Although faith is not an ethical value, its importance in driving ethical conduct should not be underestimated. In fact, the word faith comes from the Latin fidere meaning ‘to trust.’ During his thirty-five-year career in the Marine Corps, General Charles Krulak served two tours of duty in Vietnam and rose through several command and staff positions to become Commandant of the Marine...

Throughout millennia, philosophers have pondered questions like: What is good? What is truth? What is justice? In the world of Seinfeld, Jerry, George, Elaine and Kramer ponder nothing but themselves. However, all display a variety of philosophical types. George is the fatalist. “My father was a quitter, my grandfather was a quitter, I was raised to give up. It’s one of...

AMC’s Mad Men is rife with ethical issues. In creator Matthew Weiner’s ‘60s universe of advertising ad men and women, Joan Holloway is one of the most captivating and contradictory characters on the show. Originally seen as a Marilyn Monroe type, Joan has been quick to dispel any notion of air-headedness. In 2008, the Chicago Tribune wrote that “Joan certainly can be brusque with...

Anthony Weiner, Bernie Madoff, low economy, high unemployment, questionable housing, if you’re house hasn’t already been hit by a flood or tornado. How do you remain optimistic in an atmosphere of so much negative news? In an intriguing TIME magazine cover story (The Science of Optimism), author Tali Sharot offers some positive news. “Collectively we can grow pessimistic — about...

Okay, you’re registering for Fall classes at… oh, let’s say, The New Hampshire Technical Institute in that charming little town of Concord just a stone’s throw from Manchester. But wait… there’s been a last minute change in the required class of Contemporary Ethical Issues. Instead of Professor Stephen Ambra, this semester’s class will be taught by former White House Counsel for...

There’s this college buddy of mine, Mike. I call him the bass whisperer because whenever he was out on the water, bass would practically jump into his boat. Anyway, we’re both fans of the Discovery Channel’s documentary/reality seriesDeadliest Catch. So, in honor of the new season of Catch and Mike, I’m offering up this rerun from August, 2008. Billed as “…the real-life adventure...

One of many resources I consult on issues is The Ethics Resource Center located in Arlington, Virginia. “ERC,” its website writes, “began in 1922 as American Viewpoint, which provided education to adult immigrants about citizenship and values. “In the 1960’s, Ivan Hill, an entrepreneur from Chicago who was passionate about ethics and patriotism became interested in supporting the work of American Viewpoint.  » Read more...

No sooner had the White House announced that the so-called “death photos” of Osama bin Laden would not be released to the public than the debate began about the right and wrong of such a decision. CNN’s Piers Morgan had an energetic exchange Wednesday night between New York Times reporter Nick Kristof, former Chief Prosecutor at Guantanamo Colonel Morris Davis,...

What follows is the introduction to the new e-book, “Shameless – The Ethical Case Against Three Out-of-Control Critics and the Need for Civility Now, More than Ever.” More next week. We currently live in a cable news media-induced echo chamber where, much of the time, opinion too easily passes as fact. This is as much the fault of those who...

You’re the executive director of a non-profit cultivating donors for the completion of a new center that will educate hundreds of students each year who otherwise could not afford it. After returning from vacation, you discover that the financial officer deposited close to a half-million dollar check from a donor and some of the funds have already been withdrawn to...