I use short surveys on philosophical issues as conversation starters in my classes. I've adapted one below for the intertubes as a part of my online bioethics course. The first two parts are Likert scale questions, and the third part has a few examples of discussion questions I use in class after I give out the quiz. I am grateful to any passers by who want to check it out and give feedback.
part 1
part 2
part 3
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
Done; I also spread the word a little: http://friendfeed.com/the-life-scientists/63819eb4/big-monkey-helpy-chalk-moral-status-survey
Here's a better question for you.
On one side, a group of monkeys evolve to the point where they can perform a standard basket weaving job and contribute to economic output. On the other side, an impoverished and malnourished person living in ghana whose life will involve scrabbling for food and being hungry.
Circumstances are such that you have to choose which one lives, and the other dies. Which do you save?
I suspect that at some point, morality depends on ability to contribute to society.
Anon: You might do better to replace the malnourished person living in Ghana with a permanently disabled person who cannot perform any work. That would bring out the question of disability rights and the relationship between the "contributes to society" condition and eugenics.
Very thought-provoking. Thank you.
Post a Comment