1. Provide an exposition of the stockholder view of the corporation as defended by Milton Friedman. What would Friedman likely say about the NYSEG Corporate responsibility program? Provide an exposition of the stakeholder view of the corporation as defended by R. Edward Freeman. What would Freeman likely say about the NYSEG Corporate responsibility program? With whom do you agree more?
2. John R. Boatright in "Individual Responsibility in the American Corporate System: Does Sarbanes-Oxley Strike the Right Balance?" argues that the primary purpose of laws governing corporate responsibility is deterrence. Do you agree with this interpretation? Why, or why not? Appeal to the ethical theories discussed in Chapter 6 to support your position.
3. Consider the practices described by Carl Elliott in his essay "The Drug Pushers." Provide two arguments in support of the practices described in that essay. Next, provide two arguments against the practices described in that essay. Where do you stand on this issue? Explain.
4. Two articles raise doubts about the ethical problems that underlie insider trading, primarily relying on utilitarian reasoning to support their positions. Examine the practices of insider trading from the perspective of deontological reasoning. Does this lead to different conclusions regarding the moral permissibility of these practices? Explain.
5. Explain Cooley's argument in "Genetically Modified Organisms and Business Duties." What would Cooley say about the activities of Monsanto and related in the case study "Monsanto's Round-Up Ready Wheat"? In general, do you agree or disagree with Cooley? Why, or why not?
6. In "Intellectual Property and Pharmaceutical Drugs: An Ethical Analysis," Richard T. De George lays out what he comes to call the "Status Quo Approach" as a defense of copyright protection of pharmaceuticals. Do you find this argument persuasive regarding ethical pricing of pharmaceuticals? Why, or why not?
7. In "Intellectual Property and the Information Age," Richard T. De George begins by examining the case of Napster and the practice of sharing digital music over the Internet. He concludes by arguing that determining whether an action with regard to copyright protection is moral or immoral will depend on the balancing of competing conceptions and justifications for copyright protection. Using the positions that De George lays out, examine the case with which De George begins. Do you believe that this activity is morally justified or immoral? Why?
8. In "Internet Content Providers and Complicity in Human Rights Abuse," Jeffery D. Smith argues that while ICPs may be complicit in human rights abuse, they may strive to minimize their complicity. Do you believe that the strategies he imagines are sufficient to absolve ICPs of any moral wrongdoing that arises from their complicity in these abuses? Why, or why not? If not, what do you believe that ICPs should do?