Ethics of Legalizing/Banning Gay Marriage

• If our beliefs or actions are in opposition to the societal values and norms, is it right for a government to make these actions illegal?
• In denying homosexuals the right to marry, are we taking away one of their fundamental rights as human beings?
• If a person is homosexual, should they have to conceal their feelings in order to please society and conform with its norms?
• In retrospect, should we let religion/culture define what is legal or illegal?
• How do we gain our sense of right and wrong? How do we justify it?

Juvenile Offenders

QUESTIONS:
• Should children be allowed to be tried as an adult from an ethical perspective? Reason’s perspective?
• How far should we discard emotion as unreliable for handling judicial cases?
• How would you have reacted in Maiya's sister’s case?
• Do you think that empathically/socially disabled people, even if it may be unreasonable, should be punished for hurting others?
• Do you believe that juvenile criminals have the potential to change?

Banning of Burqas and Niqabs

QUESTIONS:
Does the French Government have the right to impose French values on its citizens?
How can we determine whether certain cultural values are more valid than others?
Is a punishment necessary for the wearing of the burqa?
Do these women lose their identity when wearing the burqa?
Is it ethical to dislike or undermine other cultures/religions by not respecting their traditions or beliefs?

Juvenile Justice - Rehabilitation or punishment?

Questions:
Should children be allowed to be tried as an adult from an ethical perspective? Reason’s perspective?
How far should we discard emotion as unreliable for handling judicial cases?
How would you have reacted in my sister’s case?
Do you think that empathically/socially disabled people, even if it may be unreasonable, should be punished for hurting others?
Do you believe that juvenile criminals have the potential to change?

Galaxy Song

Transracial & Transcultural Adoptions - How can we know if they are right?

• Is it right for adoption agencies and parents to make decisions that affect a child’s life?
• Is it right to detach a child from his/her cultural background and for parents to try to impose their own?
• How can we know if a child will not be affected by being in a family with different beliefs and in a society where the culture is different from that of their own? Psychological effects?
• How can a child overcome the perception society will have?
• Is it possible for a child to really “integrate” in a family that is not their own and is from a different cultural and racial background?

Ron Paul

I am not entirely sure if this is the apropriate place to post this, but I couldn't resist. I have been called pessimistic on this blog before, but I think I have good reason. Just check out the following link to see what humanity is capable of: http://www.littleredumbrella.com/2012/01/lets-be-clear-ron-paul-fucking-sucks.html . I know this may only be the USA, but they are pretty influential, and a reason to be scared if you ask me!

Media Brainwashing?

Please respond to the TOK issue raised in David's presentation on Monday: "How does the media shape our vision of the world?" Or perhaps more from a ToK perspective " How can we know whether the media shapes our perspective on the world?"

Discussion Questions:

1 Does anyone have a younger sibling or relative? How can you relate to this knowledge issue?
2 Do you think that children are inherently capable of distinguishing fiction of movies from reality themselves?
3 Would you let your child watch Disney movies?
4 Do you believe that Disney, which has the image of being wholesome child-friendly entertainment, to be capable of influencing its audience with subliminal messages, or are we blowing this out of proportion?
5 Do you consider Disney’s portrayal of female characters misogynistic? How about characters of different race?
6 Do you consider the Disney princesses to be good role models? How about the Disney princes/heroes?
7 If Disney princesses are not the ideal, then what icon should young girls aspire to be?

Chinese girl run over twice and left to die by 18 passersby!

This is just a video I watched a few weeks ago. Reading FZ's reflection on empathy made me think of it.  This tragic story goes to show that even people of the same race, same country (and possibly same town) might not have any empathy left for each other. WHERE THE HELL IS THE WORLD GOING?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8Hmo6-dn30

COMMENTS AND REACTIONS BELOW!!

CAS? Does Imposing Service Make People Care?

Please respond to the TOK issue raised in David's presentation on Thursday."On the justifiability and effects of imposition, and the obligation to do CAS."
Knowledge Issues:
1 How can we justify or discredit the imposition of programmes that aim to change the ways of living of people?
2 Can the pursuit of altruism as an ultimate goal justify measures used to reach it?
Here are his discussion questions...
Do you feel you honestly get something out of CAS?
Would you accredit any change in your lifestyle to CAS?
What do you think is/should be the role of CAS?
What role do you think school should play in our lives?
Do you believe the fact that we “chose” IB justifies that they force flawed things on us without our protest?
In your opinion, should service be a requirement, not only in IB, but in college or just as citizens of our countries, or does this take away from the value of the service?
Are you honest in all of your CAS reflections, or do you write what “they want to hear”?
Do you think your answer to the previous question says something about the worth of CAS?

The Empathic Civilization - Jeremy Rifkin