1. Ethics, Morals, and Morality

2. Definitions
Ethics – A branch of philosophy concerned with ways of thinking philosophically about morality, and moral judgment.
Morality – Human conduct and character referring to “those acts which it makes sense to describe as right or wrong, good or bad.”
Moral Judgment – Judgments based on considerations of how other people are to be treated, and how others interests are to weigh against their own.

3. Open-Ended Questions? What are ethics?
Are ethical decisions important?
What happens without ethics?
What is the relation between society – ethics – morals – moral judgment?

4. Examples of Ethical Decisions
An American journalist, the first, to visit the Soviet Union after the Chernobyl accident found a very provocative story. He was taken on a tour of the plant with some American engineers after the 1986 explosion. What he found out about what happened the night the reactor exploded was frightening. It seems that night two of the engineers were playing around with one of the reactors, in what later the Soviets described as an "Unauthorized experiment." The engineers were trying to see how long a turbine would free-wheel if they took the power off it. To do this they had to take reactor four off-line. They by- passed six different security systems with warning lights saying "extremely dangerous do not continue." They shut off the alarms rather than the experiment. The engineers even padlocked open the valves on the reactor so they wouldn't automatically close. These engineers were two of the people considered excellent in their field. If they had been in America they would have been seen as Yale, Harvard, or MIT, graduates. They would have had 4.0 GPA's and highly revered.

5. What ethical decisions were involved in this story?
What kind of ethical decisions did the engineers make?

6. Take out a piece of scrap paper!
Do not put your name on the paper, this is anonymous!
Would you cheat on an important exam? “Yes or No”
A survey of American students showed that 65% would cheat!
Were you truthful? Is it ethical to answer truthfully? Who gets hurt when people are unethical? What if GM cheated you when they built your car?

7. Think back to the Engineers
How ethical were the Engineers?
How moral were the Engineers?
What is the difference?

8. Where does morality come from?
(write student suggestions on the board)
Parents
Religion
Peers
Technology

9. Parents
Parents instill ethics and morals in children. Example: A child yells at their friend – calling them a name.
How does the parent respond?
Other ways?

10. Religion
Most religions set guidelines on how to make moral judgments.Example: In the Christian religion the ten commandments serve as guidelines for making ethical and moral judgments.
What do Muslims, Hebrews, and other religions use?

11. Peers
Friends effect your moral judgments. Example: A friend or acquaintance might coax you to use drugs.
Peer pressure can sometimes cause people to make moral and ethical decisions.
Others?

12. Technology
Technology provides many opportunities to make moral and ethical decisions. Example: Copying computer games and violating copyright laws.
Does having a radar detector give you the right to break the law and speed?
Is it ethical to slash and burn the rain forests to feed more people?
Should you drive your car to work or school when it is in within walking distance?

13. Right, Wrong and Grey areas?
Unclear situations in ethics, many times they are personal and hotly debated in politics.
Black and white – Fairly clear – straight forward, most people feel the same way about: stealing, murder, honesty, charity.
Others?

14. Grey areas? Internet Crime Gun control Abortion
Separation of Church and state
Environmental impacts of technology
Others?

15. What about these? Drunk or Buzz driving?
Stealing from your employer? What would you do? Would you report a co-worker?
Your father illegally dumping pollutants. What would you do?
Summary: Morals and Ethics, what are they?

16. Socratic Seminar
(TCS # 3 & 4)

17. Socratic Seminar
Ground Rules
Goals for Group
Your Personal Goal

18. Getting Started
Each student will jot down a definition of the Greater Good
Students will move to the corner of room that best fits their opinion on the following question (strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree)
As a Group Discuss - The Greater Good should be considered over individual rights in decision making when it comes to issues of societal well being
Select a spokesperson to share the common opinion of your group

19. Topic - Robots in the Workforce
Use your device to research articles that discuss both the pros and cons of using robots in the workforce.
You must come up with 3 points that are pro and 3 points that are con. Write these down.
From what you have read, come up with a scientific and written textual-minded question you will ask in seminar

20. Robots in the Workforce
What big ideas or ethics are embodied in the articles you read? Round robin response based on the pros and cons researched.
What part of the articles you read is most controversial? What makes it controversial?

21. Robots in the Workforce
Round Robin Asking Your Individual Questions
We want to hear from everyone during the course of our discussion
5 different people will respond for each question (only because our total time is limited, not to squelch good discussion)
Respect the speaker – don’t interrupt or criticize
Don’t dominate the conversation
Data must be actual, fact based. Reference the articles you read.
No side conversations
Avoid back and forth debates
The question will be closed by a response from the person who first posed the question

22. Robots in the Workforce
What thoughts do we agree on?
What are still areas of difference for our class?
Based on the texts you read to prepare for this seminar and our discussion, what advances in robotics in the workforce do you think are needed?
What questions does this topic raise for the scientist, engineer, or technician?

23. Closing Thoughts A scientist or engineer must be prepared to
Conduct thorough research on their own
Conduct extensive research on the work of others
Perhaps call in subject matter experts or consultants
Deal with members of the public who form opinions purely based on their emotions or their own agenda
Be prepared to address the facts people make up. Sometimes no amount of data will please them.
Some people are CAVE people. Citizens Against Virtually Everything

24. Feedback on This Activity
What Went Well? Also, did we achieve group and personal goals?
What should be tweaked for our future Socratic Seminars?