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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 4, 1988)
.October 4,1988 University of Nebraska-Lincoln Vol. 88 No. 26 Religion affects scientific norms, professor says By David G. Young Staff Reporter Psychology and religion will move closer to one another but they will remain separate sciences, according toa nationally recognized professor of psychol ogy and religion. Don Browning, an ordained minister from the University of Chicago Divinity School, spoke to a group of about 60 people at the Regency Room in the Nebraska Union Mon day. Browning stressed that the link between psychology and religion “must meet around a third concept: The idea of citizenship." Psychology is affected by citizenship be cause citizenship defines what is normal and what is needed to function in society. This citizenship, in turn, is affected by religious beliefs, he said. Browning said competition between the two sciences is argued among theologisls and psy chologists to originate from one of two sources. The first, which he calls the hermeneutical reasoning, suggests that because of the back ground of those involved in Western science, scientists’ interpretations of their own experi ments become Christianized. The other argument insists that man has an innate religious imagination which causes him to “inflateT’ theories in the spiritual direction. “Sciences tend to use metaphors as tools for the investigation of the unknown," Browning said. “(These metaphors) can become meta phors of metaphysical weight. What aspires to be hard science can easily become soft, quasi - religion instead." The effect of this, said Browning, is that sciences appear to be less rigid and religions appear to be less abstract. y l_I Professors say President Gorbachev’s power may rise By David Holloway Senior Reporter Political science professors at the University of Ncbraska Lincoln said Mikhail Gor bachev’s new position as president of the Soviet Union could help him push his plans for economic and social reform. Ivan Volgyes, political science professor, said that the president’s position in the Soviet Union is simply ceremonial. But that could change, Volgyes said. The Communist party has pro posed changes to give the president’s office some ‘Teal oversight function ing over the state bureaucracy,” Volgyes said. Tne proposal has not been put into the constitution yet, he said. But if it is, Gorbachev will be holding a “phenomenal position,” he said. David Forsythe, also a UNL politi cal science professor, said the Soviet constitution already has “room for interpretation” whereby Gorbachev would be able to increase his power. If Gorbachev's powers increase, he will be belter able to campaign for his reforms, Forsythe said. Andrei Gromyko, who retired from the presi dency last Friday, was associated with conservatism. Now that he has retired, Forsythe said, Gorbachev’s plans for change are likely to be more prevalent Volgyes said everything in the Soviet Union is considered a “power move,” but he described Gromyko and two Politburo members as a “generation change.” voigyes said Oorbachev s new position could be considered danger ous. But analysts, who arc usually afraid of such power moves, see it as a possible improvement, he said. “If the constitution is changed, Gorbachev will be both creating poli cies and overseeing the making of the policies,” Voigyes said. Forsythe said that in the long run, Gorbachev’s move could be consid ered dangerous because Soviets could think he has too much power. In the short term view, he said, Gorbachev probably will help in reforming the country. “Gorbachev has slated before that he has wanted to down grade the power of the party and upgrade the power of the state,” Forsythe said. ‘This can be considered personal gain, but I see it as genuine reform.” rorsytnesaia me presidency couia yet to oe Known, retrsaia. benefit Gorbachev if he uses all of its Richard Lonsdale, director of in powers. temational studies, said it is not un Forsythe said Gorbachev’s No. 1 common for a Party Chief to hold priority rightnow is economic reform other high positions in the govem at home. For the reform to work, he ment. said, Gorbachev needs to gain addi - “This position will undoubtedly tional civil liberties for the Soviets, strengthen Gorbachev’s political Gorbachev probably will use the hand,” Lonsdale said. “This will give presidency to fight for such liberties, him a chance to push his economic nc said. and social reforms through.” Jerry Petr, economics professor, Lonsdale said Gorbachev’s new said he also believes Gorbachev is position also will provide the United trying to “speed up his economic re- Stateswilhabetterchancetoimprove forms." U.S.-Soviet relations. Petr said the economic reforms “Gorbachev’s efforts to promote that Gorbachev has initialed have perestroika are a good thing for the been moving slowly over the past U.S.," Lonsdale said, three years. If the United Stales reacts intelli ‘‘Gorbachev has used a lot of po- gently to the change, Gorbachev’s litical maneuvering to gel where he is, new jobcould only improve relations, but how much power he has gained is he said. Business students want ethics requirement By Kari Mott Staff Reporter nlthough business ethics are taught in some business courses in the College of Business Administration, some University of Nebraska-Lincoln professors, students and graduates think ethics should be given more emphasis. Deborah Dwyer, a doctoral management candidate, said it's important for business stu dents to be aware of ethics. Dwyer said ethics should be taught because most business students will have their moral fiber challenged with their first job. She said the business college’s answer to a business ethics class is an introductory philoso phy course that students are welcome to take through the College of Arts and Sciences. "Inc business college should make it a requirement,” Dwyer said. Business professors arc not trained to teach ethics, Dwyer said. The business college should make arrangements with another de partment to teach the class, she said. Dwyer said she asked students in her classes whether they would want a required ethics class. She said a majority said they would. Wade Clement, a business and marketing graduate, said he has encountered an ethical question in his new job. Clement, who has worked in Lincoln as a pharmaceutical representative since June 1, 1988, said it’s easy for a company to misrepre sent its product in order to sell it. Clement said he doesn’t misrepresent his products because it is against his ethical and moral standards to do so. He said that during college, he only had a one- or two-day discussion on ethics in an upper level class. He said an ethics class may be beneficial. Jerry Petr, business associate dean, said the business school does not have a separate course in ethics. “It is better to make sure that ethics is a part of every course that is offered,” Petr said. Thomas Hubbard, director and professor of accounting, said business ethics should be taught through the arts and sciences college because the business school is not equipped to teach professional ethics. Hubbard said ethics arc important because a breakdown of standards within a company, such as a decline in product quality and service, could harm the entire company. The company could end up in court defending itself against damages, Hubbard said. Richard Lee, a graduate student in finance, said he hasn’t had much instruction on ethical issues either. Lee said he might take such a course if teachers made it worthwhile. Right now, he said, he’s just concerned about filling require ments for his degree. Fred Luthans, professor of management, said ethics is an important topic for the 1990s because the business industry is finding that it must focus on leadership and entrepreneurship, not just the technical side of the business. The professors said they deal with ethics differently. Hubbard said he incorporates ethics into his lectures throughout the semester. “Business ethics is a constant thing,’’ he stud. Dwyer said she teaches a chapter of the class textbook on social issues in a principle of management and human resource management course. The chapter deals with how business organi zations make decisions about things that affect the environment, slock holders, employees, customers and society at large, she said. Lulhans said he teaches business ethics through ethical questioning. Luthans takes an example such as price fixing, and discusses with students over whether or not it’s ethical. Other faculty members, besides business, are also concerned about ethics. Twelve UNL faculty members are learning ethics through The Center for Teaching and Study for Applied Ethics. Steven Kalish, a law professor, said the staff members meet monthly during the year and for a week in June. Tite center has guest speakers that discuss applied ethics and theory. For instance Michael Moore, a law professor from the University of Califomia-Bcrkeiey, spoke Sept. 23 on issues of morality of retribu tion and morality of torture, Kalish said. The center’s objective is to take ethical theory and apply it to teaching and the real world, Kalish said.