Transcript Ethical basis of the potter box, kant, and rawls

Joanne Spoganetz
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Professor of social ethics
at Harvard Divinity
School from 1965 to
2003
Author of the book War
and Moral Discourse
Created The Potter Box:
a guide for making
ethical decisions
1. Definitions/facts
2. Identifying values
3. Identifying principles
4. Choosing loyalties
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18th century philosopher
April 22, 1724 – February 12,
1804
Known for his work in
Metaphysics and Ethics
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Guidelines should be se and abided by
“You do the right thing simply because it is the
right thing to do.”
We should act as we expect all humans to act
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20th century political
philosopher
“We are to imagine
ourselves in what Rawls
calls the Original Position.
We are all self-interested
rational persons and we
stand behind ‘the Veil of
Ignorance’”
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People behind the veil of ignorance are
unaware of their own race, sex, and social
background
They are given the task of choosing principles
that shall govern the actual world
According to Rawls, the fairness of this
procedure will therefore produce fair
principles
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Managing editor
Says that relying on your own values and
principles in unavoidable as a journalist.
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Agree or Disagree?
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Adds that a journalist’s work is very independent. It
is up to their own judgment to include and leave out
certain aspects of a story.
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Which ethical model might journalists use?
Do you think Rawls’ Veil of Ignorance is
possible today?
Have you used any of these models to answer
your own ethical dilemma?