Morally and Ethically
Morally:
Since rationalism is based on using our mind to make reasonable judgment, I think what has happened about the leaking of information about the NSA program of recording information is morally acceptable. As John Locke’s philosophy about “natural law”, which included moral equity and nature freedom, citizens have the rights to not be watched. What Snowden did was based on a personal point of view that represented the moral aspects of the culture, which is freedom. From this, I can understand why this top secret information has been leaked, which Snowden claimed that everyone have the right to live without being monitoring all the time. On the other hand, from the morality perspective, people’s privacy is an important manner that led this leakage. This also leads to another moral aspect which is Utilitarianism, and Snowden applied that thinking about bringing the usefulness of the information to aware people about their freedom, thus, making them happy. In addition, Snowden’s decision of leaking was morally accepted because he wanted people to be treated like him. In other words, “All people should be like me, no one can spy on them!” Hence, he applied what the philosopher Kant called, “Categorical Imperative.”
Legally:
What Hobbes said about the state of nature put this leakage situation to be illegal. Since the natural freedom is governed by a clear set of rules, in my case, any one works for the NSA must not leak any classified information, what Snowden has done was illegal. I think this is because that people in future will underestimate what information touches their freedom “or nature law”. As a result, governments will lose their control of the importance of people’s interest. I think this is also true only if we looked this from specific points of view such as protecting citizens from terrorists.
Brandon:
Morally:
Morally acceptable based on natural law.
As nation, privacy is something important that need to be protected; it is a basic
Since rationalism is based on using our mind to make reasonable judgment, I think what has happened about the leaking of information about the NSA program of recording information is morally acceptable. As John Locke’s philosophy about “natural law”, which included moral equity and nature freedom, citizens have the rights to not be watched. What Snowden did was based on a personal point of view that represented the moral aspects of the culture, which is freedom. From this, I can understand why this top secret information has been leaked, which Snowden claimed that everyone have the right to live without being monitoring all the time. On the other hand, from the morality perspective, people’s privacy is an important manner that led this leakage. This also leads to another moral aspect which is Utilitarianism, and Snowden applied that thinking about bringing the usefulness of the information to aware people about their freedom, thus, making them happy. In addition, Snowden’s decision of leaking was morally accepted because he wanted people to be treated like him. In other words, “All people should be like me, no one can spy on them!” Hence, he applied what the philosopher Kant called, “Categorical Imperative.”
Legally:
What Hobbes said about the state of nature put this leakage situation to be illegal. Since the natural freedom is governed by a clear set of rules, in my case, any one works for the NSA must not leak any classified information, what Snowden has done was illegal. I think this is because that people in future will underestimate what information touches their freedom “or nature law”. As a result, governments will lose their control of the importance of people’s interest. I think this is also true only if we looked this from specific points of view such as protecting citizens from terrorists.
Brandon:
Morally:
Morally acceptable based on natural law.
As nation, privacy is something important that need to be protected; it is a basic