***************************************************************** I M P O R T A N T N O T I C E concerning the following text file ***************************************************************** ParaNet makes no endorsement of this material and the views expressed herein are not necessarily the views of ParaNet. This information is provided as a public service only. This file is SHARETEXT material. This means that you are free to distribute it to anyone you like, as long as it is not used for commercial purposes, you do not charge for it, you do not remove this header, or change the contents in anyway. Additionally, we ask that you contribute to ParaNet, if possible, to assure a continuation of this valuable, educational SHARETEXT service. The suggested contribution is $75.00 and entitles you to full access to our comprehensive library and our network of electronic affiliates all over the world. Other services are available. Mail your contribution to: ParaNet Information Service P.O. Box 172 Wheat Ridge, CO 80034-0172 ParaNet(sm): Freedom of Information for a better world! (C) 1991 ParaNet(sm) Information Service. All Rights Reserved. **************************************************************** ParaNet File Number: 00129 DATE OF UPLOAD: September 10, 1989 ORIGIN OF UPLOAD: ParaNet Alpha/Denver, Colorado CONTRIBUTED BY: Sally Sheridan ======================================================== WHY ETHICS MATTER AN ESSAY BY SALLY SHERIDAN Are we about to live through extraordinary times in the history of mankind? Let's assume for a moment that we are. The rumors and tone of the UFO literature have become deadly serious. It isn't much fun to be a UFO investigator anymore. I keep thinking about the people living in Western Europe during the Nazi Era; the people living in Amsterdam at the time Anne Frank's family was hiding. I wonder if I would have had the courage to hide them. I think about that a lot. These days we scrutinize the behavior of people who lived through that time. We praise and admire the ones who did not. I believe we investigators may be living through a time when similarly enormous stresses and, yes, dangers may threaten us. And for that reason I think we all should think about how we should proceed. I think we all should think about how far we are willing to go to get credit for the Big Story. Here is a quiz to measure your Ethics Quotient. Question: How far would you go if you could be reasonably certain of being the investigator who would get the credit for finally breaking the UFO mystery? A. BETRAYAL 1. Would you betray a stranger or an acquaintance? (for example, divulging a name you promised to keep secret?) 2. Would you betray a close friend? 3. Would you betray another investigator? 4. Would you betray a member of your family? B. RISKING HARM (physical, emotional, financial or other forms of harm) 5. Would you risk possible harm to a stranger or an acquaintance? 6. Would you risk possible harm to a close friend? 7. Would you risk possible harm to another investigator? 8. Would you risk possible harm to a member of your family? C. CAUSING HARM (physical, emotional, financial or other forms of harm) 9. Would you CAUSE harm to a stranger or an acquaintance? 10. Would you CAUSE harm to a close friend? 11. Would you CAUSE harm to another investigator? 12. Would you CAUSE harm to a member of your family? SCORING There is only one right answer. NO to all of the above without any equivocation! CONCLUSION Whatever the future holds, we must experience it as decently, as ethically as we possibly can. I believe that no secret, not even this one, is so important that we have to get to it by stepping on our brothers and sisters. No times are so stressful that it becomes acceptable to betray, risk or knowingly cause harm to a fellow human being. At the beginning of this essay I assumed that we are living through, or are about to live through, extraordinary times. I really do not know if this assumption is true. What if it is not? What if none of the Lear-Bennewitz- Cooper-Moore-"aliens making deals with the government" material is true? What if the world just goes on with its mundane problems? Then, if we've justified answering "yes" to any part of the quiz, we've betrayed, risked, and/or caused harm to others for NOTHING. Either way, if its real or if its not, ethics matter because living in dangerous times does not excuse us from the responsibility and the obligation to act ethically. ================================================================= Sally Sheridan is an investigator for the Center for UFO Studies and is also the MUFON Section Director for Yuma County, Arizona. She is also a special contributor to ParaNet. She is currently researching the connection between UFOs and the Tibetan culture as reflected in Tibetan Buddhist teachings.