Consider the following Buddhist quote:
"Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it.
Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many.
Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books.
Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders.
Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations.
But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it."
Some believe that ethics cannot be taught and that everyone learns what is acceptable behavior at a young age. Discuss with your group whether we are truly left on our own to determine right and wrong or whether a set of standards or other mechanisms guides us. Does this quote support or encourage an individual's responsibility to a formal code of ethics? Post a summary of your team’s comments to the blog before noon on Wednesday, December 14. Please remember to include your group's number in your post. Thanks and have a great weekend!
group 8[avan]
ReplyDeletemy group belives that the buddist quote stated above is absolutely something that should be inculcated in all the people but this does not apply to the laws in a professional field . its like you just cannnot be a machine who had to learn and follow what the elders teach and us and did when they were of our age . when things are forced upon some one or when a person is restricted to do some thing the person gets the tendency of doing the opposite , so in that case its better to explain the person the reason behind doing some thing and then give the person time to think as what he feels about it and does he/ she feel that its better to follow it or to not follow it . the other aspect is that what ever we think is also not always right , some times following own logic and a turing a deaf ear to some one does have bad circumstances but again these situations make us learn new things and add expericence to our lives. " its better to be a fool once then to be dumb forever".if we want to believe some thing which is done in the past generations it is not just to be followed blindly but it has to be analysed thought and then finalized ,as to is the same thing going to do good in our life.its the logic of mind that should work and make us think as to what is right and what is wrong , or what should be followed and what should be reformed. its not like going against or rebelling againt a group of people who made the law or rules its just that if we feel that at this point of time or in this age the rule is not logical or practical then it should be given one thought as to where things have gone wrong. yes ,we are truey left with our own to believe and follow a few things and not follow a few things. but my group feels its never ever right to go against the the codes of ethics of any professional field. when we have knowledge of thing and are aware of the circumstances we can easily make decisions as to what is right and what is wrong .but considering us entering the academic field of chiropractic in first trimester, every aspect of the field is going to be new and original for us. the ethics placed by the law are for the benifit of the practictioner and the patient. these ethical codes are made from years of experience which count a lot in a professional field. these ethics help to keep a professional in a perfect and safe place where he can practice upto his optimum capability. the buddist quote is partially correct for the ethics of a chiropractic. these ethics may just be a form of knowledge for us right now but when we enter the clinical field these ethics are going to be the basis of our practice and would be put prctically in our life and we will be able to understand the reason for the rules that were made. but considering our daily life the things which are said and done by our elders may not be right always in our generation. as decades pass the time chances the view about the general things of life changes but the profesional field has the same respect and the same level forever. so to maintain the dignity as a chiropractor we firmly believe in following the codes of ethics and not applying the buddist thought in that area.
Group 11
ReplyDeleteOur group believes it is a combination of both personal choices and taught behaviors that contribute to forming ones ethics. We are given a virtual tool box of ethical standards, from which we use to form our own ethical guidelines that we use in our daily lives. Kinsinger states in his text "Today's society is not known for advocating and nurturing high standards in values, morals and ethics. Our present culture has been formed by changes in personal values over the past several decades. It is now fashionable to believe that decisions of right and wrong are personal, subjective and relative to the situation at hand(p13)." Surmising that we are free to form our own ethical standards, not having our actions judged by others, as acceptable or inappropriate. However, there are still laws that govern us, preventing us from acting out to an extent that infringes on others rights or privileges. We believe the Buddhist quote supports a formal code of ethics stating "But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it." That we are to do what is best for society and to make choices that will benefit others not just ourselves. That we should not just follow blindly the influence of others. As professionals we are supposed to be conscious of our actions and act with purpose. Taking responsibility for our actions which are directly influenced by our personal/professional ethical beliefs. As future chiropractors, we need to be open to new ideas, methods and philosophies. Yet, continue to hold true to our own professional ethics and philosophy.
Group #2
ReplyDeleteMost of the group agreed that ethics and acceptable behavior can be taught at a young age. We just need to decide what acceptable behavior is. We had an interesting conversation of where our “ethics” or our acceptable behavior comes from. Is it from the general teachings of most religions around the world? Is it by the laws created by our government? Is it the standards set by the very wealthy of the world? The group had great points to add to all of these questions. But the group seemed to agree that a popular religion of that country (in this case America is generally more Christian so we will talk in aspect to Christianity) is what sets the standards of the people of a nation. We have to ask ourselves where the general statement , “Do to yourselves as you would want to be done to you” comes from. The general theme comes from the bible. When we think in aspects of dress code, where do we get this from generally? It seems as if it started from our church, because we want to present ourselves professionally to the high ranking. As chiropractors, our “higher rank” is our patients. If we want our patients to trust us, we need to show them a sign of respect. So when asked to determine right and wrong or whether a set of standards or other mechanisms guide us, we would answer, yes, by the standards set in our faith.
Our group was torn in with interpretation of the quote. Some believed that the quote is telling people to do what they feel is right. That the only “code” you should follow is your code. It seems as if it is a lazy, or ignorant attitude towards others. The other discussion from this group was, maybe this allows someone to really encourage thinking for themselves. Maybe a form of ethics can be changed for the good of masses. Maybe it would help people realize that something that we are doing is currently wrong and there is always room for improvement. Rather than just a specific rule book that is set in stone.
After considering both sides of the spectrum, our group came to a somewhat conditional conclusion: from a young age, many people, especially Americans, are taught what is right and what is wrong. However, embedded within the various discussions we have all had with our parents, family members, and peers is a bigger dilemma – does what we have been taught adhere with our own determination of right and wrong. Furthermore, our group discussed that in the United States, among other countries that exercise democracy, a set of standards known as “laws” have been put in place to, in a sense, guide us towards distinguishing right from wrong. These “laws” may not only be established by the government, but in many cases it may be argued that we also must adhere to societal standards of right and wrong, otherwise be considered an outcast – and no one wants that. For instance, it is clear that murder is a wrong behavior; however in cases such as abortion or assisted suicide and euthanasia there is no clear cut answer. Ultimately, determining right from wrong is somewhat subjective and a combination of developing our own beliefs on the matter, while being guided by those standards set by the government and society.
ReplyDeleteAs chiropractors, we are asked to adhere to an additional set of ethics, the chiropractic oath that each of us will sign as we walk across the stage during graduation. Determining right and wrong in the medical world is also very clear in some cases and rather obscure in others. Our group believes that as chiropractors we must abide by the ethical code set forth by law, the profession, and also ourselves.
Finally, our group concluded that the quote does not support an individual’s responsibility to follow a formal code of ethics, but more to establish one’s own ethical beliefs. Just as many other Buddhist teachings regarding ethics and morals state, this quote encourages each individual to explore their own beliefs and not just consider what is commonly accepted. The final part of the quote is what really grabbed the attention of our group. “When you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.” Not only is this portion of the Buddhist teaching inspiring, it also provides a good ethical standard for each of us to live up to, both in our daily and professional lives, for is it not the person that follows all others blindly that makes an impact, but the one that dares to set out on their own and act unselfishly.
Group 19
Group 18
ReplyDeleteWe think that society does have a set of moral standards that we are expected to live by, but that our own individual ideas and how we interpret them is developed at a young age by those that we look up too. As children, we aren't capable of knowing right from wrong without being taught first. Once that foundation has been laid and we experience the world a bit, that is when we start to develop our own interpretations of these set standards and really begin to put them into practice. This quote is very fitting because it really puts the responsibility in our hands, which is exactly where, is should be. It is not only our right to challenge things that we might not believe or that we hear it is our responsibility. The thing with words is that you can put them in whatever order you want, but that doesn’t make them factual. If we believed everything we heard then we would be giving up the rights that we have fought so hard to obtain. If things were not challenged then we would still be thinking that the world was flat. Society can’t grow unless we have people that are willing to challenge things that are assumed true. That is exactly the point that the quote was saying. It is putting the right to be our own person into our hands. We should not let others control the way we think if it goes against our beliefs. We have been granted rights to use them, not to let them go to waste. While it is important to respect your elders, it does not mean they are always right. It is not true that with age comes wisdom. With knowledge and desire to obtain it is what truly causes wisdom to enter our lives. While it is true that you can’t challenge everything and that there is right and wrong ways to go about it, it still needs to be done so that we can continue to grow into better people and a better society for those generations that will be following us.
Group 5
ReplyDeleteJudging from the Buddhist quote, my group agreed that it does not encourage the individual to conform to a formal code of ethics. Rather, it encourages the individual to have their own code of ethics. However, if every individual has a code of ethics that agrees with reason and is conducive to the good of one and all, then everyone would end up with the same code of ethics. This is smart because it is a different approach than society has taken as a whole. Society and religion have set out rules for everyone to follow in order for the good of all to prevail. From a young age, we are told to follow these rules in order for everyone to be happy. Kinsinger makes a point about ethics on page 13: "Today's society is not known for advocating and nurturing high standards in values, morals and ethics. Our present culture has been formed by changes in personal values over the past several decades. It is now fashionable to believe that decisions of right and wrong are personal, subjective and relative to the situation at hand." My group agrees with this statement, but in considering the Buddhist quote we believe that if we, as individuals, thought about what is reasonable and what is good for one and all, we would all end up with a similar, if not the same, code of ethics. At a young age, we are taught by our parents and the people around us what is right and wrong, but that is because as children, we do not know any better and need guidance. So, at this point in society, we are not left on our own to decide, at least from the start. Once we hit a certain age though, we are left to figure out what is good for one and all on our own because we have a different set of responsiblities more pertinent to adult life.
GROUP 6:
ReplyDeleteEthics refers to well-founded standards of right and wrong as well as behaviors that prescribe what humans ought to do. The development of ethics in each individual is different and will change as a person grows into adulthood. Typically, a child defines right or wrong based on the beliefs of authority figures in their lives along with the rewards and punishment associated with behaviors. Adolescents usually define right or wrong in terms of the norms within their peer groups, laws, the ethical norms of society as well as the beliefs of their families, friends, teachers, and others they share experiences with. As a person continues to mature their ethical principles become more reasonable and well thought out. A mature individual would incorporate all aspects of his or her learned morality to form his or her individual moral code.
By stating that everyone learns acceptable behavior at a young age, is like saying that ethics can be taught and, as with anything else one learns, ethics are a fluctuating entity. As one learns, experiences, and grows as an individual, their ethics change. Our experiences, family, friends, peers, and idols, therefore, shape our ethics, but it is left to our individual discretion to create a code of ethics, which we believe in and to which we hold ourselves responsible. Making good ethical decisions requires a trained sensitivity to ethical issues and a practiced method for exploring the ethical aspects of a decision. It is important to consider the consequences and/or the impact of our choices. Having a method for ethical decision-making is absolutely essential. When practiced regularly, the method should become so familiar that we work through it automatically without consulting specific steps. The more difficult the ethical choice we face, the greater the need to rely on others or past experiences. Only by careful exploration of the problem, aided by the insights of our experiences and different perspectives of others, can we make good ethical choices in such situations. Ethical beliefs help us answer the question, “What should I do?” and is often treated or considered synonymous with manners or etiquette, professionalism, and attitude. The continuous effort of studying our own ethical beliefs and conduct, and striving to ensure that we, along with the institutions we help shape, live up to the standards and ethics that are reasonably and solidly based.
GROUP 20
ReplyDeleteEach individual seems to find their own set of “right and wrong” as they go through life, however parents can play a BIG role in helping define individual characteristics, morals and values along with other role models in an individual’s life. Also, the government, church and schools play a big role in teaching individuals the different between right and wrong and how to make good judgment. People tend to take from their surrounding influences and develop their own code. Although it's difficult, and inappropriate to hold every person of every age to the exact same standards, there is a need for a general standard among classes and age groups and professions to maintain a mutual respect of all people. We are definitely not left on our own to determine the difference between right and wrong, but as we grow and develop, each individual seems to change and form their own belief system.
It makes perfect sense that the quote would come from Buddhism as the main focus is seeking the path of enlightenment until one becomes a Buddha, a fully enlightened being. We are given a foundation to start with from our elders. It is within our control to mold what we were taught in to what we believe, even if it counters what we were taught. This quote very much encourages an individual's responsibility to a formal code of ethics. The quote is challenging individuals to know the different between right and wrong but take that a step further and challenge the environment around them. If all individuals lived by society’s norm or what their parents/school teachers/governing bodies told them to believe, we would never see any progress as a society and it would be a very boring world. Also, once we branch out from what we were taught as children, we can contribute more effectively from society and change old traditions that may no longer be relevant. It is as if we were learning out of the same text book as our great, great grandparents, if someone did not challenge those ideas, we may still believe the world to be flat. It is through our own individuality that we form our own beliefs and are able to progress to better individuals and a better society. Even more, once we have determined what we believe, then we need to live it daily rather than when convenient.
As Chiropractors, we will come to various points in our career as students and as professionals. As we are starting our educational journey, we may have philosophies taught to us that will conflict with our own personal philosophy. Just as when we are professionals in the community as someone held to a higher standard, there is no time off from doing what is right. We will have an ethical code but it is one that must be followed at all times rather than when it is convenient for us or only during working hours.
Group 15
ReplyDeleteOur group believes that a set of standards is set by the dominant religion of the country. For example, in countries such as Iraq and other Middle Eastern countries, women are not treated equally. This is not an unusual occurrence for those countries. But if someone in America showed discrimination or unfair treatment of women that would go against or morals and the American standard belief that everyone should be treated equally. We believe that the accepted set of standards is the moral code of the dominate religion, which in our country is Christianity, and we also believe that people can be taught what is right and wrong. We also believe that people are continuously learning what acceptable behavior is and what unacceptable behavior is. When we are children we learn this by watching people that we look up to such as our parents, and family members. But even as we grow older we are still learning this. There are many different ways people can learn this. I know personally, when I am out in public I want people to have a positive view of who I am and what my morals are. Whenever I see someone in public embarrassing themselves or doing something wrong, it always reminds me that I am glad other people don’t see me as an immoral person, and it makes me want to continue doing the best I can to follow my morals.
Our group believes that the quote is saying just because someone else says something is right does not always mean they are right. Not to take everyone’s word for everything, but rather, to use common sense and think about it for yourself. Take some time and think about it, do not just take the common answer for being the right answer. A classic example of this is racism. Most people that are racist only have this belief because that is the way they were raised and that is what they heard was right from their elders and other teachers. If these people would just think about what they are doing, and use common sense they would see it is clearly wrong and it does not follow the set of standards that the US population follows, thus making it immoral.
GROUP 13
ReplyDeleteOur group discussed that we are indeed taught at an early age a certain set of ethics—that which our parents, teachers, and other influential figures instilled in us. Nobody is born with an innate knowledge not to kick or bite. Naturally we’re going to try these things out until someone tells us otherwise. Now we probably will never TRY to defy certain things like “not to kill someone,” but we’re going to learn from those who have the ability to make an impression in our lives that these kinds of things shouldn’t be attempted at all. So in this respect, we are never just brought into this world to figure everything out by ourselves. We are definitely set up with some form of a clear direction in the field of ethics.
As children, it’s pretty simple to have an established set of black-and-white ethical standards. But as we grow up, we learn that there are certainly grey areas in many aspects of our lives. As this reality dawns on us, we begin to form our own code of ethics dependent on what we’ve learned from others incorporated with we’ve learned from our own experiences. We learn to take what we were taught at an early age, and use our greater capacity for reasoning to apply certain ethics when appropriate. And this aspect of our own code of ethics is what the quote is referring to—don’t just accept things that people hand to you. Just like learning things in class, when is our learning more effective—when our teacher just spouts out information at us? Or when they require us to be interactive with the material and work through the problem, applying foundational information they’ve provided us with in order to arrive at the answer on our own? What our teachers and parents set us up with as youngsters gave us a solid foundation—the same way our gross anatomy teacher sets us up with understanding the body. But it’s our job to take what we’ve learned as a foundation, gain some experience in practice, and apply in the future based on what we learn on our own, from our own inquiry. This is no different than with our set of ethics. So in essence, every person is responsible for their individual code of ethics. Nobody believes EVERY single thing the same, so we are responsible to stand by what we believe, regardless of what brought us to that conclusion about how to behave.
Majority of our groups feels that we are truly the source for our own formal code of ethics. This is mostly due to the fact that we ourselves are the ones making the judgment calls of right and wrong. We all have a similar belief that there are many things that can shape and guide the way we arrive at our conclusions of ethics but without our own thoughts, feelings, and beliefs the individual accepts and establishes as truth, there is nothing left for ethics. To some extent some of us feel that parents played a role to a certain extent, and in the end we can either go with or against what they taught us, but it doesn't take away from the fact that it acted as a guide toward our own establishment of right and wrong. An example of this is looking at failure not as failing but learning how to "not" do something right. In this regard it's difficult to see otherwise. independent of this,our own formal ethical codes need to be expressed as much as we believe them and continue to develop them. As for the quote, one part we all could agree on is that no tangible source of knowledge whether it be books, TV, rituals, etc. could be a definitive aspect in forming one's formal code of ethics. Both that aspect and the later part of the quote relating to holding firm in ones ethics in which one creates is what validates this quote in reference to formulation of formal ethical codes.
ReplyDeleteGroup 3
ReplyDeleteAs an overall group, we ended up with different aspects on our interpretations of what the quote was trying to say. The one side of the discussion felt that people shouldn’t believe everything that you hear and you can’t be your own person by going along with what everyone tells you to do. On the other side of the discussion, we discussed that people have to get their ethics from somewhere. You are not just born with ethics; rather you learn things from what you see around you. We, as a group, did agree on the fact that all people have some kind of form of ethics. No matter how you where brought up, you have learned the difference between right and wrong; even though the definition of right and wrong may differ in different cultures and regions of the world. If everyone would follow the same ideas there would not be diversity in the world. So by following this quote it can create diversity in everyone. With diversity, it creates a change in the cultures or regions.
How do the differences in ethics and beliefs in different countries or even in the Unites States effect how you determine what things offend your clients or staff? The ethics change with every person and how they feel about what is going on in your office. People have their own judgments and opinions about you and your job, so your ethics as a person can come in very handy to help you deal with these differences. You have to stay true to your ethics, but you also have to be open to what the clients have to say.
Other things that make you, as a chiropractor, have ethics is the fact that jobs require us to use our hands, and putting them in positions on the human body that some patients might not be comfortable with. It’s important to make sure that you’re clear with the patient to in what you’re going to do with a particular check or adjustment you are going to carry out, for example as when carrying out anterior thoracic sacral, coccyx, SAL, SAR, or side lying rib adjustments, make sure you clearly explain what you are going to be doing to your patient.
The quote is in effect saying never to accept anything given to you out of hand, no matter what the source it comes to you in. To make your own decisions and beliefs based on your observations and personal decisions.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, ethics, no matter how much it is taught or influenced by other people, is in and of itself a personal matter. Yes, a person’s ethics can be influenced and changed, but in the end it is still the original person’s decision to change their ethics as such. Yet this still doesn’t mean that ethics are not taught to a person, for it is a person’s experiences which guide and mold their own personal code of ethics. Everything plays a part in this, large and small events and even those seemingly unrelated. So in effect no we are not left on our own to determine what is right and wrong, we have friends family and media to influence our standards for life, but it is our choice whether or not we accept those standards as our own.
This quote fully supports an individual’s responsibility to a formal code of ethics, granted that the individual agrees that the code of ethics he/she is following is a good one and does not go against their own personal code. The quote literally states “after observation and analysis…agrees to reason…accept it and live up to it,” meaning after careful thought and consideration if the individual has the same opinion then they should be able to follow it easily because, if they are able to agree with it then it must be similar or at least compatible with their own ethics and thus following the formal code of ethics would be very similar to following their own. The only difficulty arises when the formal and personal code differ. In such a case the Buddhist quote suggests the individual rebel against the formal code. It doesn’t directly say to do so but it says to accept and live up to those things he/she personally believes in, in this case his/her personal ethics, and in order to fully accomplish that he/she must continue to follow their personal code when it conflicts with the said formal code.
In short everything in our life is influenced by everyone and thing around us. But, it is our decision along whether or not to accept this influence or to stand up for what it is we believe in when we come across something we find false.
--Group 7
group 4
ReplyDeletein our group we thought that an individual is guided by a set of rules and morals established at young age by their surroundings. yes at times a person can be left on their own to interpret them, but you always have a set of standarders to follow. we thought that each person gets to further develop their own personal and professional ethics based on what they believe is right. it is very clear in our society that people have interpreted right and wrong in different ways. Ethics will change from person to person.
We thought that it would be a good idea to live by this Buddhist quote because not believing everything you see or are told allows for us to grow as an individual person and as a society. Our group also thought that the society around each of us plays an important role in determining our ethics and our beliefs in right and wrong. Since ethics are not written in stone a persons own ethics can be changing as they grow as a person. Which means that the people around us can guide us and help us continue to develop our personal ethics.
One last thing that we talked about in our group was the idea that even if a person has their own ethics, when they act in a manner that the rest of society condones as unethical that person will be forced to face society and to modify their personal beliefs.
Group 24
ReplyDeleteThe whole group were synonymously when it comes that as humans we can’t just accept everything that is presented for us. As we grow older we need to have a critical view, unless there will be no further development. “The world would still been considered flat if it hadn’t been for critical thinking” (anonymously). An other aspect is that “high authority” figures, and so called “reliable sources”, may take advantage of their positions if there is no one out there to be able to think for themselves.
As individuals we are not left solely responsible for forming our own code of ethics. The environment sets the stage for how we grow up and interpret, and eventually adopt our own criteria for ethical behavior. As we grow up, we just don’t know any better, so we need the rules to tell us right from wrong. When we grow older, the perception and interpretation of our experiences will then be left to to the individual and therefore create the personal responsibility to the code of ethics. And sometimes it can be easy to blame our actions on our past.
A general social psychology theory explains that when things go our way it happened because of something we did, and if the event did not go as planned, it was some outside source that was out of our control that caused the failure. This is something we might do when our ethical actions come into question. If it something that would turn out beneficial and generally accepted by society we would claim it as our own viewpoint, an ethical foundation that we created on our own. On the contrary, if an ethical action were frowned upon by society, we probably say that it was the way we were brought up in order to take the blame off of our personal character. One cannot judge the character of another when the character is not the perpetrator. So by this in some cases there are situations in which we will either recognize what we've been taught or what we have actually developed on our own. An example of this would be talking to strangers. As young children we're always taught not to talk to strangers by our parents and elders, and we even say this when we are young. As we get older however when we have to talk to our patients (who often start out as strangers) it becomes a star on our character when we are able to show great courtesy towards people we want to see a great deal of health in.
An other theory that was brought up was, George Kelly's theory. A theory of personality that describes our personalities as polar constructs that change depending on our levels of permeability (no protein channels necessary) when faced with information that may either reinforce or challenge our current constructs. It is said this describes all other situations that are deeper and may be considered more important. And this is solely based on our level of permeability. For example, we treat a patient with a treatment that is chiropractic with a non-traditional chiropractic complement. Some of our colleagues may see this treatment as unethical in the field of chiropractic since they are not performing chiropractic and are thereby tainting the field. Others may see this as a general need for more practitioners, not just chiropractors, to utilize. A complementary treatment involving multiple disciplines in order to heal the patient. Our schooling taught us to use chiropractic techniques, but we are also taught to treat the patient not the condition, it is up to us and our level of permeability of whether or not we want to treat strictly with chiropractic our utilize multiple disciplines in order to help our patients.
Everyone in the group highly agreed that the quote supports and encourage individuals for being responsible for own code of ethics.
Group 23
ReplyDeleteAfter discussing for a while, our group was able to answer the first question with two possible scenarios. The primary belief of the group was that we as human beings are subject to ideals at a very young age, mostly from our primary caregiver. Many of the ideals these individuals’ possess will in turn become our beliefs and ethics at a young age. It is natural for a child to look at how their parental figure acts and copy these actions and habits until they are their own. We as a group believe that in most circumstances this is how people begin forming their own personal code of ethics. The second scenario we discussed was that perhaps an individual does not have a primary caregiver. Perhaps this person is left to raise themselves, or is responsible for others at a very young age, such as homeless children or children with siblings in an orphanage. These children are not taught a code of ethics; they basically create their own on the fly out of necessity of having to rely on their own instincts to survive.
From a very early age we are all hit with rules and structure, whether it is at school, at home, or anywhere. From day one we are trained to believe that something is right or wrong, and often times are not even given an explanation as to why. Our group discussed how some people are prone to change their ideals and ethics when they reach a more mature age. A person may come to the sudden realization that maybe what was hammered into their head as a child was truly unethical, and they begin changing their ways. Some people purposely change their beliefs solely on the basis of rebelling against whatever or whoever is in power of them; whether it be a parent, boss, coach, etc. The truth is a person’s code of ethics is ever changing, because with different experiences comes new knowledge and a new possibility. Our group believes that most people are always progressing or digressing in an ethical way based on their decisions, and the way they personally define the term “ethical”. Our conclusion was that at a young age ideals are put in our heads, but as we grow we have the ability to form our own opinions and create our own code of ethics, and for each individual that may be something completely different from the next.
In regards to the quote above, our group agreed that the above quote does encourage an individual to form a formal code of ethics and should feel a responsibility to do so, but not to believe everything you read, hear, or see. This quote is rather contradictory in itself because it says many things a person should not do, and basically that we as individuals should form our own opinions once we have clearly observed the situation at hand. Yet many of the things it says we should not believe in are things that are the basis of many different people’s code of ethics. Our group agreed that according to this quote, we as students should not believe what you the instructor says to us until we have thoroughly observed and analyzed the subject for ourselves. If this quote was to be taken seriously, we the students could argue that everything we are taught in our ethics class cannot be believed, and that we should form our own ethical code, and not the ideas you are teaching us in the class. Basically that what you are trying to tell us is ethical, is not ethical until we prove or disprove it ourselves. Just an interesting thought that our group came up with.
Group 17
ReplyDeleteWhen discussing amongst ourselves, the major factor we saw with the quote would be the age of the individual interpreting it. As a child, one lives with the standards set forth by parents, teachers, and other adults. A child does not necessarily have much choice, as they will be punished if they break the ethics to which they are raised. Additionally, a child does not have much experience to make comparisons with to form their own beliefs. Up until the teenage years, most children do not even possess the cognitive abilities necessary to make such comparisons.
As an individual approaches adulthood, he or she will be able to begin forming their own ethics. Individuals are not entirely "on their own" so to say, as they will have the foundation they were raised upon to make comparisons against. They will also have the influence of peers. In this sense, individuals are able to form their own beliefs, but are still constrained by what others think. Much of this could operate subconsciously. Nobody is entirely independent. If we were, society would not function. However, it is advantageous to ask as many questions as possible and seek out new experiences, as that is the only way we will arrive upon the "ideal" set of values taking into account both our own feelings and the feelings of others. We feel this really relates with the last sentence of the Buddhist quote. In chapter 2 when discussing cultural concerns, Kinsinger explains that society today has deviated from high standards, and this has been shaped by upbringing. It can be inferred that an individual should question the values to which they are raised. Keep in mind that the decisions we make will shape the ethics of future generations as well.
As a group, we decided that the quote does not necessarily encourage an individual to a formal code of ethics, as it urges them to make their own decisions. However, if individuals make the correct choices, we should all arrive upon similar values which benefit all. One thing to keep in mind is that as health care providers, we will deal with people from all walks of life. If your code of ethics is detrimental to even the smallest proportion of people, you need to reassess your values. We are supposed to have the most positive effect on people's lives as possible.
Group 10
ReplyDeleteOur group discussed the nature of right and wrong relative to the standard of an absolute truth. While people tend to base their decisions off of past experiences, it appears evident there must be some standard by which we determine the nature of right and wrong.
While some tend toward organized religion and others what some might call “personal doctrine”, there seems to be some standard to which, no matter what your theistic belief, a person should be held. While there is reasoning in existence to justify any action, it is a pretty universal belief that things in the nature of murder and rape are just wrong. We are usually taught this through family or formal education, but even without those things, there seems to be an innate understanding that causing harm to another person is wrong.
This becomes more complicated when deviating from things as blatantly harmful as murder or rape. When a person is left to their own moral reasoning to determine right from wrong, the results can become convoluted. Because we are all a product of our upbringing, we all carry with us our own sets or morals and standards. Too often we hold ourselves accountable to different standards than we hold those around us. We may be more lenient with ourselves than others, or we may even be more harsh on ourselves than others. It stands to reason that a person should be very careful in how they determine right from wrong. The flaw in this Buddhist quote lies in the determination of right and wrong on ones own terms. Alasdair MacIntyre said that “One cannot think for oneself if one thinks entirely by oneself”. We need some kind of outside sources. And if there is no absolute truth, we are all left to argue our own points, based entirely on what we have experienced. Right and wrong cannot be determined just by a sole person's moral reasoning. There must be some standard to which it is all held.
Group 16
ReplyDeleteOur group believes we are responsible to make good choices between right and wrong. Also we believe each of us has a conscience or an internal compass to assist in guiding us, and if we follow without deviation we will continue in a direction of “true north”. When we are children we are easily influnenced to believe in the beliefs and traditions that our parents chose. At an early age we believe that it is acceptable for a child to go along with what their parents believe, but once time goes by and that child grows it is his/her responsibility to look at these different ideas that influence their life and choose what they believe in most. No matter what that individual may choose to believe in our group feels that there is a force or a guiding mechanism – call it God, higher power, the universe, or whatever you choose – that entity will assist in guiding daily activities and choices.
Again, dependent on your belief, there is a set of standards to guide. Some believe it to be the Bible, which contains answers and guidance on any situation or question you may have. Some believe in other sets of standards – the Koran, the golden rule and so
As for an individuals code of ethics It seems to us that this quote encourages individual responsibility to self rather than to a formal code of ethics. Although the disclaimer at the end states that any decision regarding right or wrong must “agree with reason and be conducive to the good and benefit of one and all”, the basic guideline of the quote is to not believe in anything, and to formulate your own path and rules. When one decides internally that something is “for the good of all” it still is a subjective call when not viewed through the lens of established standards, morals and social mechanisms.
Group 25,
ReplyDeleteRegarding the Buddhist quote above, our group approached the quote by making a few comments about each individual line and altogether, leading to a code of ethics, the last two lines. Starting with line one, there are various things you choose to hear, indirectly hear, absolutely do not want to hear, and things you never do hear you are forced to dealt with as you mature. Now, what you choose to do with that information is up to you. You may choose to believe in it simply because you heard it. But if you choose not to believe in it, you may not embrace the effect society (environment) has on an individual by and change the way you believe in something possibly by acting out. This reflects on your childhood development when one learns a basis of morals, values, and respect from your family, friends, and peers. This carries into line two. What you hear, which may be rumors, from your family, friends and peers at a young age determines your basis of morals, values and respect. If family were to provide an unhealthy childhood for their young one, the young one’s basis would be different from the norm in more respects than others. The norm is knowing right from wrong when placed in society. Thus , the norms of society are monitored by rules, laws, and regulations we all must abide by. Line three brought up a lot of issues and questions about religion. We brought up middle eastern religions influencing terrorist organizations. In some cases, these religions force individuals into giving up one’s life in return for an action. How much power does religion have? How much of it can we believe? Which religion do we believe? Within the United States, most religions commit to the beauty of life and respect for individuals and God (or a God). Religion in the United States can play a huge role in shaping individuals. Once an individual gets older and develops their own basis of morals, values, and respect, we are placed in an environment. This environment changes the standards you have set for yourself as you interact with teachers and elders. Again, when you interact with such individuals you are given the choice to what you want to believe. Depending on the environment you are in and what you believe reflects on your ethics as an individual. The last single line regarding traditions did not seem to have a much of an impact on an individual’s ethics in our group. Tradition is thought of as “within a family.” Perhaps, the ethical values we develop within our families shape the ethics we hold for oursevles in society.
Altogether, we thought the last two lines sum it up well. As we approach adulthood, we are forced to take on responsibilties and concern by using the basis we developed in our childhood years, and going out in a positive, rationale matter. If we do not, then we may face "consequences" or "downfalls" that affect one's ethics greatly Much of these points are highlighted in Chapter 2 of Kisingers book, where he claims society holds inviduals to a high standards, and these high standards may change throughtout generations but is dependent on us as individuals.
Group 22
ReplyDeleteWe believe that there is a combination of learned behaviors and individualism. All societies have their own set of norms that citizens know to follow or consequences occur. It is up to the individual to interpret these rules or norms and act in an according manner. This quote encourages people to think for themselves. If everyone just did the same as the person before them than change and advancement wouldn't occur. We believe that people do learn what is right at a young age but it can also change when they grow and experience life. If we couldn't change our way of thinking once things stop making sense then most people would still believe in santa claus because as children we were told he exists and we need to behave in order for him to bring us toys. How silly would we look if we couldn't change are beliefs as we grew.
Group 21
ReplyDeleteOur group believes that from a young age we begin to learn the basis of right and wrong from our parents and peers. However, that basic knowledge grows as we get older. We learn from others as well as through experience and then we chose what we believe is right and what is wrong. This quote is saying that there are standards of what is right and wrong but we must analyze them ourselves and determine what we truly believe is right or wrong. We think that it is important to read, listen and observe others, however, once you acquire that information you must decided for YOURSELF what you think is ethical, therefore, creating your own code of ethics.
We discussed that although this quote encourages individuality we also believe that there are certain set "standards" and "beliefs" to guide us in making the right decisions. In conclusion, we believe that each person should be held responsible for their own actions.