Ethical Reasoning to Determine the Course of Action

Ethical Reasoning to Determine the Course of Action Developing software that controls the autopilot system on a prototype of a commercial airplane is highly recommendable for safety reasons. Testing the system suitably is equally imperative. Hurrying up the testing to meet the publicly announced testing deadline may lead to compromising the reliability and safety of the entire aircraft system.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Ethical Reasoning to Determine the Course of Action specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Various theories recommend different methods of handling the moral dilemma.  The managers, travelers and professional bodies have the right to obtain trustworthy information about the security system installed in the aircraft. Bodies such as the Global Agenda Council on Space Security and Department of Defense Space Management have legal and moral responsibilities for ensuring space safety. An engineer also has the responsibility to model an autopilot that recei ves data from the Global Positioning System software installed in the aircraft. The GPS receiver should be able to calculate the aircraft’s position in space. Equipped with such positioning information devices, an autopilot helps keep the plane straight. Moreover, it helps efficiently execute the flight plans. Performing the right task is essential. It would be morally challenging to decide whether to implement the universal professional demands or those of the boss or not. There are two alternative actions for solving the dilemma. The first possible action is implementing the demands.The other option is objecting to implement them. Objecting to implement the unprofessional demands is the best course of action to take since it would guarantee the safety of those on-board. The decision to object to the demands obeys the rules of Kantianism theory. The theory states that what an individual desires to accomplish and what he/she should accomplish are often incompatible. This mean s that an individual may make decisions that result to immediate discomfort and unhappiness. However, the decision should ultimately lead to satisfaction. The entire rationale of morality is taking the right course of action just for the sake of it. The manager’s appreciation of the intention to test the aircraft appropriately should have no impact on the decision to turn down his/her request. The short-lived feeling of displeasure should not also have an impact on the decision made. Therefore, I would take the decision to comply with the correct rules and procedures and save lives of people and the aircraft.  Certain groups of people may disagree with the decision. This may be due to their inability to determine independently what is either wrong or right.Advertising Looking for essay on ethics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Kant states that an individual determines his/her behavior by making use of the l aw of autonomy. Therefore, a decision is either wrong or right depending on the intention of the action. In addition, morality is never relative. An individual is either morally upright or not. This happens because morality is not determined by the outcome of the decision but by the intention of the action. Since it is impractical to predict accurately the consequences of human actions, I would adopt the Kantianism theory in order to save the situation. This means that the task is accomplished professionally. The action would ensure that the stakeholders incur no losses. However, if they incur losses due to the decision, I would remain contented that the intention was non-malicious and the consequences were beyond my control. Alternatively, one would prefer to act based on the theory of Consequentialism. The accuracy of this theory is determined by two ethical principles. The first principle states that the consequences of an act establish whether an action is morally right or not. The other principle affirms that the degree of superiority of the results determines the scale for measuring the morality of the action. The problem with this theory is that it is difficult to accurately predict the outcome of an action. A person who adopts this theory can choose to comply with the demands of the boss and keep details of their action secret. They may comply with unprofessional requests and hope that no evil would befall the stakeholders. Another group of people may prefer to adopt the theory of Virtue Ethics. The hypothesis deemphasizes rules, consequences, and particular acts. It greatly focuses on the personality of the actor. The important factor, according to this hypothesis, is whether the person who is acting is articulating excellent personality or not. Therefore, an act is considered to be right when performing this act, the individual exercises, demonstrates or builds up an ethically virtuous character. Any one undergoing through similar challenges can rely on the theory, evaluate the moral character of the boss, and comply with the demands, particularly if he/she is convinced that the boss is morally upright. Conclusively, the right decision should not be based on general assumptions. The character of the boss has no direct influence on the consequences of the decision. Similarly, the theory of Consequentialism may be irrelevant since outcomes of decisions are influenced by a myriad of factors. Some of the factors are beyond human control. I, therefore, prefer the Kantianism theory because it requires an individual to take control over his/her decisions.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Ethical Reasoning to Determine the Course of Action specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More

Qesem Cave - Middle and Lower Paleolithic Site in Israel

Qesem Cave - Middle and Lower Paleolithic Site in Israel Qesem cave is a karst cave located on the lower, western slopes of the Judean Hills in Israel, 90 meters above the sea level and about 12 kilometers from the Mediterranean Sea. The caves known limits are approximately 200 square meters (~20x15 meters and ~10 meters high), although there are several partly visible passages which have yet to be excavated. Hominid occupation of the cave has been documented in a 7.5-8 meter-thick layer of sediment, divided into an Upper Sequence (~4 meters thick) and a Lower Sequence (~3.5 meters thick). Both sequences are believed to be associated with the Acheulo-Yabrudian Cultural Complex (AYCC), which in the Levant is transitional between the Acheulean period of the late Lower Paleolithic and the Mousterian of the early Middle Paleolithic. The stone tool assemblage at Qesem Cave is dominated by blades and shaped blades, called the Amudian industry, with a small percentage of Quina scraper-dominated Yabrudian industry. A few Acheulean hand axes were found sporadically throughout the sequence. Faunal material discovered in the cave exhibited a good state of preservation, and included fallow deer, auroch, horse, wild pig, tortoise, and red deer. Cutmarks on the bones suggest butchery and marrow extraction; the selection of bones within the cave suggest that the animals were field-butchered, with only specific parts returned to the cave where they were consumed. These, and the presence of blade technology, are early examples of modern human behaviors. Qesem Cave Chronology Qesem Caves stratigraphy has been dated by Uranium-Thorium (U-Th) series on speleothermsnatural cave deposits such as stalagmites and stalactites, and, at Qesem Cave, calcite flowstone and pool deposits. Dates from the speleotherms are from in situ samples, although not all of them are clearly associated with the human occupations. Speleotherm U/Th dates recorded within the top 4 meters of the cave deposits range between 320,000 and 245,000 years ago. A speleotherm crust at 470-480 cm below the surface returned a date of 300,000 years ago. Based on similar sites in the region, and these suite of dates, the excavators believe that occupation of the cave began as long ago as 420,000 years ago. Acheulo-Yabrudian Cultural Complex (AYCC) sites such as Tabun Cave, Jamal Cave and Zuttiyeh in Israel and Yabrud I and Hummal Cave in Syria also contain date ranges between 420,000-225,000 years ago, fitting with the data from Qesem. Sometime between 220,000 and 194,000 years ago, Qesem cave was abandoned. Note (Jan 2011): Ran Barkai, director of the Qesem Cave Project at Tel Aviv University, reports that a paper to be submitted for publication soon provides dates on burnt flints and animal teeth within the archaeological sediments. Faunal Assemblage Animals represented at Qesem cave include approximately 10,000 microvertebrate remains, including reptiles (there are an abundance of chameleons), birds, and micromammals such as shrews. Human Remains at Qesem Cave Human remains found within the cave are restricted to teeth, found in three different contexts, but all within the AYCC of the late Lower Paleolithic period. A total of eight teeth were found, six permanent teeth and two deciduous teeth, probably representing at least six different individuals. All of the permanent teeth are mandibular teeth, containing some traits of Neanderthal affinities and some suggesting a similarity to hominids from Skhul/Qafzeh caves. Qesems excavators are convinced that the teeth are Anatomically Modern Human. Archaeological Excavations at Qesem Cave Qesem Cave was discovered in 2000, during road construction, when the caves ceiling was almost entirely removed. Two brief salvage excavations were conducted by the Institute of Archaeology, Tel Aviv University and the Israel Antiquities Authority; those studies identified the 7.5 meter sequence, and the presence of AYCC. Planned field seasons were conducted between 2004 and 2009, led by Tel Aviv University. Sources See Tel Aviv Universitys Qesem Cave Project for additional information. See page two for a list of resources used in this article. Sources See Tel Aviv Universitys Qesem Cave Project for additional information. This glossary entry is a part of the About.com guide to Paleolithic, and the Dictionary of Archaeology. Barkai R, Gopher A, Lauritzen SE, and Frumkin A. 2003. Uranium series dates from Qesem Cave, Israel, and the end of the Lower Palaeolithic. Nature 423(6943):977-979. doi:10.1038/nature01718 Boaretto E, Barkai R, Gopher A, Berna F, Kubik PW, and Weiner S. 2009. Specialized Flint Procurement Strategies for Hand Axes, Scrapers and Blades in the Late Lower Paleolithic: A 10Be Study at Qesem Cave, Israel. Human Evolution 24(1):1-12. Frumkin A, Karkanas P, Bar-Matthews M, Barkai R, Gopher A, Shahack-Gross R, and Vaks A. 2009. Gravitational deformations and fillings of aging caves: The example of Qesem karst system, Israel. Geomorphology 106(1-2):154-164. doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2008.09.018 Gopher A, Ayalon A, Bar-Matthews M, Barkai R, Frumkin A, Karkanas P, and Shahack-Gross R. 2010. The chronology of the late Lower Paleolithic in the Levant based on U-Th ages of speleothems from Qesem Cave, Israel. Quaternary Geochronology 5(6):644-656. doi: 10.1016/j.quageo.2010.03.003 Gopher A, Barkai R, Shimelmitz R, Khalaily M, Lemorini C, Heshkovitz I, and Stiner MC. 2005. Qesem Cave: An Amudian Site in Central Israel. Journal of the Israel Prehistoric Society 35:69-92. Hershkovitz I, Smith P, Sarig R, Quam R, Rodrà ­guez L, Garcà ­a R, Arsuaga JL, Barkai R, and Gopher A. 2010. Middle Pleistocene dental remains from Qesem Cave (Israel). American Journal of Physical Anthropology 144(4):575-592. doi: 10.1002/ajpa.21446 Karkanas P, Shahack-Gross R, Ayalon A, Bar-Matthews M, Barkai R, Frumkin AG, Avi , and Stiner MC. 2007. Evidence for habitual use of fire at the end of the Lower Paleolithic: Site-formation processes at Qesem Cave, Israel. Journal of Human Evolution 53(2):197-212. doi: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2007.04.002 Lemorini C, Stiner MC, Gopher A, Shimelmitz R, and Barkai R. 2006. Use-wear analysis of an Amudian laminar assemblage from the Acheuleo-Yabrudian of Qesem Cave, Israel. Journal of Archaeological Science 33(7):921-934. doi: 10.1016/j.jas.2005.10.019 Maul LC, Smith KT, Barkai R, Barash A, Karkanas P, Shahack-Gross R, and Gopher A. 2011. Microfaunal remains at Middle Pleistocene Qesem Cave, Israel: Preliminary results on small vertebrates, environment and biostratigraphy. Journal of Human Evolution 60(4):464-480. doi: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2010.03.015 Verri G, Barkai R, Bordeanu C, Gopher A, Hass M, Kaufman A, Kubik P, Montanari E, Paul M, Ronen A et al. 2004. Flint mining in prehistory recorded by in situ-produced cosmogenic 10Be. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 101(21):7880-7884.

Would You Be Willing To Swear A Hippocratic Oath Essay

Would You Be Willing To Swear A Hippocratic Oath - Essay Example With this concern the associate justice opined that lawyers should also be encouraged to swear a Hippocratic Oath, similar as the doctors. It is since then that the aspect have attracted various comments and headed to as a major controversial issue in the history of legal profession (Rocca, 2008). After a long controversy it was again suggested that the law graduates should be spelling an oath which was presented as an option to the final year law students. It was in this context, that certain people felt it to be unnecessary for the legal profession while few were in the favour of the oath (Laycock, 2010). However, the question still comes into view regarding the appropriateness and its efficacy in the realistic practices of the legal profession.... nt, it can be stated that the oath in actual terms can be highly beneficial for the society by reducing the occurrences regarding the misconducts of legal profession. It is worth mentioning that the professional and the ethical responsibilities of a lawyer play a major role in signifying the requirement of a Hippocratic Oath, which is in turn strictly driven by the legal system of a society. The legal systems practiced in the society are enforced with the ultimate objective to ensure the behaviour of the people is against any kind of crime or harm. Whereas, in technical terms these enforced legal systems are the accumulated versions of certain well-defined and specified statements to regulate and control the living of the society. Therefore, the statements need to be re-enforced in the real life practices and accordingly require to be monitored with the aim that the actions of peoples are not against the legal boundaries (Webb & Et. Al., 2007). Moreover, the actions needs to be judge d in-depth as in the practical consequences, it is not always that a person performing actions which are against the legal statements can be termed to be a criminal. For instance, a person who has committed a murder to protect himself in self-defence cannot be termed as criminal. Hereby, it is the duty of the lawyer or the legal professional to prove the real fact. Therefore, the core responsibilities of a legal professional are to increase the efficiency of legal statements and enhance the societies’ well-being. To be summarised, it is the professional responsibility of a lawyer to signify the efficiency and the integrity of the legal systems enforced to regulate and control various actions of a society. Therefore, the professional responsibility of a lawyer is of crucial value to the

Role of Attitude in Organizational Behavior Essay

Role of Attitude in Organizational Behavior - Essay Example For example, the attitude of a person towards a friend can be examined in terms of cognitive component (â€Å"I think my friend is funny and pleasant†), affective component (â€Å"I feel nice when I am around this friend†) and behavioral component (â€Å"I try to spend time with this friend whenever I get an opportunity†). Attitudes of a person are influenced by both values and beliefs. Values reflect a general sense of right or wrong and do not require an identifiable object towards which it is directed (Cheek 2006). Values are therefore deeply rooted views that act as guiding principles for an individual. On the other hand beliefs are assumptions that one makes about oneself, about others and about how we expect things to be (Cheek 2006). Attitudes develop from past experiences or observations and have been found to guide future behavior. Behavior is the way one acts and includes the things that we say or do, like facial expressions, hand gestures, eye contact and choice of words (Standen n.d.). Behavior is usually an outward expression of one’s attitude. However, the two are not always related. Attitudes are only one of the determinants of behavior. It is the predisposition to behave in a particular way in a given situation. However, how one would actually behave in a given scenario, depends on many other factors like immediate consequences of the behavior, perception of others viewing the behavior, personal habits and other situational factors (Standen n.d.). A classic example to describe this is the study conducted by LaPiere (1934) where he went on a tour with a Chinese couple (at a time when Chinese were discriminated against) in the southwest. He asked the hotel proprietors if this couple could stay in their hotel and also if they could eat there.

Capital Punishment Essay: Incidental Issues :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Incidental Issues and Capital Punishment      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This essay gives consideration to some of the incidental issues in the death penalty debate: cost, relative suffering, brutalization, and others.    Many nondecisive issues are associated with capital punishment. Some believe that the monetary cost of appealing a capital sentence is excessive (1). Yet most comparisons of the cost of life imprisonment with the cost of life imprisonment with the cost of execution, apart from their dubious relevance, are flawed at least by the implied assumption that life prisoners will generate no judicial costs during their imprisonment. At any rate, the actual monetary costs are trumped by the importance of doing justice.    Others insist that a person sentenced to death suffers more than his victim suffered, and that this (excess) suffering is undue according to the lex talionis (rule of retaliation) (2). We cannot know whether the murderer on death row suffers more than his victim suffered; however, unlike the murderer, the victim deserved none of the suffering inflicted. Further, the limitations of the lex talionis were meant to restrain private vengeance, not the social retribution that has taken its place. Punishment-- regardless of the motivation-- is not intended to revenge, offset, or compensate for the victim's suffering, or to measured by it. Punishment is to vindicate the law and the social order undermined by the crime. This is why a kidnapper's penal confinement is not limited to the period for which he imprisoned his victim; nor is a burglar's confinement meant merely to offset the suffering or the harm he caused his victim; nor is it meant only to offset the advantage he gained (3).    Another argument heard at least since Beccaria (4) is that, by killing a murderer, we encourage, endorse, or legitimize unlawful killing. Yet, although all punishments are meant to be unpleasant, it is seldom argued that they legitimize the unlawful imposition of identical unpleasantness. Imprisonment is not thought to legitimize kidnapping; neither are fines thought to legitimize robbery. The difference between murder and execution, or between kidnapping and imprisonment, is that the first is unlawful and undeserved, the second a lawful and deserved punishment for an unlawful act. The physical similarities of the punishment to the crime are irrelevant. The relevant difference is not physical, but social (5).    We threaten punishments in order to deter crime. We impose them not only to make the threats credible but also as retribution (justice) for the crimes that were not deterred.

Communication Styles Worksheet Essay

You spent the past few days exploring the resources available to students at University of Phoenix, and you want to share what you learned with a friend who is interested in enrolling.  Write a 150- to 200-word e-mail to your friend summarizing the resources available to students. Hi,  I wanted to follow up with you on the conversation we had last night about you attending University of Phoenix. There are many resource’s available to help you with reaching your goals. To start there is the CWE (Center for Writing Excellence). It has a wealth of information and guides to help you with grammar and writing. There is also the program Riverpoint Writer which will actually take your information and turn into a well formatted paper. It will even help with quotes and references and turn them into properly formatted citations. The University also has the plagiarism checker which will review your papers and help you to avoid plagiarism. Last but certainly not least there is WritePoint. When you finish writing your papers and before you turn them in you can send them to Write Point. This is just like having your very own proofreader available any time day or night. The program will actually add suggestions to your paper to let you know what needs to be fixed or help you make changes to have them sound better. All of these programs are available to all students starting the day you enroll. Hope this helps in you decision! You asked your facilitator to review your e-mail draft. She liked what you wrote and asked you to write a summary to post in the class forum for the other students to read.  Write a 150- to 200-word summary for your class of the resources available to students. Remember to write using an academic tone. The University of Phoenix has many resources available to students to help be successful in continuing their education. For example the Center for writing excellence (CWE) is found in the University’s online library. This is a tool that helps students become better writers. It has many programs such as Plagarisism Checker which will review your writing for any possible palgarisism and guarantee you turn in original work. There is also WritePoint which will review your writing and give feedback on how to improve your paper. Riverpoint writer is another good tool to help students learn to format in the APA style. Another useful program is the Center for Mathematics Excellence which is also found in the online library. This program has many tutorials, videos, and practice problems to help students become more comfortable with mathematics. There is also the building mathematics confidence which students can use to become reacquainted with math before starting their first mathematics class.

A Hidden Ocean Might Exist Under Ganymedes Icy Surface

When you think about the Jupiter system, you think of a gas giant planet. It has major storms whirling around in the upper atmosphere. Deep inside, its a tiny rocky world surrounded by layers of liquid metallic hydrogen. It also has strong magnetic and gravitational fields that could be obstacles for any kind human exploration. In other words, an alien place.   Jupiter just doesnt seem like the kind of place that would also have tiny water-rich worlds orbiting around it.   Yet, for at least two decades, astronomers have suspected that the tiny moon Europa had subsurface oceans. They also think that  Ganymede has at least one (or more) oceans as well.  Now, they have strong evidence for a deep saline ocean there. If it turns out to be real, this salty subsurface sea could have more than all the water on Earths surface. Discovering Hidden Oceans How do astronomers know about this ocean? The latest findings were made using the Hubble Space Telescope to study Ganymede. It has an icy crust and a rocky core. What lies between that crust and core have intrigued astronomers for a long time. This is the only moon in the entire solar system that is known to have its own magnetic field. Its also the largest moon in the solar system. Ganymede also has an ionosphere, which is lit up by magnetic storms called aurorae. These are mainly detectable in ultraviolet light.   Because aurorae are controlled by the moons magnetic field (plus the action of Jupiters field), astronomers came up with a way to use the motions of the field to look deep inside Ganymede. (Earth also has aurorae, called informally the northern and southern lights).   Ganymede orbits its parent planet embedded in Jupiters magnetic field. As Jupiters magnetic field changes, the Ganymedean aurora also rock back and forth. By watching the rocking motion of the aurorae, astronomers were able to figure out that theres a large amount of salt water beneath the crust of the moon.The saline-rich water suppresses some of the influence that Jupiters magnetic field has on Ganymede, and that is reflected in the motion of the aurorae.   Based on Hubble data and other observations, scientists estimate the ocean is 60 miles (100 kilometers) deep. Thats about ten times deeper than Earths oceans. It lies under an icy crust thats about 85 miles thick (150 kilometers). Beginning in the 1970s, planetary scientists suspected the moon might have a magnetic field, but they didnt have a good way to confirm its existence. They finally got information about it when the  Galileo spacecraft took brief snapshot measurements of  the magnetic field in 20-minute intervals. Its observations were too  brief to distinctly catch the cyclical rocking of the oceans secondary  magnetic field. The new observations could only be  accomplished with a space telescope high above Earths atmosphere, which  blocks most ultraviolet light. The Hubble  Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph, which is sensitive to ultraviolet light given off by the auroral activity on Ganymede, studied the aurorae in great detail.    Ganymede was discovered in 1610 by astronomer Galileo Galilei. He spotted it in January of that year, along with three other moons: Io, Europa, and Callisto. Ganymede was first imaged up-close by the Voyager 1 spacecraft in 1979, followed by a visit from Voyager 2 later that year.  Since that time, it has been studied by the Galileo and New Horizons missions, as well as Hubble Space Telescope and many ground-based observatories.The search for water on worlds such as Ganymede is part of a larger exploration of worlds in the solar system that could be hospitable to life.   There are now several worlds, besides Earth, that could (or are confirmed) to have water: Europa, Mars, and Enceladus (orbiting Saturn). In addition, the dwarf planet Ceres is thought to have a subsurface ocean.