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Decision on ethical matters
Decision on ethical matters
Decision on ethical matters
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We learned to be obedient and to respect those with authority. In our minds resisting the formal social controls is a deviant act and would result in a negative consequence. Should we fear and question those in power? According to Annie Sunderberg and Ricki Stern’s film The Trials of Daryl Hunt this just might be the case.
It is simply just human nature to conform and obey when you are told to do something. Therefore, authority and obedience hold great power in society and what it can do. It can change things so fast and take control with a group of brainwashed
When we do something to please authority, we sometimes are not sure if it is for the right reasons. Every person on the earth has authority. However, the United States military branches are excellent examples to display authority. They have rankings such as corporal and colonel who interchange and are always moving up in the rankings. Sometimes what you are ordered to do is not always morally right.
People do this to avoid consequences, have respect for all authority, don’t question authority, and most are too afraid to speak up. Overall, throughout “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller, “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson, “The Milgram Experiment” by Stanley Milgram, “The Ethnic Theory of Plane Crashes” by Malcolm Gladwell, and “Zimbardo - Stanford Prison Experiment” by Saul McLeod, all exploit and explain the dangers of blind obedience. In the Crucible, blind obedience is shown during the witchcraft investigation that resulted in the deaths of innocent people which was led by Abigail Williams. In the Lottery, blind obedience is shown when in the brutal stoning of a member in the village without questioning the ethical standpoint. In the Milgram experiment, blind obedience is shown when individuals get pressured into causing harm to others when they were instructed by the authority.
“Moral Authority comes from following universal and timeless principles like honesty, integrity, and treating people with respect”-Stephen Covey. With power comes great responsibility, just as authority does. However, sometimes people abuse their power in certain situations. It is also common to see people with power step on the people below them.
Since the beginning of the human existence, man has always dominated and ruled over one another be it empires, corporations, or small groups. Authority and obedience has always been a factor of who we are. This natural occurrence can be seen clearly through the psychological experiments known as The Milgram Experiment and the Stanford Prison Experiment. Both of these studies are based on how human beings react to authority figures and what their obedience is when faced with conflict.
Fear of consequences: there may be fines, criticism or other unfavorable effects from defying authority. In order to prevent these consequences, people could decide to submit to authoritative figures. Trust in authority: People may submit to the judgment of those in positions of authority because they believe that they possess greater knowledge or experience, even if that judgment goes against their personal beliefs. Respect for expertise: People tend to view authority persons as being knowledgeable in their fields. People may respect the decisions of authority because they believe they are the
1. State the problem as simply and clearly as you can. A 19 years drug girl dealer escaped from prison in 1974, and caught 34 years later as a fugitive. In her time out of prison, she became a model citizen.
Working in the field of law enforcement and being ethically sound is important. It is important within our professional career that we are able to maintain a standard that doesn’t cross any ethical lines. Even in our academic we have to hold ourselves to an ethical standard, because we are trusted to do what is right. If we violate the academic integrity it put a mark on our ability to be trusted. Just as Dr. Steven Davis stated if someone is will to cheap to get ahead how can they be trusted
In 1989, officials in Miami-Dade County, Florida established the nation’s first drug court. This special court was designed to bring drug treatment more fully into the criminal justice system, treating offenders with a history of drug abuse for their addiction, while simultaneously ensuring supervision, and sanctions when needed, from the courts. The movement for an alternative court to sentence drug offenders emerged from the rapidly evolving reality that the nation’s decision to address drug abuse through law enforcement mechanisms would continue to pose significant challenges for the criminal court system. In 2004, 53% of persons in state prison were identified with a drug dependence or abuse problem, but only 15% were receiving professional
Whether or not they have good family or friend connections and what level of power they have can greatly influence their morals. This is expressed thoroughly
Milgram himself concluded how easily ordinary people ‘can become agents in a terrible destructive process. Moreover, even when the destructive effects of their work become patently clear, and they are asked to carry out actions incompatible with fundamental standards of morality, relatively few people have the resources needed to resist authority". (Milgram 1974) As this report has highlighted the research is not without controversy with many questioning to what extent Milgram’s experiment is true to real life and has been criticized for not highlighting further situational variables in determining obedience to authority. Regardless of this, there is no doubt Milgram highlighted a rather troubling phenomenon.
When it comes to the different kinds of authority, having to use force or suggestion to follow an order is considered irrational authority while acting in the name of reason is known as rational authority. In the film A Few Good Men, Dawson and Downey blindly follow commands not only because it was their duty to, but due to the mind set they were trained in and the three social processes that created conditions in which moral thoughts against violence become weakened. By following an order from their superior, Dawson and Downey received punishment due to it being an unethical order, and Kelman and Hamilton effectively explain how their situation involves authorization. For authorization to exist, the subordinates are required to obey in the terms of their role obligations instead of their personal preferences (K & H 139).
I do find the Health Impact Fund (HIF) as a desirable option, but at the same time just as Ryan described on his post, change is never easy, being this in my opinion the biggest disadvantage for HIF. For many years there have been problems throughout the years around the world regarding to access to medicines, especially in low and middle income countries. TRIPS has raised many problems in global health, and while different programs and solutions have been tried, still many developing countries do not have the facilities needed to produce essential medicines and 80% of money that families in low income countries spend in health care is still related to medicines 1. As described on this week’s lecture, licensing a product does not solve the
We have been trained to be obedient to authority. This quality is deep-rooted in us all from the manner in which we were brought up. It is natural for people to obey orders from those whom they recognized as their authority. This is the natural response to legitimate authority and can be learnt in a variety of situations. In a summary written in the article “The Perils of Obedience” (Milgram 1974), states: “The legal aspects of obedience are of enormous import, but they say very little about how most people behave in concrete situations.”