Problem: Article: Physicians know that there is little that they can do to prevent the subject's death due to terminal (life-ending) illnesses. In such instances, is it okay to help a patient kill themselves peacefully, or should they be kept alive as long as possible? Meat production and consumption causes suffering to animals and the environment -- is it morally wrong to eat animals when you know that vegetarianism may be better for the planet? If you do, is it ethical to let your pets eat meat, or is it immoral to force carnivores to skip meat? If there is a war in a foreign country and civilians are being murdered, is it more moral to risk US troops to save them or to let each nation decide its own fate without intervention from outsiders? There are no right answers here -- only difficult questions that need to be asked. Having an answer to a moral quandary, like those above, requires thought and detail. To truly determine moral principles, you'll need to do some research. Keeping your arguments based on facts and reason often helps avoid the traps imposed by religious moral thinking. Socrates, and many of his fellow Greeks, believed that ignorance or lack of information creates evil and bad behavior. They argue that most people want to do the right thing, but never fully think out the repercussions of their actions. Most people do the "right" thing because it makes them happy, but you only know the right thing through honest review of the facts: What are the long-term consequences of my choice? Who else will my choice affect? Will it positively or negatively affect my relationships? What is being lost in this decision? What is being gained? Throughout most of human evolution, people lived in small bands where the members were closely related and likely to remain in contact with each other throughout their lives. Being altruistic to other members of the band strengthened the community, allowing its members to produce more successful offspring. The closeness of the community also put other members in a position to reciprocate, which directly aids and reinforces the moral codes. Colloquially, one might call this a win-win situation -- where helping others instead of competing with them allows everyone to be better off. From meerkats to schools of fish, and of course humans, morality doesn't come from a god, it comes from the evolutionary benefits of supporting each other. Treating people with decency, honesty, and kindness is almost always repaid by favors from others and a safe, productive community to live in It is in stark contrast to the deontological codes of conduct laid out by most religions, in that the same action can have different moral worth under different circumstances. Developed over many centuries, there are a lot of consequentialist ethical frameworks out there, such as utilitarianism and rule consequentialism. To live as a consequentialist is to ensure, in the words of utilitarian philosopher Jeremy Bentham, "the greatest happiness of the greatest number. . What counts as a "good consequence?" Make sure you consider how your decisions will affect others -- as your relationships ultimately affect you as well. The outwardly "right" act, according to religion, is somewhat irrelevant. For example, stealing is "wrong" in most religions. But is stealing from the rich to feed your starving children really "immoral" if you consider the actual consequences? Independent cultural overlap generally suggests that a moral principle is valid. For example, the Golden Rule ("Do unto others as you would have them do unto you") is not uniquely Christian and is, indeed, echoed throughout ethical philosophy across the globe. People everywhere agree that you should treat others with respect, indicating that this is a solidly human moral principle. The ideas outlined in The United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights are generally considered a worldwide, though incomplete, framework for basic decency and morality. While the reader may consider many parts of religious (and philosophical) texts amoral and lack a belief in any deity, that does not discount the positive ideas of those writers. The writers of such texts were definitely human, and their ideas can be valid outside of the context of religion. Some famous ethical and moral tracts to start with include: Beyond Good and Evil, Friedrich Nietzche The Moral Landscape,' Sam Harris Ethics, Benedict de Spinoza The writings of St. Augustine, Christian theologist Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle "Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals", Immanuel Kant A Vindication of the Rights of Women, Mary Wollstonecraft
Summary: Consider modern ethical quandaries and dilemmas to deepen your moral principles. Consider the Socratic philosophy of self-knowledge, where intelligence itself creates morals. Think through the biological motivations for generosity and altruism. Consider "consequentialism," or the moral idea that "the morality of an action is determined by its consequences" . Examine the overlap of ideas between cultures to find common moral ground. Dive deeper into the moral writings of philosophers and religious thinkers.

Problem: Article: Whether you learned a second language by drills, flashcards, and rote repetition, or by visiting a foreign country for the summer, there is likely a language theory that matches your method. Familiarity with the bases of such approaches will help you formulate your teaching strategy for adults. From the time of ancient Greece to well into the last century, new languages were almost invariably taught by what is often called the "audio-lingual method." If your high school French class involved a lot of rote learning, repetition, oral and written testing, emphases on grammar and translation, and constant correction by your teacher, you're already familiar with this method. In the last half-century or so, a more (so-called) "natural approach" has become predominant. It tries to replicate the childhood process of acquiring a language through immersion, play and tasks, constant usage in a low-pressure environment, and indirect emphases on grammar and vocabulary. Modern "natural" or "immersion" methods encourage leaners to jump right in to the foreign language without the drudgery of vocabulary lists, grammar lessons, and constant repetition. Therefore, they are often a more appealing prospect to harried, hurried adult learners. Such task-based methods are based on the premise that students will naturally "work out" vocabulary and grammar as they interact with the language (and the other students). The struggle to do so, essentially, is part of the learning process. Critics, however, say that this leaves too much vital material for the student to address on his or her own, and that the teacher's guiding hand in areas like grammar is vital, even if it can sometimes be less than enthralling. Despite the reputation they've assumed as "boring," "sterile," and "outdated," there is a reason why classic approaches were used almost exclusively for thousands of years. Even in the modern world, they can still have a place in the language classroom. The "audio-lingual" emphasis on habit formation, mimicry, memorization, and repetition can provide a clearer sense of the goals, processes, and achievements for some students. Likewise, a focus on grammar and translation, guided in the first language, can build essential skills that some adult learners may be keen to acquire. That said, for many adults, traditional methods will feel too much like being back in school as children, and can dissuade them from continuing the process with enthusiasm. This is why variety and flexibility in your teaching methods are essential. For all the value in understanding theories, learning happens in practice and usually, through practice. Simply put, teaching an adult a foreign language requires not only your mastery of the language as a teacher, but also a clear understanding of your student's background, motivation, goals, learning style, and needs. Holding fast to traditional methods simply because they have been in use for centuries is usually not the answer, nor is tossing all the old ways aside for the new vogue in language education. It is up to you, the teacher, to determine the mix that will work best for your classroom and your student(s).
Summary:
Compare classic and modern approaches. See the pros and possible cons of newer views. Don't ignore traditional methods. Find the right balance.