ENGLISH

ENGLISH

1: Review this commencement speech .
Here are several paragraphs of special interest:

“I do not deny that many appear to have succeeded in a material way by cutting corners and manipulating associates, both in their professional and in their personal lives. But material success is possible in this world and far more satisfying when it comes without exploiting others. The true measure of a career is to be able to be content, even proud, that you succeeded through your own endeavors without leaving a trail of casualties in your wake.”

“I cannot speak for others whose psyches I may not be able to comprehend, but, in my working life, I have found no greater satisfaction than achieving success through honest dealings and strict adherence to the view that for you to gain, those you deal with should gain as well. Human relations–be they personal or professional–should not be zero sum games.”

“And beyond the personal sense of satisfaction, having a reputation for fair dealing is a profoundly practical virtue. We call it ‘good will’ in business and add it to our balance sheets.”

“Trust is at the root of any economic system based on mutually beneficial exchange. In virtually all transactions, we rely on the word of those with whom we do business. Were this not the case, exchange of goods and services could not take place on any reasonable scale. Our commercial codes and contract law presume that only a tiny fraction of contracts, at most, need be adjudicated. If a significant number of businesspeople violated the trust upon which our interactions are based, our court system and our economy would be swamped into immobility.”

Question: Do you think Greenspan is being realistic or naive about the possibility of “business ethics?” Please explain your answer.
2: Please read Book One of the Meditations of Roman Emperor and Stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius.

Please write a concise statement of gratitude identifying the ethical and intellectual debts you owe to family members, teachers, or friends. Fictitious names are permitted, but the statement of gratitude should be genuine.

3: One of Abraham Lincoln’s greatest attributes may have been his ability to recover and learn from failure. The quality of perseverance seemed especially useful to him as he struggled with “melancholy” (what might now be called depression) Please read this article by Joshua Wolf Shenk. Read the full article (it’s worth your time; this is one of the top-rated readings by students completing the seminar).

Question: For Lincoln, learning how to persevere also meant learning how to adapt. Based on your reading of Shenk’s complete article, please identify and discuss three of Lincoln’s most successful adaptation strategies (skills, habits, or ways of thinking) that helped him use his struggle with depression to accomplish worthy goals.

4: Please review the assigned excerpts from An Anatomy of Life in the Death Camps by Terrence Des Pres.

Question: “Does Terrence Des Pres think the human moral sense is an idealistic illusion or an evolutionary survival strategy?”

Please explain your answer, agreeing or disagreeing with Des Pres’ analysis. Cite at least one of the numbered paragraphs for support.

5: Please read these two short Nobel prize acceptance speeches (it would enhance your education to know more about the speakers; multiple biographies of both are online):

Albert Camus (humanities)

Richard Feynman (sciences)

Questions:

What values do the recipients seem to share? Cite specific language from each speech to support your analysis.?

Both recipients seemed deeply engaged in their work. What work or goal deeply engages you? Please explain.

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