Ethics Archives

How Nextdoor Tried to Fight Racism on Their App

How did racism develop on the Nextdoor app? What did the executives do to combat it? Did their efforts succeed or were they just an empty gesture? The Nextdoor app is basically a digital neighborhood bulletin board designed to keep neighborhoods safe and share local news. However, racism on Nextdoor was unchecked and many blacks were being wrongfully flagged as suspicious. Learn how the Nextdoor executives tackled the racism problem and whether it saved their app.

Are You Living With Integrity? Find Out Now

What Is the Secret to Living a Happy Life?

Do you want to know more about living with integrity? How can having integrity improve your career and personal relationships? Living with integrity is all about the small decisions you make every day. Over time, making the wrong decisions can have harmful consequences. Evaluating the way you live your life is important to do before you go too far down the wrong path. Find out if you’re living with integrity and what that means.

Scientific Skepticism: 10 Doubt-Mongering Tactics

How do people deliberately cultivate unhealthy, scientific skepticism? How do they create debate when an issue is already settled? In Merchants of Doubt, historians Naomi Oreskes and Erik Conway look at some of the techniques that are used to stir up scientific skepticism. These doubt-mongering tactics have been deployed in several important “debates” such as tobacco use, nuclear disarmament, acid rain, the ozone layer, climate change, and the pesticide DDT. Read on to learn how merchants of doubt sow seeds of detrimental scientific skepticism.

The Shooting of Terence Crutcher: Case Study

What can we learn about police brutality by studying the shooting of Terence Crutcher? Is using case studies a helpful approach to police brutality? In her book Biased, Dr. Jennifer Eberhardt discusses police brutality by examining the shooting of Terence Crutcher. She breaks down the incident into five parts and examines what went wrong and what should have been done differently. Then we discuss whether using individual case studies is an effective approach to ending police brutality. Here is Dr. Jennifer Eberhardt’s breakdown of the shooting of Terence Crutcher.

Donald Trump’s Personality: Behind the Facade

What is Donald Trump’s personality like? What qualities do you think a president of a nation should exhibit? Does Trump display these qualities? Voters have the responsibility to weigh a president’s temperament and moral qualities—that is, character—when deciding whether that person is fit to continue in the role of president. The Roman statesman Cicero spelled out the moral qualities he felt were most important, and they are still a useful way to measure our leaders today. This article will look at how Trump measures up.

Driving While Black: Racial Bias in Discretionary Stops

Is it legal to use perceived race in the decision to pull someone over? Why do black people get pulled over more often for equipment-related violations? In her book Biased, Jennifer Eberhardt explains that it is actually legal for police to pull a driver over based on perceived race. This has led to a disproportionate amount of blacks being pulled over for minor equiptment-related violations in an excuse for the officer to search them for contraband—this has lead to the term “driving while black.” Here is what Eberhardt has to say on the “driving while black” epidemic.

Healthcare Data Privacy Is Threatened by Big Business

Did you know that your healthcare data privacy is compromised by big business? What factors propel the selling of patient data, and what factors counteract it? In Our Bodies, Our Data, Adam Tanner dives deep into the topic of healthcare data privacy. He identifies the forces for and against the selling of medical data and provides insight into what drives this big business. He also shares some aspects of the healthcare industry that frame their strategy. Read more to learn about important factors that impact healthcare data privacy.

Morality in History: How It Has (and Hasn’t) Changed

What is the story of morality in history? How have morals and vices changed over time? In The Lessons of History, Will and Ariel Durant dedicate a chapter to morality in history, following its path from the hunting era to industrial times. They argue that morals reflect what is needed for the individual and society to survive at a given time. Read more to learn about morality in history.

What Is Neuromarketing: Manipulating Customers?

What is neuromarketing? How do marketing experts take advantage of psychology to manipulate you into buying? Neuromarketing is when marketers use brain research to find out how they can manipulate customers into buying more. Many of these practices rely on dopamine traps. Here are some of the most common neuromarketing traps and advice on how to avoid them.

Roots of Residential Segregation in the United States

When was the start of residential segregation in the United States? Who played the leading role in creating a segregated America? It started with a landmark, unconstitutional Supreme Court decision in 1883 that refused to equate housing discrimination with slavery. This kickstarted the period between 1883 and 1963 when residential segregation in the United States became prevalent. The government at all levels contributed to this issue. Read more about the history of residential segregation in the United States.