Knowledge and Ethics- object exhibition by Lori Fritz

Shaikha and Natasha

nardizzone25 — 2023-10-13 15:01:15 UTC

The object, Cambridge Central Mosque, shows how our values and ethical beliefs can affect the knowledge we acquire. The blending of British ethics and values combined with those of Islam have resulted in a new concept of a mosque. In this mosque, women and men can pray in separate rooms or together, showing the British influence on the culture of the mosque. A theme of nature is used throughout the mosque, with the internal architecture featuring many wooden beams and the outside boasting a large scenic patio with a fountain.

In conclusion, by combining the nature of the British countryside and the Islamic religion together, a nice, relaxing prayer room is formed showcasing a melding of values from both cultures.

The object, the bible, shows how ethical questions arise when we communicate knowledge.

2023-10-13 15:01:46 UTC

In the middle ages, the church was mainly in power and controlled information, so that meant that anything that the church was aging and teaching was thought to be 100% correct. This lead people to believe the earth is flat and that the sun revolved around the earth, despite the greeks proving that the earth was round long before christianity existed.

In conclusion,information was restricted by religion, which lead to no scientific development for hundreds of years.

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Bible#:~:text=Parts%20of%20the%20Hebrew%20Bible,complete%20by%20about%20100%20CE.

OXYCONTIN MERCH

2023-10-13 15:01:54 UTC

The object, Oxycontin merch, shows how ethical questions arise when we communicate knowledge. The object was a product of the company, Purdue Pharma, as a means of promoting their painkiller—oxycontin. The painkiller, however, contained extremely addictive drugs (hence its classification as an Opiod) and through its roll out, produced a wave of deadly addiction in the United States.

The communication of the product to the masses was manipulated by marketing techniques–such as making it the new phenomenon in the business world (a higher dosage drug that is more effective at relieving pain than any other drug), utilising merch as a way of promoting and

Siena - Stanford Prison Experiment (Unfinished)

2023-10-13 15:02:02 UTC

The object, Stanford Experiment Case Study, shows how ethical questions arise in our pursuit of knowledge.

The Stanford Prison experiment (also known as Zimbardo prison experiment) was a psychological study made to examine situational differences amongst people, to see reactions and behavioural changes. It was conducted in 1971, and took place over two weeks in a simulated prison environment. The first ethical question that arises to the reader is if the participants were aware of the situations they would face. Zimbardo, the primary researcher, did not allow the prisoners to give informed consent.

The object, a report about experiment “Project 4.1”, shows how ethical questions arise in the pursuit of knowledge.

2023-10-13 15:02:59 UTC

Project 4.1 is an experiment conducted by the USA on residents of Marshall islands, who were exposed by radiation fallout from nuclear test Castle Bravo at Bikini Atoll. 239 Marshalls and 28 Americans were exposed by high levels of radiation due to emission of radiation from blast, causing radiation sickness and anomalies of newborn babies decades after experiment as well as high rate of cancer and neoplasia(anomalous growth of tissue,not cancer) This experiment is proved to be unethical due to the safety hazard of humans and the cost of life as this experiment was performed unknown to the people of Marshall Islands. This experiment was claimed to be able to develop medical capabilities to treat those exposed to fallout in nuclear war and Marshallese people were chosen because of their marginal status in the world. From a US internal transcription, it was alleged that the Marshallese people were chosen because they weren’t white, which made the US justify the reason for the dangerous experiment and create life changing injuries for the Marshallese.From utilitarianism point of view, this experiment isn’t ethical, because gains from received knowledge are much less than suffering of innocent people and their children, who were born with neoplasia and other genetic diseases. In conclusion, from point of view of utilitarianism, given experiment brang much more suffering and deaths, than benefits from received knowledge and mustn’t be repeated.

2023-10-13 15:12:59 UTC

The sign above, held in protest against the illegal NSA surveillance project exposed by Edward Snowden, shows how ethical questions arise in the pursuit of knowledge.

For an unknown period of time the US government, more specifically the NSA, led a project involved in illegal surveillance of American citizens, breaching privacy laws. It was justified that the purpose of the government led project was to “keep Americans safe”, having needed to make the choice between balancing privacy, and protection against terror.

In a utilitarianism point of view, NSA surveillance provided significant information/knowledge to the US government, which supposedly allowed for large scale protection, without any direct negative impact on the people, which would neglect the ethical questions relating to the project. But although the people weren't impacted by the surveillance, the sign represents the immense outrage which arose after the exposure of the surveillance project due to it being “ethically wrong” by essence, reflecting the deontological view of society.

The Secret Life of Pets

2023-10-20 14:50:38 UTC

The object, a movie which on the surface seems harmless, shows how ethical questions arise in our pursuit of knowledge. This cinematic piece offers a compelling glimpse into the intricate realm of ethical dilemmas that frequently accompany our unquenchable thirst for knowledge. At its core, the film presents the contentious issue of animal testing to an audience, primarily comprised of young individuals who might not yet possess the tools to critically assess the moral complexities surrounding such experimentation.


By introducing this sensitive topic to impressionable minds, the film inadvertently becomes a catalyst for the formation of opinions on the matter. These burgeoning viewpoints, informed by the ethical questions that arise in the narrative, have the potential to profoundly shape the perspectives of our next generation. The movie underscores the powerful influence of knowledge in shaping the beliefs and values of the youth. It highlights the pivotal role played by creators and educators in navigating the delicate balance between knowledge dissemination and the ethical considerations of the material being presented. This film, though seemingly innocuous on the surface, ultimately demonstrates the responsibility we all bear in cultivating the moral compass of the generations to come.

Felix/Ciarán - Milgram experiment photo

fberry251_1 — 2023-10-20 14:54:20 UTC

The object, a photograph showing the undertaking of the Milgram experiment, shows how ethical questions arise in our pursuit of knowledge. The Milgram experiment was an experiment conducted in 1961 by Yale University was an experiment where a subject was ordered to shock what they thought was another participant up to and past lethal voltages of electricity to test if authority figures would influence the decision making of participants to see if Nazis in World War Two had truthfully committed horrific acts under the pressure of orders alone.

This raises ethical questions primarily because of the psychological impact it had on the participants and because of the expected hypothesis that authority figures could take away people's free will to elicit their own wills, making them feel responsible for murder (even though it was fake).

From an ethical perspective, the psychological impact that the participants experienced because of the experiment outweighs the benefits of its aims and should not have taken place if using a deontological system of ethics based on rules of right and wrong, under which these actions would be categorised negatively, which would likely also be in accordance from the consequentialist perspective due to the deeply negative consequences it would have had on the participants.

In conclusion, in trying to acquire knowledge on human psychology, the Milgram experiment raises ethical questions surrounding the psychological wellbeing of the experiment and shows us how ethics help us to view our actions in a more considered manner for experiment participants today.

The object, 'The Minnesota Starvation Experiment', shows how ethical questions arise in our pursuit of knowledge.

2023-10-20 14:59:34 UTC

The object, 'The Minnesota Starvation Experiment', shows how ethical questions arise in our pursuit of knowledge.
The Minnesota Starvation Experiment starkly illustrates the ethical questions that might arise in our never-ending pursuit of knowledge. This study, undertaken during and after WWII, sought to comprehend the physiological and psychological consequences of malnutrition. While the experiment provided important insights into the repercussions of hunger, it also raised a number of ethical concerns. First and foremost, concerns about informed consent must be addressed. The subjects, who volunteered for the study as conscientious objectors, may not have completely realised the degree of the physical and psychological challenges they would face, raising questions about whether their participation was truly informed. Participants were forced to rigorous calorie restriction, putting their physical and psychological well-being at risk, resulting in excessive weight loss, exhaustion, and long-term psychological effects. In conclusion, although the study did succeed in providing scientists with the knowledge they required, which was later used in the context of WWII rations, the means in order to reach this end, and acquire said knowledge raised various ethical questions, which lead to many people disagreeing with the basic existence of the experiment, out of concern for the subjects and the lasting effects.