Download Microsoft Word - TOK Ethics Packet 2012x - SIS-TOK

SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
SIS IB TOK
Academic Year
2012-13
IB Theory of Knowledge
Ethics as an Area of Knowledge, 2012
Grade 12
As we approach discussions of ethics it’s essential to have a common conceptual
framework. This short lesson is designed to give you the key terms and concepts
that we’ll need to explore ethical knowledge in the days to come.
Ethics Terms & Concepts
Ethics = the systematic study of right and wrong behavior, or the study of moral
choices.
Ethics has three branches:
Meta ethics = concerned with the definition of ethical terms, the search for
ethical truth.
Normative ethics = concerned with how we “ought” to live, theories of correct
behavior
Applied ethics = how moral outcomes can be achieved in practical situations.
In TOK we’ll be concerned with Normative and Applied ethics.
Normative Ethics
We will be concerned primarily with normative ethics – theories of what we “ought”
to do, how we should determine a moral course of action. Here are four normative
theories:
Deontological Theories
Focused on living up to obligations or
following rules.
Kant’s Categorical Imperative
- “Act only according to that maxim
whereby you can, at the same time, will
that it should become a universal law."[1]
Teleological / Consequentialist Theories
Focused on morally desirable
consequences or outcomes
Utilitarianism
- The proper course of action is one
which maximizes the overall “happiness”
Virtue Ethics
Focused on the character of the person
making the moral decision.
- The proper course of action is that
which is chosen by an ethically superior
person.
Pragmatic Ethics
Focused on the social context of the
decision.
- The proper course of action is that
which results when society is allowed to
advance morally, in much the same way
we advance scientifically.
Page 1 of 11
Mr Marty Aymeric
Grade 12
TOK
SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
SIS IB TOK
Academic Year
2012-13
Applied Ethics
In applied ethics the focus is on particular case studies, leading to many types of
applied ethics: medical ethics, business ethics, organizational ethics and so on.
As we examine cases in TOK I’ll expect that you can analyze each one by identifying
the relevant facts and information presented, then by seeing the case from each of
the normative perspectives presented above.
Knowledge Issues
How do we know what is morally correct?
Is knowledge of morals like or unlike other areas of knowledge?
These two knowledge issues will underlie what we do in TOK ethics.
A Note on the Source for this document
For more information on these topics I suggest using the Wikipedia articles on
ethics, from which most of this material is taken.
Page 2 of 11
Mr Marty Aymeric
Grade 12
TOK
SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
SIS IB TOK
Academic Year
Name:
Date:
2012-13
Period:
IB Theory of Knowledge Ethics Case Study #1
Read the case study which appears below, using the column on the left for your
comments or ideas. Afterwards write a short analysis of the issue, be sure to
address the following:
Which ethical theory(ies) are relevant to the article?
Whose perspective seems most relevant? Why?
Your Comments
Jill has always had trouble focusing. In middle school and high
school, she has struggled to maintain her attention on class,
homework, and other academic responsibilities. If not for her
own determination and the encouragement of her parents, she
probably would have never gone to college as she does now.
However, with midterms just around the corner, her inattentive
tendencies are flaring worse than ever. And with poor grades
after her first semester, she needs to do well on these tests to
keep her GPA above her scholarship’s cutoff. Fortunately, a
friend of hers, one familiar with Jill’s problems, has a
prescription for Adderall and offers some to Jill so she can
concentrate better during finals.
Jill only plans to take the pills this one time considering summer
is so near. She doesn’t think she’s getting an advantage because
her peers can already focus better than she can. She really
needs higher grades this semester to keep her scholarship.
Is it all right if she takes some Adderall?
Analysis:
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Page 3 of 11
Mr Marty Aymeric
Grade 12
TOK
SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
SIS IB TOK
Academic Year
Name:
Date:
2012-13
Period:
IB Theory of Knowledge Ethics Case Study #2
Read the case study which appears below, using the column on the left for your
comments or ideas. Afterwards write a short analysis of the issue, be sure to
address the following:
Which ethical theory(ies) are relevant to the article?
Whose perspective seems most relevant? Why?
Your Comments
Jordan’s family never expected to be able to pay for their son to
go to college, but because Jordan received a full ride scholarship
to play football at a big university, he has now been given an
opportunity his family never hoped for.
However, because his scholarship only covers tuition—and
Jordan doesn’t have the time between classes and practices to
get a job—he often isn’t able to afford social outings with
friends like tickets to the movies or dinner in the city. In fact, he
can rarely afford flights home to see his family, too. Still, he
enjoys his sociology major and is looking forward to a career as
a teacher after college.
Meanwhile, the university itself is making millions of dollars off
of the ticket sales, concessions, and memorabilia that Jordan’s
athletic talents have helped stimulate. In fact, the value of
Jordan’s scholarship is probably just a tiny fraction of the value
that he, as a star running back, generates among the
university’s rabid fan base. Thus, is it really fair that he doesn’t
receive some form of monetary compensation in addition to his
scholarship?
Analysis:
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Page 4 of 11
Mr Marty Aymeric
Grade 12
TOK
SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
SIS IB TOK
Academic Year
Name:
Date:
2012-13
Period:
IB Theory of Knowledge
Ethics Case Study #3
Source: Santa Clara University
Read the case study which appears below, using the column on the left for your
comments or ideas. Afterwards write a short analysis of the issue, be sure to
address the following:
Which ethical theory(ies) are relevant to the article?
Whose perspective seems most relevant? Why?
Your Comments
Juliana was a good student in high school. She wasn't
valedictorian, but she got mostly As and Bs. Her parents
thought they had to sit on her to get her assignments done, but
she thought they worried too much. After all, she did get into
the college of her choice and was starting her freshman year at
school.
Juliana was looking forward to the independence of the college
environment. There was only one hitch: her parents were
insisting that she allow them to see her grades. Because she was
18, by law, she was an adult. But by her parents' law, she was
either going to make her records accessible or they weren't
going to pay for school.
Was it right for them to invade her privacy like this?
Analysis:
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Page 5 of 11
Mr Marty Aymeric
Grade 12
TOK
SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
SIS IB TOK
Academic Year
Name:
Date:
2012-13
Period:
IB Theory of Knowledge Ethics Case Study #4
Read the case study which appears below, using the column on the left for your
comments or ideas. Afterwards write a short analysis of the issue, be sure to
address the following:
Which ethical theory(ies) are relevant to the article?
Whose perspective seems most relevant? Why?
Your Comments
The Case of Madisyn Whitfield: Chronic Illness and the
Uninsured
By Anna Kozas
Madisyn (Maddy) Whitfield, 25, has been a graduate student at
a prestigious state school on the West Coast, studying for her
master's degree in Health Psychology. She has attended school
part-time because she must also work and allow enough time
for all the hours of fieldwork mandated by her program.
Due to a chronic health condition, Maddy must be cautious
about not overworking or overstressing herself, another reason
for not attending school full-time. As a junior in high school,
Maddy was diagnosed with Crohn's disease, a chronic
inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract. While there
is no cure for Crohn's, there are several medications and life
style modifications that can keep the disease in remission the
majority of the time. It is normal for patients to experience
cycles of remission and relapse and to go through the periods of
flare-up with relatively few severe consequences. Without
proper care, however, patients are more likely to experience
flare-ups. The more severe and the more frequent the flare-ups,
the higher the chances that the patient will require surgery
because of permanent damage to the intestinal tract. Until a few
years ago, Maddy had only experienced a few minor flare-ups of
her disease. She had taken control of her health from the time of
her diagnosis and was able to keep herself relatively healthy by
seeing her Crohn's specialist regularly, taking the necessary
medications, eating healthily, and exercising frequently.
Since graduating from college, however, Maddy's health has
been declining. No longer covered under her father's PPO
Page 6 of 11
Mr Marty Aymeric
Grade 12
TOK
SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
SIS IB TOK
Academic Year
2012-13
(preferred provider organization) health insurance, she stopped
going for regular check-ups with her IBD (inflammatory bowel
disease) doctor and could rarely afford the out-of-pocket expenses
for medications. She had been able to continue her healthy eating
habits and activity level while living at home, but since starting
graduate school and moving away from home, that has not been the
case. Time and money
constraints do not allow Maddy to properly care for herself, and the
stresses of school and her disease have contributed to her worsening
flare-ups. In the past year she has been experiencing shorter and
shorter periods of remission followed by longer periods of relapse.
Unable to continue at the same pace, last month Maddy had to take a
leave of absence from school, so
that she could continue her job as a waitress and support
herself.
Last week, Maddy began to experience excruciating lower back pain,
chills, fever, malaise, and fatigue. Maddy had suspected kidney stones
as this was a periodic occurrence; she had developed kidney stones in
the past and assumed that these would pass just as the others had.
She resisted going to the doctor because of her lack of health
insurance. While it is not unusual for patients with Crohn's disease to
develop kidney stones, because of Maddy's severe flare-ups, her body
was so dehydrated and malnourished that the stones couldn't pass
and only grew larger. She had eventually come to the point of being
unable to eat or drink anything.
When her friends saw how rapidly she was declining they stepped in
and brought her to the emergency room where routine blood and
urine tests were done, and an abdominal x- ray was ordered. Based
on her symptoms and health history, dehydration was suspected
and nurses immediately started Maddy on IV fluids while they
waited for all the test results to come in. Eventually, doctors
determined that Maddy needed to be admitted. Not only was she
dehydrated, but she was also severely malnourished. In addition, she
had two very large kidney stones, which had caused an infection.
Once she was admitted, nurses continued the IV fluids, started
Maddy on IV antibiotics, and inserted an NG (nasogastric) feeding
tube.
Maddy spent five days in the hospital until doctors were convinced
that she could keep enough food and fluid in her system to remain
sufficiently nourished. It was no mystery to Maddy why this crisis
happened; she knew as well as the doctors that she needed to start
taking her Crohn's medications again. She was discharged with strict
instructions to follow up with her Crohn's specialist within the next
few days and to start
Page 7 of 11
Mr Marty Aymeric
Grade 12
TOK
SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
SIS IB TOK
Academic Year
2012-13
treatment accordingly. The nurses at the hospital also set up a
pre-op appointment for surgery to remove the kidney stones.
Because of the size and location of the stones, and the infection,
the stones must be removed by percutaneous nephrolithotomy.
In this procedure, a surgeon would make a small incision in
Maddy's back, insert a hollow tube into her kidney, and remove
the stones through the tube. Doctors had wanted to do the
surgery while she was in the hospital, but Maddy refused,
knowing that she could not afford to pay for the surgery. While
the procedure is relatively minor, it does require anesthesia and
a hospital stay of two or three days. It also requires a catheter
be inserted into the kidney to allow it to drain and heal.
Without health insurance, Maddy knew that covering the costs
would be impossible, and she chose to leave AMA (against
medical advice) to take some time to figure out a plan and
decide what options were available to her, if any.
As she had already taken a leave of absence from school, given
her current condition, Maddy decided to take some time off
work and go home to stay with her family for a while. Although
Maddy is close to her family, she has not told them about recent
occurrences, and they have no idea that she spent several days
in the hospital. Maddy's father recently lost his job, and her
mom has only been able to find part-time work. They have been
struggling for the past eight months to make ends meet, trying
to raise their two other children on a part-time salary without
any benefits. Maddy has been aware of the situation, and for
that reason, has not wanted to bother her family with her
situation. With nowhere else to turn, however, she now decides
to go home to focus on recovering and figuring out what do
from here.
Analysis:
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Page 8 of 11
Mr Marty Aymeric
Grade 12
TOK
SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
SIS IB TOK
Academic Year
Name:
Date:
2012-13
Period:
IB Theory of Knowledge Ethics Case Study #5
Read the case study which appears below, using the column on the left for your
comments or ideas. Afterwards write a short analysis of the issue, be sure to
address the following:
Which ethical theory(ies) are relevant to the article?
Whose perspective seems most relevant? Why?
Your Comments
Breaking a Story-and a Relationship
By Jessica Silliman
Three years out of Santa Clara University, Sean McKenzie was a
young reporter at a national newspaper. In the spring, he was
assigned to investigate street agents in the Dominican Republic
who recruited and trained young baseball players in the hopes
of making big profits by "selling" them to major league teams in
the U.S. His reporting uncovered the uncomfortable economic
logic behind the agents' work-after training the young players,
they hoped to make a profit off of them by selling each player to
Major League teams.
While working on the story, Sean met Carlos, a 20-year-old
Dominican baseball player. As the story developed, Carlos
became an important source because he knew, first-hand, how
the street agents loaded young boys with powerful steroids
(typically used for horses) to give them strength and power to
impress the major league scouts.
A description of this practice was essential to Sean's story
because several young players died as a result of the steroid
use.
Carlos soon began expanding upon his own personal
experience. While talking to Sean, he went into depth about
how street agents worked and how his own street agent
provided him with steroids, in addition to providing food for his
wife and newborn child.
Sean knew that this personal information-because it was so
specific-could implicate Carlos and damage any chance for him
Page 9 of 11
Mr Marty Aymeric
Grade 12
TOK
SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
SIS IB TOK
Academic Year
2012-13
to make it into the Major Leagues-and find a better life for his
family. Sean also knew Carlos didn' t know the ramifications of
what he was telling him. They had developed a close
relationship while he worked on the story and the interviews
had become conversational-Carlos and Sean were now friends.
The comfort between them enabled Carlos to open up and not
hesitate with what he was telling him.
Sean worried about telling Carlos' story.
By telling his story, Sean would be able to expose the flawed
system of unscrupulous agents in the Dominican Republic. His
story could, potentially, cause the system to change. No longer
would these agents be able to take advantage of these young
players- his story could encourage greater oversight on the part
of the Major League Baseball organization.
But revealing his story could also have implications for Carlos,
his wife and their infant daughter: While Carlos was training as
a player, his street agent was his sole provider of food and basic
needs. Even if he used him as an anonymous source, Carlos
would still lose the support of his street agent as the
government cracked down. Revealing him could cause extreme
hardship for Carlos' already struggling family.
Analysis:
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Mr Marty Aymeric
Grade 12
TOK
SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
SIS IB TOK
Academic Year
2012-13
Page 10 of 11
Mr Marty Aymeric
Grade 12
TOK
SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
SIS IB TOK
Academic Year
2012-13
TOK Ethics Final Dialogue
The culmination of this unit is a short dialogue to be read to the class. In the
dialogue you must choose a contemporary issue, write a dialogue in which 2 – 4
people discuss the issue from differing ethical perspectives, then perform / read the
dialogue to the class.
The dialogue should not exceed five minutes, and you should aim to show me that
you understand more than just the basic orientation of each perspective you
portray. Successful dialogues will also demonstrate that you know the strengths
and weaknesses of each theory / perspective that you present.
Dialogues may be read – there is no need to memorize.
Page 11 of 11
Mr Marty Aymeric
Grade 12
TOK