Comments on: Irrationality and ethics http://www.technollama.co.uk/irrationality-and-ethics Not Just Another Technology Law Blog Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:46:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: L.N. http://www.technollama.co.uk/irrationality-and-ethics/comment-page-1#comment-2035 L.N. Wed, 27 May 2009 03:35:08 +0000 http://www.technollama.co.uk/?p=2046#comment-2035 I get that most people will try to subtly cheat an unregulated, or worse yet, an abusive system. However, I do ascribe to the notion that public officials are, in some sense, expected to be ethically above us, in the sense that they are obligated by the nature of their position to work for the best interests of the community, rather than themselves. The problem is, there's a disjoint between what we believe want from our elected officials (to place the community before themselves) and the economic system that allows these systems to function (capitalism, based on the pursuit of individualized self-interest). I get that most people will try to subtly cheat an unregulated, or worse yet, an abusive system. However, I do ascribe to the notion that public officials are, in some sense, expected to be ethically above us, in the sense that they are obligated by the nature of their position to work for the best interests of the community, rather than themselves. The problem is, there’s a disjoint between what we believe want from our elected officials (to place the community before themselves) and the economic system that allows these systems to function (capitalism, based on the pursuit of individualized self-interest).

]]> By: Valuable Internet Information » TechnoLlama » Irrationality and ethics http://www.technollama.co.uk/irrationality-and-ethics/comment-page-1#comment-2015 Valuable Internet Information » TechnoLlama » Irrationality and ethics Thu, 21 May 2009 16:01:35 +0000 http://www.technollama.co.uk/?p=2046#comment-2015 [...] Read the original:  TechnoLlama » Irrationality and ethics [...] [...] Read the original:  TechnoLlama » Irrationality and ethics [...]

]]> By: Tony Finch http://www.technollama.co.uk/irrationality-and-ethics/comment-page-1#comment-2014 Tony Finch Thu, 21 May 2009 12:03:32 +0000 http://www.technollama.co.uk/?p=2046#comment-2014 The scandal is not so much the detail of the expenses, but the MPs' efforts to conceal them in contravention of laws they approved and an order from the high court. They should be worldly enough to know the risks of petty corruption and what measures they should have taken to police themselves properly. Michael Martin is being booted out because of his failure to do so. The scandal is not so much the detail of the expenses, but the MPs’ efforts to conceal them in contravention of laws they approved and an order from the high court. They should be worldly enough to know the risks of petty corruption and what measures they should have taken to police themselves properly. Michael Martin is being booted out because of his failure to do so.

]]> By: Rob Myers http://www.technollama.co.uk/irrationality-and-ethics/comment-page-1#comment-2013 Rob Myers Thu, 21 May 2009 10:22:47 +0000 http://www.technollama.co.uk/?p=2046#comment-2013 Dishonesty is not fundamental to human nature, it is fundamental to economic experiments. http://boingboing.net/2009/05/13/life-inc---an-extra.html The narcissistic, self-justifying, mythologizing projection of economists should be regarded as an interesting example of human psychology. Not the other way round. Dishonesty is not fundamental to human nature, it is fundamental to economic experiments.

http://boingboing.net/2009/05/13/life-inc—an-extra.html

The narcissistic, self-justifying, mythologizing projection of economists should be regarded as an interesting example of human psychology. Not the other way round.

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