Questions related to Ethics and Spirituality of work:
1) Batule notes that the Council Fathers state "labor...is superior to other elements of economic life." What are these other elements? Do you agree or disagree with the Council Fathers' claim? What arguments might be offered in defense of this claim?
2) An ethical claim is made as the Council Fathers assert "any way of organizing and directing [economic] activity which would be detrimental to any worker would be wrong and inhuman." On what basis can this claim be justified?
3) Who is rightly entitled to labor--and the fruits of labor? Why? Is it necessarily true that we 'own' ourselves?
4) Batule quotes Wojtyla as arguing "to fulfill oneself means to actualize, and in a way to bring to the proper fulness, that structure in man which is characteristic for him because of his personality and also because of his being somebody and not merely something; it is the structure of self-governance and self-possession." Relate this 'understanding' to the previous question. What are the ethical implications of being regarded as something rather than someone?
5) What does it mean that "The man of today seems ever to be under threat from what he produces, that is to say from the result of the work of his hands and, even more so, of the work of his intellect and the tendencies of his will"? What is the relationship between alientation and freedom?
6) According to Frankl, what are the three ways in which one finds meaning in one's life? Is this list mutually exclusive? Collectively exhaustive?
7) Moore describes his experience of visiting a woman's house and 'reading' it. What would Moore conclude about you were he to visit your home? Your place of work?
8) Is work inherently spiritual?
9) Using the myth of Narcissus, Moore suggests "finding the right work is like discovering your own soul in the world." Is this statement fatalistic? Do we discover or create meaningful work?
10) Neal presents to us the principle that "work should be a way to nourish our lives." Can you provide an example of work you have experienced which serves to bear out this moral imperative?
11) Neal further argues that "it is organizational leaders who have the most effect on whether or not employees feel that their work is 'nourishment for life'." True?
12) Rutte argues for work as "livlihood." What is meant by 'livlihood'?
13) Rutte suggests that one of the significant recent changes in the workplace is that employees experience fear. What is the source of this fear? Do corporate managers have an obligation to employees beyond providing fair compensation for services rendered? If so, what are these duties? What are the employees' duties?
14) Does spirituality have an appropriate 'place' at work?
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