Tabacco issues continued (May 1)

Hi,

Angela and I decide to continue to talk about the tabacco issues this week. Initially, I plan to focus on the oversea labor, but after reading some related materials, I discover some surprising facts about the tabacco industries's advertising strategies. Here it goes:

Tobacco Industry Targets Africa
Tobacco giants ‘targeted African children to boost flagging profits
Tobacco Industry's Targeting of Youth, Minorities and Women

James

On Enforcing Surrogacy and Adoption Contract

Hi folks,

Again I just finished watching another episode of Harvard Justice course. Part of Episode 5 talks about surrogacy and adoption, even the sperm and egg donor. Some of these reminded me of weeks ago what we talked about surrogacy issues. Students from different sides questioned each other's viewpoints. I think some of the viewpoints are quite interesting. If you have free time, watch this episode (starting from roughly 30 or 35 min to 45 min).

 

On the Successful Owe a Debt to Society

Hi folks,

Recently I start to watch a series of videos on Justice courses through Youtube. The Justice course  , a general course and philosophy course, is given by Harvard University. It is said that the course is so popular that Harvard decides to share the lectures with public, and that's why we can watch them through Youtube. This series is so insightful that my thought kept being challenged whenever watching them.

Here's the link: Harvard University Justice Series

Just now I finished the 3rd episode: Free to choose. In the video, the professor Michael Sandel talks about utilitarianism and libertarianism. He talked about one of the four common objections to libertarianism that he discovered from his online course is "the successful owe a debt to society." This actually reminded me what James (maybe) and I discussed weeks ago on big companies have to take the so-called social responsibility. From libertarian's perspective, taxation, especially for redistributing wealth, is coercion, labor force, theft in fundamental, and violation of self possession. A student (Victoria, 48min) who kinda objected libertarianism argued that we lose our self possession once we live in the society.

I think this series is really informative and thus recommend to you now. If you have free time, I highly recommend you watching them :)



Best,
Angela

Article for this week (4/24)

The tabacco issue has already raised lots of social attention. But I find out that some important issues, especially with regards to tobacco industries, ecological damages, and children right, still remain unexplored in Taiwan. Here are some related articles:

1. Tobacco Advertising, Promotion and Sponsorship
2. Individual and human rights in tobacco control: help or hindrance?
3. Hold Tobacco Industries Accountable for their Human Rights Abuses Overseas

Some discussion guideline as what follows:
1. Have you ever heard of the relation between tobacco industris and oversea poverty?
2. Do you agree with tabacco control? Why?
3. Do you think that tabacco industries have the right to advertise their product?
4. In terms of children right, do you think that the goverment should forbid teenagers to smoke? Or just let them take responsobility for their own health?

Best,
James

Maria is applying on leave

Dear Angela and James,

I joined a project that was held by Formosa Charity last Sunday at 雙溪, which hasn't been finished. So just in case I might go there again this weekend, I think I better inform you both in advance.


cheers,
maria

About Discussion on April 3rd (Taiwan Time)

Dear all,

For some unknown reason, the discussion on April 3rd (Taiwan time) did not go on as usual. James did not show up. I was online for the whole two hours and did not see James. I guess you might forget the session or be feeling sick or something like that. As Maria mentioned earlier that she needed to help her friend and thus cannot attend the session this time and as James did not show up, the discussion thus is cancelled this time.

Please let me know any of you can attend the session next time (April 10th, Taiwan time). Also, Maria, if you can attend next time, please let me know if you can be the host or not (since you prepare the articles weeks ago and we haven't discussed it.) If you can't make it time, I can still be the host as well, as I also prepared the materials earlier.

Happy Weekends :)

Angela