Category Archives: Ethics

Torture and Religiousity

Posted on May 2, 2009 by shaunmiller

Taken from a survey which you can read here. Apparently. . . The more often Americans go to church, the more likely they are to support the torture of suspected terrorists, according to a new survey. Indeed, the more religious … Continue reading →

Posted in Religion, Torture | 7 Comments

My most Influential Philosophers

Posted on May 1, 2009 by shaunmiller

I wanted to get a clear view of what philosophers have influenced me the most.  What ideas do I take, and how have they affected me in my life?  Here they are in order: 1.  Arthur Schopenhauer.  He was known … Continue reading →

Posted in Aesthetics, Daniel Dennett, Epistemology, Ethics, Existentialism, Experts, Hume, Kierkegaard, Marx, Nietzsche, Pragmatism, Religion, Schopenhauer, Sexuality | 5 Comments

Dead Aid: Why Foreign Aid to Africa is Not Working

Posted on April 18, 2009 by shaunmiller

I haven’t read the book, but I would love to.  Unfortunately with my busy schedule, I don’t think I will for a while.  Perhaps if my students decide to talk about environmental issues and consumption, then I’ll quickly get it … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Environment, Peter Singer | 2 Comments

Stem Cells are Closer to Curing Deafness

Posted on April 2, 2009 by shaunmiller

You can check it out here. From the article: Their discovery could ultimately help those who have lost hair cells through noise damage and some people born with inherited hearing problems. But any cure is still some years away, experts … Continue reading →

Posted in Bioethics | 3 Comments

A New Look at Child Pornography

Posted on March 29, 2009 by shaunmiller

Think about why we consider child pornography wrong.  Legally (and morally), it’s because the child is being exploited.  However, the Supreme Court Case of Ashcroft v. Free Speech Coalition marked a significant change to child pornography. In the case, child … Continue reading →

Posted in Ethics, Law, Paper Topic, Pornography | 10 Comments

Capital Punishment and Economics

Posted on March 2, 2009 by shaunmiller

Whether you’re for or against the death pentalty, everyone agrees that to execute a prisoner is much more expensive than life imprisonment.  Life imprisonment is about $800,000 per person.  To execute, it costs $2.3 million.  So executing a prisoner is … Continue reading →

Posted in Capital Punishment, Economics | 3 Comments

Should I Show “Meet Your Meat?”

Posted on February 27, 2009 by shaunmiller

I’ve been thinking of showing this video that’s online called “Meet your Meat” to my ethics class.  You can google it.  Basically, it shows videos of how animals are being treated in farms.  They’re confined in small compartments, the chickens … Continue reading →

Posted in Ethics, Teaching | Leave a comment

Book Review: The Ethics of What We Eat by Peter Singer and Jim Mason

Posted on February 25, 2009 by shaunmiller

I’ve mentioned this book in another blog about demi-vegetarianism that relates to other books and issues if you want to check it out.  Out of all the books that deals with food, this is the must have book to read!  … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Review, Culture, Economics, Education, Ethics, Health, Peter Singer, Politics, Vegetarianism | 9 Comments

A Conflict in Hume’s Ethics

Posted on February 8, 2009 by shaunmiller

Hume has famously said that “Reason is, and ought to be, the slave of the passions.” Later on, he also said, “You cannot get an ‘ought’ from an ‘is.’” Doesn’t the second statement contradict his first statement? Any Hume scholarships … Continue reading →

Posted in Epistemology, Ethics, Hume, Language | 1 Comment

Why is Global Warming a political issue?

Posted on January 28, 2009 by shaunmiller

I can understand why these big issues become political.  I understand why abortion is a political issue.  I get that.  I understand why the war in Iraq is a political issue.  And I can certainly understand why freedom of speech … Continue reading →

Posted in Ethics, Experts, Global Warming, Politics | 7 Comments