Ethics Archives

How to Live With Integrity: 5 Ways to Be True to Yourself

When it comes to being true to yourself, what role do habits play? What price do you pay for living with integrity? Martha Beck shares five techniques for being true to yourself in her book The Way of Integrity. She discusses committing to telling the truth, focusing on making small adjustments, focusing on your yearning, enjoying the benefits of integrity, and forgiving yourself for violating your integrity. Continue reading for Beck’s five-part advice on how to live with integrity.

Good vs. Bad Blinding in Research: What’s the Difference?

What is blinding in research? How can you tell when a researcher is practicing good blinding? Blinding is a controlled research technique that involves the placebo effect, where neither the patients nor doctors don’t know which drug is being given. However, some researchers use bad blinding techniques to influence the participants in some way. Continue reading to learn how blinding in research works, according to Ben Goldacre’s book Bad Science.

The 3 Forms of Data Manipulation in Research

What is data manipulation in research? What are methods of data manipulation you should avoid? Unfortunately, some researchers manipulate data to fit their hypothesis. In Bad Science, Ben Goldacre discusses the ethics of altering data in an unprofessional way. Check out how to spot data manipulation in research.

Is ESG Investing Good? Learn the Pros & Cons

What is ESG investing? Is ESG investing good? What are the pros and cons? Republicans have pledged to pass legislation limiting or even prohibiting corporations from investing in ESG (environmental, social, and governmental) initiatives. However, ESG supporters argue that there are solid economic reasons to support such initiatives. Read on to learn if ESG investing is a good choice by learning the pros and cons of ESG initiatives.

What Is Fast Fashion and Why Is It Bad for Everyone?

What is fast fashion and why is it bad? How do clothing brands, like Shein or Zara, affect the environment? A recent investigation found that laborers at a $100 billion clothing giant earn as little as 4 cents per item and work up to 18 hours a day. This is just one of the problems with fast fashion. The industry also has a huge impact on the environment, contributing to climate change, landfill waste, and plastic pollution. Read on to learn more about what fast fashion is and why it’s bad for society and the environment.

Moral Psychology: Understanding Ethical Behavior

Is morality baked into our DNA or enforced by law or religion? Would humans act ethically if there was no punishment for immoral behavior? The question of morality is a complicated one. In moral psychology, there are perspectives both in favor and against the good-naturedness of human beings. Below, we’ll explore both sides of the argument and why the matter of morality is so pertinent in our day and age.

Morality in Politics: Reason vs. Virtue

How should issues of morality be treated in politics? Should the government embrace one view of morality or avoid enforcing any specific moral code? Morality is a contentious subject in political philosophy. Liberalists argue that we should deemphasize moral questions in favor of reason and logic. Proponents of Aristotle’s political theory, on the other hand, consider moral questions crucial for politics. Michael Sandel contrasts the two philosophies and how they might inform real-life political debates pertaining to morality.

Utilitarianism vs. Libertarianism: What’s the Difference?

What is the difference between utilitarianism vs. libertarianism? Can the two be reconciled? To what extent should government restrict personal freedoms to ensure public safety and well-being? Utilitarianism states that government should only concern itself with maximizing public welfare. Libertarianism, on the other hand, says that government should only concern itself with maximizing personal freedoms. Michael Sandel explores the difference between these two ideologies and how their views apply to real-life political questions.

Why Do We Fail to Make Moral Decisions?

What causes us to make immoral decisions that hurt other human beings? How does the human tendency to seek social approval jeopardize morality? At its heart, human nature is inherently good and moral because morality has survival value. However, we often make immoral choices because we irrationally base our decisions on what other people are doing rather than on what we think is right. Keep reading to learn about the psychology behind moral decision-making.

Rawlsian Theory of Justice: The Original Position

What is the Rawlsian approach to justice? How does Rawls’s conception of justice differ from Immanuel Kant’s? John Rawls conceptualizes justice entirely in terms of reason. However, unlike Kant, who appeals to universal moral laws, Rawls focuses entirely on how a group of equally competent and entirely rational individuals would organize society. Keep reading to learn about Rawlsian theory of justice.