| Pick one of the unsolved societal dilemmas that Kidder lists at the very end of Chapter Eight. They are all “interdisciplinary” kinds of problems. 1. What specific disciplines are needed to solve it? 2. What solution to the dilemma do you recommend? You are welcome to pick a societal dilemma that is not on the list. _______________________________________________ Immigration across international borders: Do we keep them out or let them in? The human genome project: What are the ethical ramifications of designer babies and cloned humans? E-commerce and the Internet: Who pays, who benefits, who gets excluded, and why? Free trade: A boon for all, or a boondoggle for a few? Big science: Should the world’s taxpayers fund a few supercolliders and space stations, or thousands of smaller research projects? Censorship: If violence on television and video games <or social media> produces violence in the street, is there an ethical way to control either? Church scandals: Is it the state or the clergy’s jurisdiction—or both? Character education: Can ethics be taught in the schools without trampling on religious freedom? Healthcare: Which patients should benefit from big-ticket, heroic surgical procedures—and who decides? Homelessness: Is having a home a right or a privilege? Child care: As women become more educated and contribute more to the working world, who raises the next generation? Global business: Can ethical standards survive in countries where bribery and corruption are endemic? Economic recession: Should governments intervene to save failing private businesses—or let market forces prevail? |
