Ethics Archives

Military Interventions: Are They Harmful or Helpful?

Does humanitarian military intervention actually work? Should the West be intervening in foreign military affairs? Military aid is a dicey topic. Some believe it works, while others are strictly against it. Economist Paul Collier, the author of The Bottom Billion, believes that it’s necessary for restoring order, keeping the peace, and protecting against coups. Here’s why Collier thinks military intervention is crucial in helping developing nations grow.

Latency Arbitrage: A Manipulative Stock Trading Tactic

What is latency arbitrage? How is it used against slower trading investors in the stock market? According to Michael Lewis, the author of Flash Boys, latency arbitrage is one of the many tactics that high-frequency traders (HF) use to get an unfair advantage over average traders in the market. By using different latency speeds, HF traders can buy a stock and then sell it for a much higher price in a matter of seconds. Let’s look at why Lewis believes latency arbitrage is a problem in stock trading, and why others disagree with him.

Trade Fights Poverty, But Only if It’s Done Right

How can foreign trade policies help poor countries develop? How can fair trade practices backfire? Economist Paul Collier says in his book The Bottom Billion that trade can help poverty, but it can also make things worse. He outlines practices the West can use that will actually help poor nations grow rather than trapping them in poverty. Here’s how trade fights poverty.

How to Help Poor Countries: Impose Ethical Laws

Do you want to know how to help poor countries? How can laws and charters improve the lives of the bottom billion? Paul Collier, a British economist, believes that one of the most cost-effective ways to help the poorest countries is to change their laws. It sounds harsh, but by creating a more ethical system, the economy can start to grow. Here’s Collier’s method for helping the bottom billion.

The Real Cost of a PS5: How Scalpers Own the Market

Why are PlayStation 5s so hard to get right now? How are online scalpers contributing to the PS5 problem? The PS5 was released in November 2020. However, a large portion of the gaming community has yet to get their hands on one. This is due to a number of factors: COVID, the microchip shortage, and most frustratingly, scalpers. Here’s how PS5 scalpers are contributing to the console shortage.

Why Do We Lie? Jordan Peterson Explains

Why do we lie? What’s really behind our efforts to conceal the truth? How does lying compromise your personal integrity? We may lie to get what we want or to make a certain impression. However, lying may not be the best strategy to achieve either of those things. According to Jordan Peterson, when we lie to others, we also lie to ourselves. In his book, 12 Rules for Life, he says“Tell the truth—or at least don’t lie” for lying obscures your personal truth. Here’s why we lie, according to Peterson.

The Trade Secret Case of Donald W. Wohlgemuth

What are trade secrets? What are the laws associated with them? How can you protect them? Though laws and regulations can shift based on the whims and follies of Wall Street’s big players, John Brooks writes that even one individual can change the legal landscape. In Business Adventures, he discusses a landmark trade secret case involving a man named Donald W. Wohlgemuth, whose employer tried to prevent him from accepting another job offer because he had knowledge of trade secrets. Read more to learn about trade secrets through the example of this historic case.

Is Capitalism Ethical or Is It Corrupting Society?

Is capitalism ethical? In what ways can economic-based incentives become dangerous? Philosopher Michael Sandel believes that free-market societies cause corruption. In his book What Money Can’t Buy, Sandel argues that capitalist societies are unethical because they replace intrinsic motivations with economic incentives and cause the degradation of human virtue. Here’s why capitalism is inherently unethical, according to Sandel.

How the Reproduction of Art Changes Its Meaning

What are the implications of reproducing original works of art? How does reproduction alter the art’s original meaning? For several hundred years, fine works of art were segregated from the working class, to be enjoyed and understood only by the wealthy elite. Now, for the first time in history, art is widely accessible thanks to its reproduction. But reproducing original works of art distorts their meaning. Here’s how the reproduction of art changes its meaning.

Stephen Hawking: AI Might Become a Threat to Us

Why does Stephen Hawking consider artificial intelligence to be a form of life? How can humanity avoid a disaster like the one in I, Robot? According to Stephen Hawking, AI fulfills the two requirements to be considered living. Hawking warns that artificial intelligence may even become conscious one day, and if it does, it better be on the side of humanity rather than against it. Here’s more of what Hawking had to say about AI.