Ethics Archives

Orientalist Stereotypes: Shaping the Orient Identity

What role did the Orientalist stereotypes play in the making of the Orient identity? Were they accurate in their representation? Orientalist stereotypes were the hallmark of the Orientalist movement. Orientalists believed there to be little if any distinction between cultures within the Orient—it was all one undifferentiated mass, so what was true for Egypt was also true for Iran, Transjordan, Palestine, and Arabia. Read about Orientalist stereotypes.

Theranos: Fraud, Deception and Lies in Silicon Valley

What was the Theranos fraud? How did the company defraud investors and the public? The Theranos fraud began with a business idea. Founder Elizabeth Holmes patented a product that performed blood work using blood from a finger prick. However, the product never existed. Keep reading to find out more about the Theranos fraud.

Theranos Investors: How Bias Led to Fraud

Who were the Theranos investors? How did Theranos and Elizabeth Holmes use psychological biases to convince investors to hand over their money? The Theranos investors included business powerhouses like Henry Kissinger and George Shultz. These people gave more legitimacy to the business, and psychological biases helped convince them that Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos were on their way to the top. Read more about the Theranos investors and how Holmes was able to deceive them.

Atheist Morality: Religious Doesn’t Equal Moral

What is atheist morality? Can morality exist without religion? Atheist morality is the idea that we don’t need God or religion to explain or dictate our morality. In fact, morality without religion is a natural part of the human experience and is more genuine and effective without religious guidelines. Read more about atheist morality and how morality can exist without religion.

Children and Religion: Harmful Indoctrination

What are the effects of religion on children? Why is promoting religious ideals harmful when it comes to children and religion? When it comes to children and religion, Dawkins makes it clear that children cannot have religious beliefs, and it is inappropriate to force children into religion. Though parents often pass on religious traditions, there are some reasons why it doesn’t work. Read more about children and religion below.

Kin Altruism: Why We’re Nice to Our Family

What is kin altruism? Where does it come from and why is it an important part of natural selection. Kin altruism is the idea that we behave more favorably towards those to whom we are related. Proponents of religion claim that without an all-powerful creator, human beings wouldn’t know how to show kindness or affection. But kin altruism may have actually developed as a part of natural selection. Read more about kin altruism and why it’s an important part of evolution.

Is Religion Dangerous? How Belief Warps Morals

Is religion dangerous? How does religion inevitably lead to religious violence and hatred? Religious hatred and religious violence have long been a part of human history. So Richard Dawkins poses the question in The God Delusion: is religion dangerous? Keep reading to answer the question “is religion dangerous?”

Darwinian Morality: Being Nice Is Natural

What is Darwinian morality? How can evolution help explain things like morals, kindness, and love? Darwinian morality is the idea that kindness and love are a part of our evolutionary process. Altruism would have been a beneficial quality in early humans, ones they would’ve wanted to pass down to offspring. Read more about Darwinian morality below.

How to Get Past Trauma: Tips on Surviving

Do you want to know how to get past trauma? Do you struggle to live with unthinkable memories? There is no right way when it comes to dealing with trauma. But if you can learn how to get past trauma, you will take back your power and know you can rely on your own strength to get you through the hard times. Keep reading for advice on how to get past trauma from Rachel Hollis’s own, personal experiences.

WMDs in Iraq: The IC Report Was Wrong

Why did the United States invade Iraq in 2003? Were the IC officials correct that the government was stockpiling WMDs in Iraq? In 2002, when the United States government was considering invading Iraq, top officials suspected that the enemy government was stockpiling weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) in Iraq. The IC was tasked with evaluating the evidence. Keep reading to find out if they ever uncovered WMDs in Iraq.