Ethics- The Case of Ethics
SCHOOL OF LAW
Year 2013-14 Term 1
LAW001
ETHICS AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Instructor:
David N. Smith
Practice Professor, School of Law
Tel:
Email:
Office:
6828 0788 davidsmith@smu.edu.sg School of Law, Room 4044, Level 4
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Issues of ethics and social responsibility arise in all professions and all aspects of life. The failure to anticipate, recognize and deal effectively with these issues can have serious implications for individuals, companies, governments and society. One major challenge is recognizing issues of ethics and social responsibility when they arise. Another challenge is understanding why and how individuals, companies and governments get themselves into ethical difficulties and how and why companies fail in being ―socially responsible‖. A third challenge is figuring out how to resolve ethical challenges and dilemmas as they occur: what is the right thing to do? We will examine, through cases, problems, and other readings, issues of ethics and social responsibility that arise in real life contexts: what principles would you apply to this problem and what would you do in this situation? The course will explore ethics in diverse contexts, including the workplace, advertising and marketing, and international business. Lawyers have a special responsibility in government and corporations in ensuring ethical behaviour. Issues of concern to lawyers will be integrated into each class session.
Readings:
Ethics and Social Responsibility - Asian and Western Perspectives (Chan and
Shenoy eds. 2011) – The text will be available at BOOKLINK. (see below)
Supplemental readings to be assigned (to be e-mailed and/or handed out in class)
Relevant movies and/or documentaries will be shown
(A principal reference book on lawyer’s professional ethics is Jeffrey Pinsler, Ethics and
Professional Responsibility (Academy Publishing 2007), but this book is not required for the course.) Chapter 11 of the
Year 2013-14 Term 1
LAW001
ETHICS AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Instructor:
David N. Smith
Practice Professor, School of Law
Tel:
Email:
Office:
6828 0788 davidsmith@smu.edu.sg School of Law, Room 4044, Level 4
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Issues of ethics and social responsibility arise in all professions and all aspects of life. The failure to anticipate, recognize and deal effectively with these issues can have serious implications for individuals, companies, governments and society. One major challenge is recognizing issues of ethics and social responsibility when they arise. Another challenge is understanding why and how individuals, companies and governments get themselves into ethical difficulties and how and why companies fail in being ―socially responsible‖. A third challenge is figuring out how to resolve ethical challenges and dilemmas as they occur: what is the right thing to do? We will examine, through cases, problems, and other readings, issues of ethics and social responsibility that arise in real life contexts: what principles would you apply to this problem and what would you do in this situation? The course will explore ethics in diverse contexts, including the workplace, advertising and marketing, and international business. Lawyers have a special responsibility in government and corporations in ensuring ethical behaviour. Issues of concern to lawyers will be integrated into each class session.
Readings:
Ethics and Social Responsibility - Asian and Western Perspectives (Chan and
Shenoy eds. 2011) – The text will be available at BOOKLINK. (see below)
Supplemental readings to be assigned (to be e-mailed and/or handed out in class)
Relevant movies and/or documentaries will be shown
(A principal reference book on lawyer’s professional ethics is Jeffrey Pinsler, Ethics and
Professional Responsibility (Academy Publishing 2007), but this book is not required for the course.) Chapter 11 of the