1) Required Readings: Harvard University Commencement Speech by (then) Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan (attached)

Please focus on these four paragraphs:

[1] “I do not deny that many appear to have succeeded in a material way by cutting corners and manipulating associates, both in their professional and in their personal lives. But material success is possible in this world and far more satisfying when it comes without exploiting others. The true measure of a career is to be able to be content, even proud, that you succeeded . . . without leaving a trail of casualties in your wake.”

[2] “I cannot speak for others whose psyches I may not be able to comprehend, but, in my working life, I have found no greater satisfaction than achieving success through honest dealings and strict adherence to the view that for you to gain, those you deal with should gain as well. Human relations–be they personal or professional–should not be zero sum games.”

[3] “And beyond the personal sense of satisfaction, having a reputation for fair dealing is a profoundly practical virtue. We call it ‘good will’ in business and add it to our balance sheets.”

[4] “Trust is at the root of any economic system based on mutually beneficial exchange. In virtually all transactions, we rely on the word of those with whom we do business. Were this not the case, exchange of goods and services could not take place on any reasonable scale. Our commercial codes and contract law presume that only a tiny fraction of contracts, at most, need be adjudicated. If a significant number of businesspeople violated the trust upon which our interactions are based, our court system and our economy would be swamped into immobility.”

 

Questions:

[a] Do you think Greenspan is being realistic about the possibility of business ethics? Cite specific language from his speech (in quotation marks) and explain your reasoning.

[b] Identify the core ethical values you plan to follow in your career.

2) Required Readings:

Iowa Supreme Court Attorney Disciplinary Board v. Peter Cannon

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1f_WN56l2-VmUZLxTLEpKkSoYajYa7oyzjUU_ZwM1Xgg/edit

 

Questions:

 

[a] Why should judges care if attorneys submit plagiarized legal briefs or motions? Please explain your answer.

 

[b] The Iowa Supreme Court referred to another case involving attorney plagiarism (Iowa Supreme Court Board of Professional Ethics & Conduct v. Lane). In that case, the punishment for attorney Lane (suspension of his license to practice) was more severe than the punishment imposed on attorney Cannon. What distinction did the court make between these two cases? Do you agree with the court’s reasoning?

 

 

3)

[1] One of Abraham Lincoln’s greatest attributes was his ability to recover and learn from failure. The quality of perseverance seemed especially useful to Lincoln as he struggled with “melancholy” (what might now be called depression). For Lincoln, learning how to persevere also meant learning how to adapt.

 

Required Reading:

Lincoln’s Great Depression https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2005/10/lincolns-great-depression/304247/

 

 

Questions:

 

[a] Based on your reading of Shenk’s article, “Lincoln’s Great Depression”, please identify two of Lincoln’s most successful adaptation strategies (skills, habits, or ways of thinking) that helped him use his struggle with depression to accomplish worthy goals. Provide textual evidence (e.g. quotations) to support your answer.

 

Hint: Shenk argued that Lincoln developed a purpose-driven life, focused on redefining “the spirit of the Declaration of Independence.” Understanding how Lincoln defined the Declaration’s “spirit” will help you appreciate one of his most successful and impactful adaptation strategies.

 

[b] What idea or insight in the full article would you recommend to others (a friend, perhaps)? Provide a direct quotation from the article to support your answer.

 

 

 

 

[2] The great abolitionist Frederick Douglass challenged and admired Lincoln. Both men eventually formed a close partnership leading to the abolition of slavery.

 

Required Readings (two speeches by Frederick Douglass):

 

Oration in Memory of Abraham Lincoln (1876) https://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/document/oration-in-memory-of-abraham-lincoln/

 

Composite Nation (1869) (Excerpts) https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HysKdK-sYazaxIf-0VB_S4bRcBHl3ccQIla-nsiyiB0/edit

 

Questions:  

 

[a] Based on the two assigned speeches from Douglass, what characteristics does he display as a thinker and a writer? (People continue to read these speeches because they’re powerful and memorable. What makes them powerful and memorable?) Cite a specific example from each speech to support your answer.

 

[b] Leading a life of integrity: based on the readings in both assignments above, please identify at least one quality of character exhibited by Lincoln and Douglass you might wish to cultivate in yourself.

 

 

 

*Important reminder: It’s essential to use quotation marks or block indentation when you incorporate any language from any source, including all IS readings. It’s equally important to avoid a “deceptive” or “patchwork paraphrase” (changing or adding occasional words, but otherwise using the author’s core ideas and phraseology without attribution). Click here for guidance from the University of Wisconsin on the difference between permissible and impermissible paraphrasing. Fr guidance from Harvard University on the kinds of “common knowledge” you are not required to quote or cite.

 

 

 

6) Retirement Banquet

First, without reviewing your previous answers to this question, please answer the question again (repeated below). This isn’t a memory test. Even if you do remember much of what you previously wrote, you’re free in this version to make any desired additions, modifications or changes in priority. You’re also free to retain your original answer without changes, if you prefer.

Three New Questions to Answer:

[a] Briefly identify any notable differences between your first answer and your answers to this concluding assignment. “Notable differences” would include a change in priority of answers (for example, #1 was moved to #4).

[b] Please identify any Seminar ideas, readings, or exercises that help account for those differences. How did they influence your thinking?

[c] How is a good life defined, and what is your plan to achieve it? Please refer to themes from the assigned readings to support your answer.