...Subject: Re: Random Thought: On Lying, Cheating, and Plagiarism From: "Christopher D. Green" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2004 21:10:06 -0400 X-Message-Number: 12
I bet you're wrong about this. I bet students do sign something saying that they will obey the rules of the university (or there is a clause somewhere that, e.g., by accepting the offer of admission they are also declaring that they will obey the rules of the school).
Yes, but there is also such a thing as due process and appropriate discipline. My concern is that if we allow professors to play the role of creative court judge then we start down a slippery slope that leads all the way to Camp Buca and Abu Graeb. Based upon what's implied, what's to stop the next professor from saying you must buy cigarettes or porn (sorry, I teach human sexuality) for the whole class? One could argue with health concerns in buying donuts for the whole class. It could be endangering health (diabetics and over weight) or promoting waste (lots of low carber's in the class). Bottom line I don't think we can be this capricious with assigning penalties to students without departmental sanction.
Now I might suggest something like this as a lesson on reinforcement or punishment but that's a different situation.
(And by the way, I really wish psychologists would stop debasing the term "ethics" by applying it to utterly trivial things like buying donuts.)
Ethics is not simply about the price or value of a thing. Once you de-value something then some folks feel that anything is ethical (SEE Abu Graeb and Camp Buca). If you are unethical in small things it's easier to justify unethical behavior in larger matters.
But that's just my opinion...or is it?
--
Herb Coleman Instructional Technology Manager Adjunct Psychology Professor ACC/AFT Local 6249 Austin Community College [EMAIL PROTECTED] 512-223-3076 ********************************************* * Every action has a connected and directed * * pre-action. * ********************************************* -Herb Coleman after seeing "Bowling for Columbine"
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