QUESTIONS

1. Is it naive for business leaders to try to be honest?

Pleasepay particular attention to Alan Greenspan's Harvard CommencementSpeech. (backup PDF here).Provide a key quotation from the speech. Youare not obligated to agree with any perspectives in Mr. Greenspan'sspeech, but you are expected to consider the question with care; state aclear conclusion; and support your conclusion with convincingarguments.

2. Please read and think about this quotation:

"Themind is fickle and flighty, it flies after fancies and whatever itlikes; it is difficult indeed to restrain. But it is a great good tocontrol the mind; a mind self-controlled is a source of great joy."

–Buddha's Teachings (Penguin Classics, p. 8).

Identifythree strategies you use (or recommend) to strengthen self-control.This optional reading may give you some ideas: An interview conductedwith Roberto Assagioli by Sam Keen.

3. Please read Book One ofthe Meditations of Roman Emperor and Stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius.Then write a concise statement of gratitude (400 words or less)identifying the ethical and intellectual debts you owe to familymembers, teachers, or friends. Fictitious names are permitted, but thestatement of gratitude should be genuine.

4. First, pleaseconsider this list of failures and successes in the life of AbrahamLincoln. We're suggesting that one of Lincoln's greatest attributes washis ability to recover and learn from failure. The quality ofperseverance seemed especially useful to Lincoln as he struggled with"melancholy" (what might now be called depression) Please read thisrelated article by Joshua Wolf Shenk.

For Lincoln, learninghow to persevere also meant learning how to adapt. Based on your readingof Shenk's article, please identify three of Lincoln's most successfuladaptation strategies (skills, habits, or ways of thinking) that helpedhim use his struggle with depression to accomplish worthy goals.

5.The Declaration of Independence refers to the ''pursuit of happiness.''Should the word ''pleasure'' be substituted for ''happiness''? Why/whynot? Explain your answer.

6. Please read this decision by the Iowa Supreme Court in an attorney discipline case and answer these four questions:

[a] Should judges care if attorneys submit legal briefs or written motions that are plagiarized? Please explain your answer.

[b]Attorney Peter Cannon was punished by the court and by the attorneydisciplinary board. Do you think these punishments (taken as a whole)were too lenient, too severe, or about right? Please explain youranswer.

[c] The Iowa Supreme Court referred to another caseinvolving attorney plagiarism (Iowa Supreme Court Board of ProfessionalEthics & Conduct v. Lane). In that case, the punishment for attorneyLane (suspension of his license to practice) was more severe than thepunishment imposed on attorney Cannon. What distinction did the courtmake between these two cases? Do you agree with the court’s reasoning?Please explain your answer.

[d] The state of Florida requires“personal appearances before the [disciplinary] board for publicreprimands for disciplined lawyers” [italics added]. Do you think thiskind of public shaming is appropriate or too harsh? Please explain youranswer.

7. What advice do you have for your fellow students about the best way to avoid committing an act of academic dishonesty?

8.Please review the assigned excerpts from An Anatomy of Life in theDeath Camps by Terrence Des Pres. Kindly respond to this question:

"Does Terrence Des Pres think the human moral sense is an idealistic illusion or an evolutionary survival strategy?"

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

9. Howis a good life defined, and what is your plan to achieve it? Pleaserefer to the assigned readings (above) to support your answers.

Note all the work should be 8 pages excluding cover pages and work cited. use MLA citation.