Module 3

1.Is it more important to be a good person or to perform good acts (virtue ethics vs. action ethics)?

I feel like it is important perform good acts rather to be a good person, as people have the tendency to show or portray someone they are not. Performing good acts shows the kind of person you really are. Although being a good person is important it is easy to fake the kind of person you are. Performing good acts is not only beneficial to oneself but in fact it can help other people tremendously as well, which is where I feel like ethics really lies, doing good to your own people and to the people around you. Also, performing good acts in some way makes you a good person although not necessarily it still gives the intentions to people that you are a good person and are doing good thins for the benefit of other people. The actions you take always stand out which is the main reason I would choose performing good acts over being a good person.

 

 

3.Does the process by which decisions are made matter more than the outcomes of these decisions (procedural justice vs. distributive justice)?

Yes in my opinion they are, the decisions we make and actions we take are usually calculated similar to procedural justice. I feel like the importance lies in the decision making part of the process. When making decisions we analyze the possible actions we can take and the possible consequences or outcomes of those decisions. Although the possible outcomes may not be certain and predictions may vary it is still important to address all the decisions and outcomes when making decisions. The process is also important as it gives the person making the decision a sense of relief, that all outcomes have been analyzed and the consequences of each action were discussed. Also the level of the decision to be made makes a difference for example converting a land you bought into building or keeping the nature aspect of it, decisions like this take vital analysis. From a geographical perspective one would like to maintain the nature aspect however, from a business perspective you would want to build on that land. Therefore, the decision-making aspect is the more important.

 

 

  1. Is my own life worth more than the lives of others, the same, or less (selfishness vs. altruism)?

This question is a lot harder to answer than the rest, however the answer to this question will vary a lot from what people are actually thinking. Obviously people would say they are selfless and their lives are worth equal to others but when it comes to a life or death situation I feel like majority of people would put themselves above others most of the time, I know I would. However, the importance of ones life depends a lot on the other person’s life you are comparing it to. For example if there are two robbers and one is doing it for fun but the other is doing it due to unfortunate circumstances in his life, whose life would be worth more? Well for me obviously the one with unfortunate circumstances in his life. Also when it comes to family or one of my close best friends the importance of my life deteriorates for me. I would give more importance to my family and all the close people in my life depending on the situation. So finally, the answer of this question varies a lot depending on the people and the situation.

 

2 thoughts on “Module 3

  1. Hi Samarth, my name is Siying and here’s the link to my post: http://geog030.dutton.psu.edu/2016/02/03/ethics-siying-chen/
    After reading your answer for the second question, it give me another view of the question. In my own post, I also have the same question but I think the outcome is more important. From your answer, I can better understand why you think the process of decision making is more important. And I think to example of two robbers is also a good explanation for the last question you have.

  2. Hi Samarth!
    I really enjoyed how in your first question, you emphasized the fact that people may not be as they seem. I also wrote that in my post. Good acts are definitely an important way to show you are a good person. I also wanted to comment on your last question, I liked the example you gave about the bank robbers. My view was a bit different than yours, but I did also put in my answer that it varies depending on the type of person.
    -Caitlyn Ramirez: here is my blog post if you’d like to check it out! http://geog030.dutton.psu.edu/2016/02/03/ethics-views-caitlyn-ramirez-module-3/

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