Pursuit of Ethics: Heroes and Villains in Life and Legend

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Pursuit of Ethics Heroes and Villains in Life
and Legend
Prepared by L. Murphy Smith Professor of
Accounting Texas AM University For permission
to use or adapt this presentation, please contact
Dr. Smith, Lmsmith_at_tamu.edu
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Ethics are crucial to business operations
The classical economists such as Adam Smith
considered economics a branch of ethics. Business
activity would grind to a halt without trust,
fair dealings, and honest communication.
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Ethics are crucial to your personal life
You and I were born into this world. One day you
and I will leave it. What we do in-between
determines who we are, and whether we made the
world better or worse.
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Can ethics be taught?
Prior research shows that students are affected
in a positive manner by classes that include
ethics education. Teddy Roosevelt said, To
educate a person in mind and not in morals is to
educate a menace to society.
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People learn about ethics from various sources.
Upon what do you base your personal code of
ethics?

• a. Aggie Honor Code
• Personal experiences
• and observations
• Study of history
• and literature
• d. Religious beliefs
• e. Something else

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When evaluating ones goals and objectives, a
vital question must be asked What is your
highest aspiration? A. Wealth B. Fame C.
Knowledge D. Popularity E. Integrity
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If integrity is second to any of the
alternatives, then it is subject to sacrifice in
situations where a choice must be made. Such
situations will inevitably occur in every
persons life.
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Lets consider people who have most demonstrated
integrity or lack thereof Heroes and villains in
life and legend, from ancient times to the
present day.
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• Who am I?
• Known for headwear, most famous congressman from
  Tennessee, and a renowned sharpshooter.
• Abraham Lincoln
• Davy Crockett
• Daniel Boone
• George Washington
• John Blackjack Pershing

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Davy Crockett
David (Davy) Crockett was one of the most famous
figures of his day. Born in Tennessee in 1786,
Crockett had many adventures in his youth as a
frontiersman and military scout. In the 1820s, he
entered Tennessee politics and eventually served
two terms in Congress. By 1835, Crockett had
become disillusioned with politics and set off to
explore Texas, departing Tennessee with the
famous quote "You may all go to hell and I will
go to Texas." Crockett fell in love with Texas
and joined the volunteers in the fight for Texas
independence. He died at the Battle of the Alamo
on March 6, 1836.
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Davy Crockett at the Alamo
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What most made Davy Crockett a hero?
a. He served in the U.S. Congress. b. He was a
military scout. c. He was an excellent
sharpshooter. d. He fought and died at the
Alamo. e. He lived by his personal motto "Be
sure you're right, then go ahead!"
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• Who am I?
• Known for leadership, living in ancient Greece,
  staying in good physical condition, and changing
  the course of history.
• Homer (not Simpson, author of the Iliad)
• Ulysses
• Alexander
• Leonidas
• Julius Caesar

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King Leonidas
In the Battle of Thermopylae of 480 BC, an
alliance of Greek city-states fought the invading
Persian Empire at the pass of Thermopylae in
central Greece. Vastly outnumbered, the Greeks
held back the Persians for three days in one of
history's most famous last stands. A small force
led by King Leonidas of Sparta blocked the only
road through which the massive army of Xerxes I
of Persia (Xerxes the Great) could pass.
Several anecdotes attest to the exemplary bravery
that Leonidas and the Spartans were famed for
even in the ancient world. On the first day of
the siege, when Xerxes demanded the Greeks
surrender their arms, Leonidas is said to have
replied Molon Labe ("Come and get them").
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Leonidas at Thermopylae
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What most made Leonidas a hero?
a. He was a king. b. He stayed in good shape. c.
He fought alongside his fellow Greeks. d. He
changed the course of Western civilization. e. He
displayed virtues of integrity, bravery, and
self-sacrifice.
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• Who am I?
• Known for being born in a log cabin, being a good
  wrestler, honesty, standing up for whats right,
  and not being a quitter.
• Benjamin Franklin
• George Washington
• Alexander Hamilton
• Abraham Lincoln
• Theodore Roosevelt

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Abraham Lincoln
The spirit that guided Lincoln was clearly that
of his Second Inaugural Address, now inscribed on
one wall of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington,
D. C. "With malice toward none with charity for
all with firmness in the right, as God gives us
to see the right, let us strive on to finish the
work we are in to bind up the nation's
wounds.... "
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The American Civil War
Lincoln never let the world forget that the Civil
War involved an even larger issue. This he stated
most movingly in dedicating the military cemetery
at Gettysburg "that we here highly resolve that
these dead shall not have died in vain--that this
nation, under God, shall have a new birth of
freedom--and that government of the people, by
the people, for the people, shall not perish from
the earth."
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What most made Lincoln a hero?
a. He was a U.S. President. b. He had a nice
beard. c. He led America through its most
difficult time. d. He changed the course of the
American Republic. e. He displayed virtues of
integrity, wisdom, and forgiveness.
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• Who am I?
• Known for being from Texas, courage, serving in
  the army, and making movies.
• George Patton
• John Blackjack Pershing
• Michael Wittmann
• Elvis Presley
• Audie Murphy

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Audie Murphy
Audie Leon Murphy, son of poor Texas
sharecroppers, rose to national fame as the most
decorated U.S. combat soldier of World War II.
Among his 33 awards and decorations was the Medal
of Honor, the highest military award for bravery
that can be given to any individual in the United
States of America, for "conspicuous gallantry and
intrepidity at the risk of his life above and
beyond the call of duty."
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World War II
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Audie Murphy
A huge bronze statue of Audie Murphy is the
center piece of a memorial dedicated to Audie
Murphy and veterans of Hunt County, Texas who
served in various wars. The memorial is in front
of the Audie Murphy/American Cotton Museum,
located in Greenville, Texas and very prominent
from Interstate 30.
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What most made Audie Murphy a hero?
a. He was a movie star. b. He had lots of
medals. c. He was famous. d. He was from
Texas. e. He risked his life to save others.
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• Who am I?
• Known for being a brilliant combat soldier, an
  inspirational leader, the hero of the battle of
  Saratoga, the turning point of the American
  Revolutionary War.
• George Washington
• Nathan Hale
• John Adams
• Benedict Arnold
• Andrew Jackson

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Benedict Arnold
By May of 1779, Arnold had begun bargaining with
the British. Why would a man commit treason
against his country, especially one who had
fought so valiantly? We can only speculate. He
was certainly angry and hurt over the many
slights he received over the years. He probably
felt unappreciated by his country and those he
fought with. His pride was most likely the
biggest piece of his life that was damaged
humiliation was always an affront Arnold could
never take. Money, of course, played a big part.
He was offered in excess of 10,000 pounds and a
commission in the British military.
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Battle of Saratoga
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What most made Benedict Arnold a villain?
a. He wore a wig. b. He enjoyed partying too
much. c. He was prideful. d. He fought for the
British. e. He was a traitor.
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• Who am I?
• Known for being a brilliant combat soldier,
  famously referred to by my rank alone, physically
  tough, and never giving up.
• Sgt. York
• John Paul Jones
• General Patton
• Master Chief Petty Officer John
• Colonel Andrew Jackson

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Master Chief Petty Officer John-117
Master Chief Petty Officer John-117, commonly
called Master Chief, and whose real name is known
only as John, is the fictional protagonist in the
Halo universe, created by Bungie Studios. He is
the main character of the video game Halo Combat
Evolved. Outside of video games, the Master Chief
appears in the novels Halo The Fall of Reach,
Halo The Flood, Halo First Strike, and Halo
Uprising.
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The AI program, Cortana, described the master
chief (p. 268 of Halo The Fall of Reach) He
placed his mission and his duty and honor above
his personal safety.
HALO
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What most makes the Master Chief a hero?

• Hes human.
• He fights for earth.
• Its Halo! Nuf said!
• He has some amazing high-tech gear.
• He displays virtues of honesty, perseverance, and
  self-sacrifice.

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For what reason do people most often sacrifice
their integrity and act unethically?
a. Need for popularity b. Greed for money c.
Desire for power d. Ambition to be famous e.
Something else
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Educational Institutions have
established ethics codes for
their students, e.g. the Aggie Code of Honor at
Texas AM
An Aggie does not lie, cheat or steal,
Or tolerate those who do. What do
you think is the harder part? a. Line 1 b. Line 2
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Whether we derive a code of ethics from religious
beliefs, a study of history and literature, or
personal experience and observation We can all
agree upon some basic values.
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A nation or a culture
cannot endure for long
unless it
is undergirded
by common values such
as
valor, public
spiritedness, respect for

others and for the law It cannot stand unless it
is populated by people who will act on the
motives superior to their own immediate interest.
Chuck Colson, Against the Night
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Can you make a difference?
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How can an honest person succeed? If societal
values are deteriorating, maintaining high
ethical standards in accounting and business
grows increasingly difficult. People will
undoubtedly ask, if everyone else is dishonest,
then how can an ethical person possibly succeed?
Nevertheless, the real question is, how does one
measure success?
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Why is it often so hard to do whats right? To
sin by silence when they should protest makes
cowards of men. - Abraham Lincoln
Do you think this relates to line 2 of the Texas
AM Code of Honor?
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When the situation needs improvement, Gandhi
offers guidance You must be the change you wish
to see in the world.
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To see what is right and not to do it is want of
courage. - Confucius
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The reputation of a thousand years may be
determined by the conduct of one
hour. Japanese proverb
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At a Congressional Hearing on Accounting and
Business Ethics in July 2002, Truett Cathy, the
Founder of Chick-Fil-A quoted Proverbs 221 "A
good name is more desirable than great riches to
be esteemed is better than silver or gold."   The
truth is that fame and fortune are nothing
compared to personal honor.
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Honor is better than honors. Abraham Lincoln
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Be sure youre right, then go ahead. Davy
Crockett 1786-1836