1. One paragraph summary of the key idea summarizing the major idea of the section.
I think the main idea from this section was that in the real world, we are often faced with dilemmas and decisions that require strong moral guidance to solve and decide effectively. First of all, “Just War” is an idea for Catholics and my other people that through an understanding of the reasons for a particular war, that it may be fought in good conscience. There is only one circumstance in which there can be just cause, and that is for the protection and defense of justice. Some more qualities of a just war include legitimate authority, a formal declaration of war, right intention, last resort, reasonable hope for success, and proportionality. Without any one of these seven characteristics, a moral person may conscientiously object to going to war. A good example of where soldiers had to determine whether they were fighting a just war was in My Lai, where a group of American soldiers raped and murdered hundreds of innocent Vietnamese people. Furthermore, the idea of Medical Ethics means trying to understand what should be done in life and death situations, among many other situations. The main goal of Medical Ethics is determining what is best for patients as well as their relatives and close friends. Although decisions in this field can be muddled by emotions of the families, usually doctors, nurses, and ethics response teams try to help families make the best overall decision. Finally, Business Ethics is the amalgam of success in the workplace and proper conduct with assets (including employees). People like Aaron Feuerstein, Jim Goodnight, and Danny Meyer are set apart from the rest of the business world by their genuine concern and care for the people around them. Success is, of course, an important factor to them, but the well-being of their devoted workers always comes first to them. They have succeeded in the marketplace, while helping their fellow man by providing decent wages, benefits, and more.
2. List and explain three of the most important ideas you want to remember from this week.
a. Just War - Discrimination - Discrimination (also called noncombatant immunity) means that, “noncombatants must be immune from direct attack.” The term “noncombatant” not only includes innocent civilians, but also those who work for the war effort because they are not directly involved in the military. I think this is just as important now as it was during the Vietnam War with the My Lai massacre. I think that in today’s world where soldiers in Iraq harm civilians frequently, it puts perspective on the state of the current morality of many soldiers at war. I also think this was the most important idea of the Just War section because it involves so many more people that strictly the soldiers and other combatants. It affects me because (if faced with such an occurrence) I wouldn’t want an invading army to attack me.
b. Medical Ethics - Liver Transplant - I thought that this was the most important idea from the Medical Ethics section because it demonstrated the tough decisions doctors are forced to make. Because of the Hippocratic Oath which states that doctors are forbidden to do harm, Heather Wilson’s doctors could not let her uncle, a willing donor with some poorly placed arteries, to donate part of his healthy liver. The doctors had no choice but to let Heather die because they could not put him at risk. Thankfully, a donor was found and she survived, but the fact that these doctors were put in such a difficult predicament clearly demonstrates the difficulty and importance of Medical Ethics.
c. Business Ethics - Aaron Feuerstein - I believe that Aaron Feuerstein is one of the best examples of good morality in Business Ethics. Aaron Feuerstein is the third-generation owner of Malden Mills, a company that makes textiles (most famous for Polar-Tec fleece). When the building burned down, and the employees were forced to stop working, Feuerstein decided to pay them their full salaries for many months after the fire. This action, although unbelievably generous, along with building a new factory, hurt Malden Mills and later, they were forced to file for bankruptcy. I think that Feuerstein is the perfect example of Business Ethics because as he said, “[helping his employees] was just the right thing to do.” This sort of dedication to morality made him a great leader.
I think this image is a perfect example of Business Morality because it depicts one of the world's leaders of ethical business. He represents fair wages, more than fair treatment of employees, and successful business without lying, cheating or stealing. He is a hero to many people and a model of good ethics.
4. One good question you should keep with you to ponder.
What actions can I do to prevent the catastrophes that many of the people in this section faced?
I think by making sure my parents and grandparents wishes are known (as through a living will) and by understanding the idea of conscientious objection, I can avoid much of the turmoil that the people in this section confronted.
5. What should you try to do to make you a more moral person?
I think that I could make myself a more moral person while also helping other people by contributing to such companies as Malden Mills, SAS, etc. which help other people. If I support those companies, I am also supporting my fellow man, which in turn makes me a more moral person (while also showing solidarity!).
I also think that I should try to keep up with the news. If I am aware of business, medical, and war ethics, I will be more conscious of how they affect me and the people I know. I think knowledge is a key component to morality. After all, “The unexamined life is not worth living.”
