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Honesty - One World View
Honesty if quite complicated. It nearly always embroils
a person in an ethical dilemma. It is very personal, and it involves many
layers. Here are some examples.
"My mother is the most beautiful woman in the world"
This sounds like emotional honesty - especially if it is spoken out of mom's hearing.
"I can't do math."
This may be developmental honesty. The student
had trouble in school, didn't go well in math class, still believes that
math is too difficult, and won't try it again. It often comes as a surprise
to students when they try math later and fing that they are quite good.
Often, they don't revise that first belief, though, that they are not good
at mathematics.
"The world is flat."
This was scientific honesty for many years, and as scientific honesty, it is null hypothesis - as is all
scientific knowledge. It is considered to be true until disproven. People have been ridiculed, imprisoned or
put to death for expressing beliefs, and for refuting them.
Poodles are the best breed of dog."
This may be personal honesty - the expression of a personally held belief. There are facts to support such a
statement and facts to refute it. It may be an over generalization. Poodles are the best breed of dog (for me) - -
(for allergy sufferers) - - (for dancing on hind legs.)
"It's going to rain." "We can't be successful as a group"
These may be forecasts. They are based on the information at hand and the way that information is interpreted.
Meteorologists may added a % of certainty. There is a 60% chance of precipitation. We can do the same.
"This is the only way"
Statements based on belief are also a form of honesty. Some people hold to them. even in the face of death.
"Pizza is the best food"
Personal opinion is also a form of honesty. It is neither right nor wrong, true or false. It is a form of
honesty to share personal taste, and sometimes, a form of dishonesty to keep opinions unspoken and unknown.
Write a personal response for each kind of honesty and then share it in a group round robin. Group members can
help to monitor discussions so that each participant can feel honest and safe.
- Emotional honesty _____________________________________________________________________
- Developmental honesty _____________________________________________________________________
- Scientific honesty _____________________________________________________________________
- Personal honesty _____________________________________________________________________
- Forecast _____________________________________________________________________
- Belief _____________________________________________________________________
- Personal opinion _____________________________________________________________________
Once you have finished you should:
Go back to Lesson 2
E-mail J'Anne Ellsworth at Janne.Ellsworth@nau.edu
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Northern Arizona University
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