Is it right to do? How can we value diversity in society and in the workplace but not in thought? It would seem counter-intuitive. It does, however, demonstrate the divide in American society. It does illustrate the inability to discuss differences of opinion in a civil manner. It does show... Read more →

Self-Interested or Self-Destructive Behavior Social Contract Theory The guest blog below on the "mask debate" by AJ Fudge explains her perspective on the idea that we have responsibilities to each other during the COVID-19 pandemic. It emphasizes the social contract theory expressed in its modern form by Thomas Hobbes and... Read more →

Wellness and the Coronavirus If we’ve learned anything about ourselves these past few months it is that the U.S. is teetering on become an uncivil society. The discriminatory police actions against black Americans, violence in our streets in response to uneven social justice, looters, monument defacers, and those who would... Read more →

Kindness Breeds Civility We’ve heard it many times before. This person is kind. But, what do we mean by kindness and how can we tell if someone is kind? What are the characteristic traits of behavior? Kindness is generally thought of as the quality of being friendly, considerate and generous.... Read more →

Calling out the Cancel Culture I have previously blogged about the cancel culture and implications for free speech. The overall ethical question is: Is it right to target a person with whom you disagree, and use the Internet to express your outrage, get people fired, or pushed out of certain... Read more →

Personality Traits Go to the Core of Trump’s Unethical Behavior If the COVID-19 pandemic and protests across the world following the horrifying murder of George Floyd at the hands of four members of the Minnesota police taught us anything, it is that President Trump has no compassion for others, cares... Read more →

Our Throwaway Society At the Hubert Humphrey Building dedication, Nov. 1, 1977, in Washington, D.C., former vice president Humphrey spoke about the treatment of the weakest members of society as a reflection of a government: “The moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the... Read more →

Advice For Parents We all know that K-12 students are using digital platforms much more for personal and educational purposes during the COVID-19 pandemic. This opens the possibility that cyberbullying will occur online. Parents and kids need to know how to protect themselves during these trying times. With so many... Read more →

Thoughts on Picking a Democratic Candidate for President I’ve decided the best way to chose a candidate for President from the field of Democratic candidates is to ask with whom I would like to have a beer. The reason is we should take everything they say with ‘a grain of... Read more →

Ethics vs Values Has the Trump presidency been marked by ethical behavior? How would we know? Why should we care? Ethical behavior is important in all aspects of life because it reflects our character: who we are and what we stand for. Ethical values, such as honesty and kindness, inform... Read more →