ETHICS for Media Psychology |
Part I: The Ethical Landscape
-> Week 2- History and Evolution of Ethics (May 15-21 - 2017)
Questions and CompetenciesEssential question(s) this week: Why do we have ethics? Where did they come from? How have they changed historically? What are the different schools of ethical thought? Where does the study of ethics fit within the overall arena of western philosophical inquiry? How do ethics reflect the times in which we live? How does the study of ethics impact media psychology specifically? How does what you are learning change your "brand" and ethical perspective?
Competency focus this week
Typically, most competencies are addressed in some way in each week's material. However, each week focuses on some competencies more than others. This week's competencies are identified below: Objectives for this week:
Credits
Ormsby, J. Evolution painting. Attribution: 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0) Retrieved from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/joelshine2/3705172395/in/photolist-6DpYEF-6Mo8bc-5P2D6b-7b5UHw-9nLGYu-5P2Dc7-dPcqJ1-abZC26-aBpGDL-cKsCHw-5NXnYg-dV2F84-amxtXP-9VuuY3-9Vuv2o-5NXowV-5NXoia-orN8A6-opLCzT-opQ5rE-o8Giav-mrCMk2-o8E9Hq-o8E76x-5NXo5V-2xdo6Y-bnxgGk-5P2CM3-5P2CYf-5P2D6W-5P2CPS-9mQAYs-5C4WZu-6u8aWX-5P2CRd-5NXnXi-cxyqQY-5NXoeB-iJW3Av-5P2DfQ-5P2Dqh-5NXohi-dw2Xu2-5CkAVQ-4MCyvo-4Mynuz-pFKQ7g-5PLa13-iJYdzy-gktg1D A Case of Genetic DiscriminationA WIRED news article reported that a middle school student was forced to leave school because he had the genetic marker for cystic fibrosis and could not be in the proximity of other children already attending the school who suffered from the same disease. Although the article was not crystal clear about why their proximity was an issue, apparently the risk of mutual infection is too great. Even though the student hadn’t developed cystic fibrosis, he was barred from school as a precautionary measure simply because he had the genetic marker for it. His parents are suing based on “genetic discrimination.” What would you do if you were a) the parents, b) the school, or c) the court that is asked to decide this issue?
This legal challenge is only one of the truly newsworthy stories involved in this case. Another is that a child was effectively being found guilty for something that hadn't happened yet. Forget the pre-cogs floating in the wading pool in Minority Report. We will use data analytics that are so precise that they will replace the past with probable futures. Suppose our data analytics became so precise that the future was entirely predictable? Would it be "more right" to use the information or not use it? If you were an HR director what would you do? It is easy to extrapolate from this scenario. Imagine you are an HR director who is considering two candidates for a position. On the surface, Candidates A and B are equivalent: each has five years of experience, a great education, and comes with convincing letters of recommendation. However, Candidate B has the genetic marker believed to be associated with alcoholism. Such a genetic link is currently in dispute in the research community. However, whether or not the link is scientifically sound won’t matter. And the fact that Candidate B can prove he has never had a drink in his life won’t matter either. The specter of alcoholism will be deterrent enough to tip the scales toward Candidate A. Fear of litigation will drive the HR director’s decision. Should alcohol ever play a role in Candidate B’s work performance, auditors would hold the HR department responsible for not hiring the “safer” candidate. This scenario applies to genetic discoveries related to depression, cancer and anything that might cost a company time, money or productivity. We live with the burden of knowing more than we can reasonably, ethically process. Our knowledge will go toe-to-toe with civil rights in a digitally and biologically enhanced world. Will companies and schools begin requiring DNA profiles? Not tomorrow. But someday. As with our credit reports, we may actually want to publicize our profiles to show that we are free and clear of anything that might concern others. What would you do? And more importantly why would you do it? In this course you need to have more than an ethical perspective. You also need to have a foundation and argument for supporting it. --- References Zhang, R. (2016, Feb 1). DNA Got a Kid Kicked Out of School—And It’ll Happen Again. Science. Retrieved from: http://www.wired.com/2016/02/schools-kicked-boy-baseddna/?mbid=nl_ozy |
Content and ActivitiesOverview- During this week we consider the origins of ethics and how it has evolved throughout the ages. We will begin the week with an zoominar in which I will present an overview of ethics. We will spend the rest of the week discussing this week's material, as well as applying it to an actual issue of contemporary media ethics - genetic discrimination.
Attend the Zoominar The Zoominar information is:
Read The outline below shows how my argument will proceed. Please read the materials identified in order to prepare for it. Part 1: The Origins of Ethics Please read the following to prepare for Part 1: Ethics-Philosophy, from the Encyclopedia Britannica by Peter Singer. Where did ethics come from? We often assume ethical thought and activity have always been with us. The reality is that it may have evolved, the way much of human activity has evolved. And it may have evolved primarily out of the need to co-exist peacefully and efficiently within communities as a way to ensure mutual survival. Part II: What are the different branches of ethics?
Please read: Introduction to the Five Branches of Philosophy. Where does the study of ethics fit into the broader field of philosophy? It is generally considered to be one of the four or five major areas of philosophical inquiry that have evolved over the centuries. The following list combines information gleaned from the two readings:
Moodle Questions, Postings:
Your contributions to the conversation. Each week make one major posting and respond to three colleagues' postings. |