Generally speaking ethic plays an essential role in every aspect of life. Furthermore, afterward they started giving some real life scenario connected to ethics both in lecturer and tutorial. On this we came to know how important this course is, as a matter fact it won’t only help us to here as a student but also through our entire life. In order to move we need to distinguish between the good and dull, positive and negative, true and false and furthermore, the ethic has the answers for most the things we looking for.
For Instance, earlier on the first week we were divided into 12 groups and given a really life issue, that we have to discuss and find out what are the ethical issues are. Our topic was “Hurricane Sandy: Beware of Americas Disaster Capitalist” after going through the passage we came to know what are the issue and everyone expressed their opinion base on the ethic. Lately in tutorial we were given a topic to discuses, the topic was “which one of the crimes are considered worst, lying or killing. In my prospective lying the worst crime ever.
Generally speaking all of us do lie in some parts or most parts of our life. Every people lie; in other words, no one never tells lies in their life. According to some facts, lie is considered to be bad, and most people hate liars. On most of their points of view, they think that the people who lie are very bad and irresponsible. Liar can be someone who did something wrong and lie in order to avoid criticism or punishment. Some liars can make some certain problems worse. For example, a person who works for a company provides false information to the company in order to serve his or her own benefit.
Week 4
This week we came to know more about philosophy ethical thinking in ancient Greece, more importantly about the trade and established colonies in different communities or nations. It is all about different cultures, values and furthermore. Lately we came across a statement, it says “Is humanity in progressing or not? Most of the fellows expressed their opinion on this issue, some were agreed and others disagreed.
Well, in my prospective humanity is not progressing accepted for some portion such as technology, science, construction and much more? People are getting more careless about their daily lives and such. They are more careless about the people around them too. Since the invention of technology life has changed dramatically in variety ways. Moreover, we are expecting from technology and less from each other’s and we have lost our own values, respect, culture and more. For instance, the current generation has lost human contact skills because all they do is text, Facebook or IM. And the number of crimes increasing rapidly such as gangbang, suicide, poverty, war, rape and more. When you connect that with the way life is undervalued by many criminals, things look miserable. The bad economy is to blame for a lot of the crime, but it’s always been there. As a matter of fact all the killing, bullying and suicide, it is all because the way the economy is going people are just giving up on themselves and the world. last but not least one of the argue that these ills have always been part of global society but if we can advance in areas such as technology and construction, building better computers and tall buildings then why can’t we become better human being.
Hinduism:
Base on my understanding and knowledge Hinduism is one of the oldest known organized religions. It is also one of the most diverse and complex, having millions of gods. Hindus have a wide variety of core beliefs and exist in many different sects. Although it is the third largest religion in the world, Hinduism exists primarily in India and Nepal.
The main texts of Hinduism are the Vedas (considered most important), Upanishads, the Mahabharata, and the Ramayana. These writings contain hymns, incantations, philosophies, rituals, poems, and stories from which Hindus base their beliefs. Other texts used in Hinduism include the Brahmanas, the Sutras, and the Aranyakas.
Though Hinduism is often understood as being polytheistic, supposedly recognizing as many as 330 million gods, it also has one “god” that is supreme Brahma. Brahma is an entity believed to inhabit every portion of reality and existence throughout the entire universe. Brahma is both impersonal and unknowable and is often believed to exist in three separate forms: Brahma Creator; Vishnu—Preserver; and Shiva—Destroyer. These “facets” of Brahma are also known through the many other incarnations of each. It is difficult to summarize Hindu theology since the various Hindu schools contain elements of almost every theological system. Hinduism can be:
Monistic—Only one thing exists; Sankara’s school
Pantheistic—Only one divine thing exists so that God is identical to the world; Brahmanism
Panentheistic—The world is part of God; Ramanuja’s School
Theistic—Only one God, distinct from Creation; Bhakti Hinduism.
Week5
Internet/Facebook:
Facebook is becoming one of the biggest addiction problems for the students around the world. Everyday students in Middle School, High School, College, and now even elementary school are now addicted to a so called socializing website. Without knowing a person wastes hours after hours on Facebook scouring for new notification and new messages. Facebook creates horrible situation in school and destroys one’s life slow, but gradually. One student might forget to study for the finals because the student decided to post the new awesome, crazy video that the student found. More than ever Facebook is becoming something harmful to the society with the way they trap their users in their website. Mostly people says we are fully in secure in Facebook, or in other words to have full privacy, unfortuatly they don’t what is happening behind the scene. In my perspective Facebook is a dangerous social network because of all the strangers that can see your private information. As a matter of fact, in 2010 a New Zealand hacker has infiltrated about 1.5 million Facebook accounts, this is Facebook can do for its users by letting them being hacked into and almost being sold into the Black Market. Privacy is approximately all gone in what use to be the famous Facebook.
Week 6
During this week, we were exposed to the ethics values in China, Iran, Japan and Islamic Ethics values. Based on the presentation by Dr. Hamid, he tried to elaborate and explain how the ethics values immerged in China, Iran and how a developed country such as Japan has high ethical values and the ethical values of Islam.
The argument which attracted my attention is on the liquid and container. There were arguments on this as Dr. Hamid said that Islam is like a liquid and the one who relieved it is like a container. A counter argument from a student was the Islam is a container and Muslim is the liquid if not mistaken. In my own opinion Islam is a liquid and the receiver is a container. How? Let me just give you an analogy on that where liquid will occupy the spaces of container. For instance, if we let the water into a zigzag shape, every part will receive it but the matter is there are part which will receive it fast and there are parts that will receive it later. So same goes to Islam, Islam will flow in the shape of human soul where if there are parts that could not get it at the beginning will be able to get it at the end.
At the end of the class on Thursday, a question was asked that If Japan has been able to enter modernity, be a leading center of technology and at the same time retain its ethical essence. How did it achieve it? Based on my knowledge and experience they are very systematic and punctual, respect others and have good manner. What I believe is the secret of Japan retains its ethical values is early education. They are trained since they were small on how to behave and act in different situation. One of the examples is sitting while eating or being silent when elders are talking.
Another secret that I believe can be the reason on how does Japan retains its ethical values is they highly appreciate their history. They really put concern on their own history and apply what their leaders have done in the past. Based on these two secrets, I personally believe that Japan will be able to retain its ethical values in future as the ethical education starts from the very beginning and they really emphasize on their past. Even though they are more focusing on future but I believe they still maintain their identity and history.
Week 7
Today’s lessons made me feel good and interested about learning ethic and I totally enjoyed it. Usually I feel bored, sleepy and not concentrating in the class. Finally today I really woke up in Auditorium, when our very attractive Mr. Jamie taught us; which the moment that all students waiting for since last semester. Even though all of us were curious and really worried when we had been given the quiz paper, but at the end it was just a prank. The reason why we received that paper is to understand and remember the modules “ethical decision-making “and he gave some real-life examples which boosted my understanding. As we know, there are five main types of this framework. Firstly, Relativist Ethic which is depends on community beliefs; also related to the situations. Secondly, Divine Command Ethic which it is the God’s words; determined by God’s Law. Next is Utilitarian Ethic means the consequences, follow the results/effects or the most beneficial decision. Then, Deontology Ethic which is totally depends on rules/law, both obligation/duty, and justice. Lastly, Virtue Ethic is depending on a person’s character; which intention usually more important than rules. In conclusion, each one of it has limitations, which not useful in many situations. So, we have been exposed to these types as they suit us and help us in making decision.
Personally, today’s lesson helps me a lot; especially in decision making. Life is full of dilemmas and no matter in which situation we have to make a decision which will determine and reflects ourselves. Furthermore, after learning these frameworks; I got a new idea and creative ways to choose the best decision in my everyday life even though it looks difficult in the beginning as I have never practiced it in my life. I personally believe that everyone has his/her own style of making decisions. Some would like to approach their elders and some do it by themselves. I do both where I took the opinions of my elders and think the effect of it before deciding. But sometimes, we could not approach the elders and there where we have to depend on ourselves. After learning these frameworks, now I know that I am the Divine Command Ethic person, where I always relate my decision with my religion and what my religion says about it. I’m very grateful to be Muslim as Allah has given us the best guidelines to live happily and peacefully. If we have any confusion, He showed us the way and give us a sense which one is good for us and which is not. And for that, I followed my religion and think critically before making any decision as I will be asked about it in hereafter.
Week 8
Today we had learnt about the ethical dilemma; continues lessons from previous week. But we did not really learn everything because of the time barrier. So we could just get some of the important point such the seven elements in ethical dilemma: theories, conflicts, needs, milieu, actors/maturity, transfer and guide. So we will read by our own after we received the slides at the end of this week. But all of us are requested to answer and reflect these: I will never touch a weapon to kill human being, but suddenly my friend said that if I could save 100 innocent children lives by shoot deranged person, will I do it? First of all it is not an easy question and need to think few times before answering it. Before taking the decision to fire a shot, I will try my best to find out a better and effective way to save the life of those 100 innocents and also not go against my principal. After that if I did not able to find any other way, then I will have to go against my principal and sacrifice one life for hundred lives. Killing someone is not the solution but actually it is the beginning of a problem. As an example, I shot that person and he died for the sake of hundred lives. But what will happen in future is, his relatives will try to revenge and that put my life into danger. It means that I have to be alert all the time and always bring a kind of weapon to protect myself. This automatically changes me from a person who loves peace into a person who creates war and I will not like to be
I have some suggestion for our teaching & learning way in Ethic lessons. As what we have done today, quiz and do it together; it is fun and enjoying thing to do and everyone got involved in it automatically. No one will feel bored and sleepy through this, so I hope our lecturer will keep doing it. And the way Mr. Jamie encouraging the scared students is a brilliant idea. Now, we could see our friend who rarely talks and shy come forward. It is great for them and I hope it will be continued. After today’s lessons, I enjoyed the quiz a lot and some important points that I could related to my life in making decision are, I would analyze it without biased, even though most of the time we are using our own feeling to decide. Then, I should try to solve problems by my own before depending on others and also use such variety effective way. For example, I could use the communication skills and thinking skills and make the strategies. And lastly, I must act ethically in real life as what had been taught in this course.
Week 9 & 10
In these two weeks, the focus of Ethic class was on The Contemporary Ethical Issues around the world such as cloning, abortion, suicide, surrogate mother, same gender marriage and so on. Who has the right to have children, no matter how they are created? Who doesn’t? Why? Is human cloning “playing with nature?” If so, how does that compare with other reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertilization or hormone treatments?
A question on who has the right to have children, no matter how they are created is a little sensitive to me. As there are some couples who really want to have a baby unfortunately, they face some natural problems and could not fulfill their dreams. For the married couples they have the right to have children but I don’t know it is allowed to have a surrogate mother. In Islam, a man is able to marry four wives as long as he become fair among them and have the ability to support them from all sides. If the first wife faced problems, the man can marry another but he has to keep in mind that he must give supports to his first wife and never let her down. That is not her problem and she does not deserve any punishment on that. So, I think there should not be any problem in having a baby as long as it is not through surrogacy. Cloning is another debatable issue around the world. My question will be is what is the purpose of human cloning? I don’t have the answer for it and I hope it will be answered. Cloning is the creation of a genetic copy of a sequence of DNA or of the entire genome of an organism. It is very hard to say that the existing person is the parents of it as the creation of human is done through the process of combination between sperm which comes from man and an ovum which comes from woman. Lastly, I will say that is has no parents,
The other issue we discussed in the class was same sex marriage. Lately, I believe that there is an abnormal hormones growth in human as we have been created as 2 genders male and female. Both have different reproductive system where the male reproductive system requires female’s one and the female one requires male reproductive system. I found one reason why it is so. It is because of lack of carrying. If the partner is less carrying, the other one will try to find out someone who really cares about them and from there, this kind of relationship starts. I believe they found out that the new partners are much more carrying and they are happy with them. What I mean is being with the same gender. Honestly speaking, I feel shy of talking all these. Logically thinking, I found out that to them sex is not everything and what they really want is love and carrying. Besides that, I think the violence which is happening in the different gender relationship is also a cause of having same gender relationship. That’s all what I can say and I pray that may God will show them the right thing.
Week 12
This is my last reflection for Introduction to Ethics. We have finally finished our trimester 2 and one of our essential subjects which Ethics. Ethic is one of my favorite subjects and I really like it because of its relationship to morality. Ethic is all about humanity and its responsibilities to himself/herself and other people. It is about living in peace with us and others. It is about feelings, happiness and peace. The Ethics class really affected me and how strongly I feel in free speech being protected. Identifying kinds of moral values, reasons behind moral judgments and decisions, Situational Perspective and furthermore. As individuals and as groups, all human beings have values. If you pay attention even for an hour or two to the number of times you use or hear the words “good” or “bad”. If that’s what ethics is, why studying it? To distinguish the right from wrong is one of the qualifications for being a fully functional adult. We do need ethic in every aspect in our life, either in identifying, distinguishing or decision making in our daily life. In fact there are some strengths and weaknesses in each class. Since we have finished our class and I am writing my last reflection, I would like to be honest and talk about whatever strengths and weaknesses that I have seen during our lectures.
At the end I want to say that our university is a new university and we all are in a process of learning and I think as we give our feedback and opinions about our class and our lecturers, our lecturers should also provide us with some feedback and opinion about us and our contribution to the course, so we can be encouraged and also learn something if it is possible for our lecturers. So, I would like to end my reflection by saying Thank You to all my respectful lecturers who have been with us and helping us to learn and apply in our life.