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Moral Perspectives (moral + perspective)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Humanities and Social Sciences40%

Selected Abstracts

The Definition of Terrorism

ANALYSES OF SOCIAL ISSUES & PUBLIC POLICY, Issue 1 2002
Charles L. Ruby
This article addresses the definition of terrorism. It is intended to provide a foundation from which to understand the recent attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Although terrorism appears to be much less dangerous than other forms of violence, it seems to command more attention. In order to respond to terrorism, a clear definition is necessary. Terrorism is defined by Title 22 of the U.S. Code as politically motivated violence perpetrated in a clandestine manner against noncombatants. Experts on terrorism also include another aspect in the definition: the act is committed in order to create a fearful state of mind in an audience different from the victims. Whether or not an act is considered terrorism also depends on whether a legal, moral, or behavioral perspective is used to interpret the act. If a legal or moral perspective is used, the values of the interpreter are the focus rather than the act itself. A behavioral perspective appears to be best suited for interpreting and reacting to terrorism. [source]

Rape as an Essentially Contested Concept

HYPATIA, Issue 2 2001
ERIC REITAN
Because "rape" has such a powerful appraisive meaning, how one defines the term has normative significance. Those who define rape rigidly so as to exclude contemporary feminist understandings are therefore seeking to silence some moral perspectives "by definition." I argue that understanding rape as an essentially contested concept allows the concept sufficient flexibility to permit open moral discourse, while at the same time preserving a core meaning that can frame the discourse. [source]

Religion, Politics and Civic Education

JOURNAL OF PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION, Issue 1 2005
Robert Kunzman
The proper role and influence of religion in the public sphere continues to be contested and has important implications for civic education in a liberal democracy. Paul Weithman and Michael Perry argue that religion makes valuable contributions to civic participation and that religiously grounded beliefs should be fully welcome in political decision-making. In response, this paper strives for a middle ground of preparing citizens to engage thoughtfully with a wide range of moral perspectives, religious and otherwise, while promoting a civic virtue that still honours a commitment to public reason. [source]

Bougainville and Papua New Guinea: Complexities of Secession in a Multi-ethnic Developing State

POLITICAL STUDIES, Issue 4 2000
Anthony Matthew
The claims made by Bougainville's secessionist leaders correspond with five theoretical perspectives on the morality of secession , based, respectively, on notions of political consent, national identity, cultural preservation, distributive justice and territorial title. Each is tackled in turn, as a means to both assessing the justness of the Bougainvillean case, while also testing the limits of applicability of the moral perspectives themselves. Overall, it is concluded that the complexities of the Bougainville/Papua New Guinea case militate against outright separation. Rather, a balanced resolution of injustices is more likely to be attained by modifications to institutions and patterns of distribution within the existing state. Furthermore, this highly complex case throws up important challenges from which normative theory can profitably learn. [source]

Health-Care Reform and ESI: Reconsidering the Relationship Between Employment and Health Insurance

BUSINESS AND SOCIETY REVIEW, Issue 3 2010
PATRICIA C. FLYNN
ABSTRACT The health-care reform promised by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of March 2010 continues our dependence on a central feature of the American health-care system: employer-sponsored insurance (ESI). In this article I will criticize the assumptions regarding market and welfare concerns on which this dependence is based and argue that efforts to mandate ESI ignore both the dynamics of the employment relation and the nature of health-care needs. A comparison between investing in employee education and investing in employee health will reveal the pragmatic challenges to ESI and the covert appeal to employer beneficence on which ESI rests. This paper argues that relying on ESI to guarantee appropriate care for a significant segment of the population is undesirable and unsustainable from both market and moral perspectives. [source]