Ethics & 22-Year-Olds

One of my favorite undergrad classes (at Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois) was an ethics course by Dr. Paul Jensen. Probably the smartest student in my entire graduating class (a woman named Jennifer W.) typed up a number of (at least to me) interesting and/or HYSTERICAL comments that she had recorded from the class.

Thought they might give you a chuckle or two, so here goes …

(Can you picture us? 22 years old? 1992? Too funny!)

– “The ethics of choice for many Americans is an unexamined sort of moral relativism.”
– (On the influence of Margaret Mead’s “cooked data”) … “It’s amazing what lies can do.”
– “In order to say “I know,” you must say, “I believe.” Any knowledge requires a prior belief.”
– “What people ought to do and ought not to do can’t be derived from what they desire … Some people desire to persecute homosexuals and that desire can’t be changed either.” (But that does NOT make it morally good!)
– “What would Aristotle say?” “Probably something pretty complex.” (Ryan)
– “I really do cheer students on as I’m reading tests.”
– “Ask the hardest questions about the things you hold dearest. You may come back around to a firmer understanding.”
– “There isn’t any theory in the world against which some arguments can’t be brought. That doesn’t mean, on the other hand, that it’s false.”
– “Because bimbos say X doesn’t mean X is false.”
– “Are there things that are unqualifiedly bad?” “Are you asking Kant or are you asking me?” (David)
– “I knew it was a reductio … at this point in my life, I can sort of smell ’em coming.”
– “Did Kant ever find happiness?” (Ryan)
– “You buy your son a motorcycle on his last birthday.”
 – “Bruce McCart and I were sitting around talking about eternal truths, waiting for students to register–shooting the bull.”
– “A pig is not a moral agent.”
– “I think it might be a distinction without a difference.”
– “I differentiate between tolerance and moral approval. I tolerate somebody getting drunk off their butt in their own home, but I don’t approve it.”
– “Why wouldn’t you want to live?” (David) “David, life has perhaps not been as kind to me as it has to you. Besides, I happen to believe death is not the end.”
– “Not many people with advanced degrees are capable of dispassionate logical reasoning.”
– “You ought to be able to state the other person’s position to the other person’s satisfaction before you begin to disagree.”

And one final recorded discussion:
“The death rate worldwide is 100%.”
“99.9%” (Tara)
“Christ died.” (David)
“But He’s not dead now.” (Tara)
“The resurrection rate is another thing.” (David)
“That’s another 100%.” (Tara)

(Ahhhh — a brilliant and humble professor; diverse and interesting students … makes me want to go back to school. 🙂 )