LED 520 TUI Ethical Issues Discussion

Discussion: Ethical Issues in InternationalSituations
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Show Description
Several recent American films have dealt with ethical issues
in international situations and raise thorny questions for
students of leadership ethics. One such film is Zero Dark
Thirty. If you have not seen the film, you will probably
want to watch it, but you can also get a synopsis of the plot
on IMDb if you don’t mind spoilers. http://www.imdb.com/
There is only one thread for both weeks in this discussion,
but be sure you participate at least twice, once to post your
own thoughts and once to respond to other students. Of
course, if someone engages with you, you should also post a
return response. Remember that ethical issues can raise
conflicting points of view. It is fine to disagree with a
post—we want to generate discussion—but always be
respectful.
Zero Dark Thirty
Zero Dark Thirty is a fictional account of the hunt for
Osama Bin Laden and presents us with important ethical
questions regarding the morality of torture (“enhanced
interrogation techniques”) and the responsibilities of
filmmakers to represent the truth.
Please post your thoughts on the ethical issues raised by this
film by responding to one or more of these questions:
DISCUSION QUESTIONS
Ethical Issues and Discussion Questions
1. Did Zero Dark Thirty change your perceptions about
“enhanced interrogation techniques”? If so, how did they
change?
2. Regardless of the semantic question of whether
waterboarding is a form of torture, the fact remains that its
use presents us with serious ethical dilemmas. Is it ever
morally acceptable to subject a prisoner to pain, duress, or
humiliation? If so, what circumstances call for such drastic
means?
3. Moreover, if coercive modes of interrogation are ever
permissible, where should we draw the line between
acceptable and unacceptable interrogation methods, and
what criteria should we use to establish that line? Who
should have final say?
4. Do filmmakers have a moral responsibility not to
misinform their audiences about important issues, or do
their artistic licenses trump such concerns?
5. The film’s conflict is resolved by the assassination of
Osama bin Laden. Should the U.S. government have done
more to capture him alive? If avoidable, was this killing—
and indeed, the creation of a “Kill List” of terrorists—
ethical?
Source: Ethics on Film: Discussion of “Zero Dark Thirty.”
(2013) Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs.
http://www.carnegiecouncil.org/education/002/film/reviews
/0007.html
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