Chapter 2: Information Ethics - A Profession Seeks the Truth

January 27th, 2014

The concept of truth is so much more complex than people give it credit for and I feel that this chapter really touched on this aspect. Specifically, Table 2.1: A Philosophy of Truth Emerges on page 23 did an excellent job (in my opinion) of concisely showing how many definitions of "truth" there have been and continue to be in our society. It goes to show why there are often various misconceptions regarding what is truthful; individuals differ in their perceptions of what is real and what is fabricated. The pragmatists' argument against objectivity was strong, and made me think further about the concept of perception and portrayal in the communication mediums throughout society. Their argument asked several valid questions: "If truth is subjective, can it be reported by an impassive, objective, and detached reporter? Does such a reporter exist? Is truth a construct that relies on context?" (24) This takes me back to my Communications 175 class that I took last semester in which we discussed the concepts of objectivity and subjectivity at great length. Through our discussions, we learned that no person can be truly "objective". To say it simply, no single individual is the same. We are all brought up by different people who raise us in different ways and who are molded by different experiences that reflect the person they've become. As a result, who we are is affected by who we've grown up with: our parents, siblings, friends, and relatives. And as we go through life, we are affected by certain things that may cause us to look at things in a different way than someone else. All of those factors contribute to individual subjectivity which shape the way our opinions go and how we view other people, places, and experiences. With this in mind, does that mean that no true objective perspective, or point of view, can exist? Furthermore, does this mean that ALL of the information we receive is in some way altered, even it's unintentional? What is truth and what is not? This chapter helped further my thoughts and questions on this subject as well as heighten my understanding of the difficulties that communication outlets, as well as their audiences, face when presenting and receiving information. The multiple case studies presented in this chapter just go to show how messy the ethics and the depiction of the "truth" can get in regards to journalism. 

Chapter One "An Introduction to Ethical Decision Making"

January 20th, 2014

Chapter 1 of Media Ethics: Issues & Cases provided a great view into the depths of ethical decision making by investigating five different philosophical principles that help individuals figure out what to do in an ethical dilemma. All of the principles are supremely valid in their guidelines, but the principle that makes the most sense to me is communitarianism. I believe that, often times, individuals don't realize how much their personal decisions affect the "bigger picture". In my own opinion, I feel that the best way to better others, our society, and ourselves is for individuals to realize that the political and social issues of today need to always be debated with the wellbeing of the entire community in mind. In a sense, this can be tied back to the two questions that Patterson and Wilkins say should always be asked in contemporary ethics: "What duties do I have, and to whom do I owe them?" and "What values are reflected by the duties I've assumed?" (3) Essentially, these questions will push individuals to think more about the overreaching effects of the decisions they make.