Comments for COVID-19 Ethics Blog

Comment on COVID Adaptation Scenarios: AUTO INDUSTRY by Glenn Brown

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 17:14:02 +0000

Excellent article. Appears to thoroughly overview the significance of the industry and related ones, and offers useful tables of prospects

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Comment on Rethinking End of Life or Futile Care by Bronwyn Best

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 14:44:42 +0000

Excellent article on an issue that is difficult at the best of times and is now being exacerbated by COVID-19.

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Comment on Screen Time and Home Schooling by Daniel Nurgitz

Wed, 29 Apr 2020 19:52:12 +0000

Yes-screen time is a major concern during COVID-19 for families. Some families with multiple children are experiencing each child spending time on a separate device to do online learning, connect with friends or to be entertained. And with parents working from home–and on their own devices, the danger is that each family member becomes isolated, each set of eyes looking at a separate screen for hours at a time.

You have good points in this article, especially about the need to spend time together. The ideal is to do activities outside or that keep people moving–and away from a screen. When the weather is bad, at least we can try to do something together like arts and crafts, baking or board games. Although it`s still screen time, having a family movie night on one screen is still better than everyone doing something on their own device.

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Comment on Big Tech Transforms Social Media by Herman Frances

Thu, 23 Apr 2020 00:05:14 +0000

I like the way you write and find your blog very appealing and informative. The government does seem to be ignoring the rest of the health care system in its heavy focus on just COVID 19. Thanks for bringing these issues to my attention👍Herman

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Comment on COVID-19 and Re-Thinking Work by Daniel Nurgitz

Wed, 22 Apr 2020 18:50:51 +0000

The social distancing restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 ,including cancelling schools has really been a challenge for parents with young or school-age children. It is hard enough to work from home while the children are at school, but to have the extra parenting demands all-day, everyday without a break is exhausting. It’s one thing to tell a spouse that you need time to concentrate on work but it doesn’t have the same effect on a child, and what has to come first, the obligation to be a parent or the need to earn a paycheque?
The answer seems to be they both come first. It’s like talking to an important client on one line while another important client is waiting on the other line. You have to divide your attention so they end result is each will get less than what is ideal while they wait on temporary hold. But they both will need to be satisfied with the solution during this health crisis.

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Comment on Unrest is Coming: The Second Wave Backlash by Jane Garthson

Mon, 20 Apr 2020 22:30:53 +0000

Your chart is almost entirely negative about Scenario 1 and positive about Scenario 2 – because you’ve left out health! In scenario 1, new cases are minimized and health care is available for all. In scenario 2, new cases will soar, a lot more people will die and health care organizations may have to triage care. That needs to be in the chart!

I’m not minimizing the negatives you state for Scenario 1 but they have to be balanced with the reality of impact on health.

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Comment on Unrest is Coming: The Second Wave Backlash by Bill Rockwell

Mon, 20 Apr 2020 12:03:30 +0000

What ought our stance be regarding virus-denying protestors who prioritize “expression of freedom” over what some might call “actual self interest” when they risk infection – and even violate the law in hopes of gaining credibility for their cause – by staging mass protests that violate social-distancing guidelines?

Possible Response #1: Survival of the Fittest: “Why deny them the protest rights that they are demanding as more important than life itself? Let’s let nature take its course & see who is right.”

Possible Response #2: The Nanny State: “We need to protect these ignorant people from themselves by suppressing these protests, even if it means fueling further outrage & putting them at risk through arrest & confinement.”

Possible Response #3?: [YOUR ANSWER HERE]

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Comment on Public Shame, Hoarding and Panic Buying by Paul Goldreich

Sun, 19 Apr 2020 06:26:01 +0000

What does “panic” buying constitute? What are the motivations of individuals who would place themselves and others at risk by entering into a series of actions which seek primarily to deprive others of goods and services? This of course relates to the definition of theft as we know it. The intention to permanently deprive someone of that particular good. Panic has been defined as,
sudden uncontrollable fear or anxiety, often causing wildly unthinking behaviour. Can we really attribute this emotional and psychological definition to those who quite openly bulk buy in order to deprive others of goods in periods of apparent scarcity. Psychologically, this form of deprivation behaviour emerges in very early forms of attachment disorder where children feel themselves to be at root deprived of care and love by primary care givers. In adulthood, deprivation becomes exhibited in forms of an aggressive sense of the need to right a wrong, the psychologically and emotionally motivated need to feel sustained in times of risk. In effect this emotional response to risk raises very early traumata which have never been resolved. Ethically it raises serious questions about how we manage these very early depriving emotional conditions especially in periods of extreme risk.

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Comment on Personal Protection in Public: Masks, Shoes and Gloves by Laya Crust

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 18:57:00 +0000

Thanks for the logical blog, David. For those who don’t sew, here are two links that show how to make super easy, super quick face masks. Take care of yourself and stay healthy.
https://mashable.com/video/cdc-face-mask-how-to/
https://twitter.com/Constance8News/status/1246186931643449349

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Comment on Technology and Spying by Glenn Brown

Sat, 04 Apr 2020 16:11:31 +0000

Excellent overview.
The Tri-Council Statement principles should be applied to this enormous gathering of data.
A major concern about this effort is deep distrust of authoritarian regimes’ gathering this info, particularly U.S. where so many servers holding this info are located – data from other countries become subject to Patriot Act. Even countries with currently non-authoritarian regimes need to ask what if they do turn authoritarian.
If all the data are being gathered by AI, what humans know for certain what the AI is, and is not, doing with it?

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