C2.1 Unit 3 Ethics

moral

Origin

late Middle English: from Latin moralis, from mos, mor- ‘custom’, (plural) mores ‘morals’. As a noun the word was first used to translate Latin Moralia, the title of St Gregory the Great's moral exposition of the Book of Job, and was subsequently applied to the works of various classical writers.

Unit objectives

Listening: ethics and street photography

Reading: xenotransplantaion

Grammar: uses of the pasive 

Uses of the adverb, phrase, adjective 'just'

Speaking: discussing ethical issues in depth

Project: class debate

ethic

Origin

late Middle English (denoting ethics or moral philosophy; also used attributively): from Old French éthique, from Latin ethice, from Greek (hē) ēthikē (tekhnē) ‘(the science of) morals’, based on ēthos (see ethos).

Some basic language around Ethics

Some the week's topics and activities:

Talk about what they might entail

TED Talk: We Need A Moral Operating System
Listening: Moral Blind Spots
Listening / watching: The Nuclear Debate
Listening / watching: Niccolo Machiavelli
Reading / listening: Homeless Jesus

Who are these peeps?

Here are their names (in historical order)

Socrates 
Aristotle 
Kong, Fu-Zi (Confucius) 
The Buddha 
Jesus of Nazareth  

Muhammad  

Niccolo Machiavelli 

Immanuel Kant 
Friederich Nietsche 
Hannah Arendt 
Albert Camus 

Iris Murdoch

just

Origin

late Middle English: via Old French from Latin justus, from jus ‘law, right’.

1.	This is just right.			a	equally, no less
2.	We've got just enough.			b	now, in a moment
3.	She left just as I was leaving.			c	a very short time ago
4.	This one is just as good as that one.			d	exactly
5.	It started just after eight.			e	to show a small possibility
6.	Mike? I think he's just left.			f	with none to spare
7.	I'm just coming.			g	to get someone's attention
8.	Why don't you just tell the truth?			h	only
9.	There is just one thing I've got to say!			i	simply
10.	Don't you just love			j	agreeing with somebody
11.	Just come over here, will you!			k	a little, a short time
12.	Could you just wait a second please?			l	at the same moment
13.	He might just still be in the office			m	in polite requests
14.	Lovely day, isn't it? - Isn't it just?			n	really, absolutely

Practice

Listen: 

Blind Spots

1. What is a moral blind spot?

2. Can you think of examples of moral blind spots in your own behaviour?

3. Are moral blind spots just part of life, can we really avoid having them?

Interview scenario

During the course of the interview he asks you three questions:

1. Do people find you desirable?
2. Do you have a boyfriend?
3. Do you think it's important for women to wear a bra to work?

How would you react?

Under what circumstances could these questions be asked during a job interview?




Listen from 9:25 - 11.40


1. How did most women say they would respond? What did others say they would do?

2. What position did they think they were interviewing for?

3. How many interviewees answered all of the questions?

4. How many refused to answer the question about the bra?

5. How many expressed an objection to the questions during the interview?

6. How many expressed an objection to the questions after the interview?


Pause and discuss why this happened.

Class discussion - does this experiment make a larger point about human morality?

Aristotle's table of virtues and vices

Which words are unfamiliar to you?

Question

What's the difference between a role and a job?

Think about people in the following roles. How might they be led to make moral compromises in pursuing these roles? 

Why might some people describe them as "hypocrites"?

Why might some people describe them as "pragmatists"?

Discussion

Where do you get your basic ethics from? Religion? Your culture? Your upbringing? You own reflections? TV? Reading?









How would you describe your basic ethical framework?

Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, Jewish, Catholic etc...
Liberal
Traditional
Atheist, non religious, rationalist
Materialistic
Environmentalist
Utilitarian
Anarchist
Communist
Cultural relativist










Do you think there are "universal" ethics?

Chomsky on moral relativism