thinking. It aims to help students identify the ethical aspects of human life, define relevant terms, and evaluate difficulties in maintaining common notions of ethics. The introduction uses the example of a student who died from injuries sustained during a hazing ritual at his fraternity to illustrate questions of ethics, including what value we place on human life and determining what is right and wrong.
This module introduces the topic of ethics and ethical thinking. It aims to help students identify the ethical aspects of human life, define relevant terms, and evaluate difficulties in maintaining common notions of ethics. The introduction uses the example of a student who died from injuries sustained during a hazing ritual at his fraternity to illustrate questions of ethics, including what value we place on human life and determining what is right and wrong.
of Human Existence Lesson Objectives: After reading this module, you should be able to: 1. Identify the ethical aspect of human life and the scope of ethical thinking; 2. Define and explain the terms that are relevant to ethical thinking; and 3. evaluate the difficulties that are involved in maintaining certain commonly-held notions on ethics.
INTRODUCTION
In August 2007, another sad incident of fraternity violence was reported
(Philippine Daily Inquirer). Cris Anthony Mendez, a twenty-year old student of the University of the Philippines was rushed to the hospital in the early morning hours, unconscious, with large bruises on his chest, back, and legs. That same morning, he passed away and autopsy report suggests that his physical injuries were most probably be the result of “hazing” – a term that is colloquially used to refer to initiation rites in which beginners may be subjected to various forms of physical abuse. None of those who were with him came forward to shed light on what actually happened. None of them came responsible for the death of Cris. The death of Cris was publicly denounced by the leaders of the Sigma Rho and those members who were with him that night disappeared to avoid cooperation with legal authorities. UP students and the general public demanded for justice. The chancellor surprisingly called on all fraternities to justify their continued existence. We may find ourselves asking “What is the value of one’s life?”, “What exactly were the wrongs done to Cris by his fraternity brothers?” or even “Is there any good to fraternities?”. These questions concerning good and bad, or right and wrong, and these questions that are concerned with value, are the kind of questions we deal with in ethics.
White Lies Critical Race Theory and Racism as a Problem of not Being White, Rejecting Responsibility for the State of Race Relations, and Seldom Admitting White Privilege