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<font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif">Hi<br>
<br>
Now that you mention medicine, I suddenly thought of the hippocratic
oath. Doctors must once in a while be faced with the same dilemma,
represented by the question "Should I cure Adolf Hitlers appendicitis?"
Well, doctors have the hippocratic oath, which in one modern version
states:<br>
</font><big><i><font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" size="2"><big>
I will treat without exception all who seek my ministrations, so long
as the treatment of others is not compromised thereby...</big></font></i><font
face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><br>
<br>
</font><font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" size="2"><big>Actually,
there are several useful lessons for OST practitioners in that oath.
You can find the classic and a modern version here:
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.geocities.com/everwild7/noharm.html">http://www.geocities.com/everwild7/noharm.html</a></big></font><font
face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><br>
<br>
</font><font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" size="2"><big>I
especially like the part from the classic version that says: </big></font><font
face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><br>
</font><i><font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" size="2"><big>Into
whatever houses I enter, I will go into them for the benefit of the
sick, and will abstain from every voluntary act of mischief and
corruption; <b>and, further, from the seduction of females or males,
of freemen and slaves.</b></big></font></i></big><font
face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><br>
<br>
Not that that's ever really been an issue in my OST practice :o)<br>
<br>
Cheers<br>
<br>
Alex</font><br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">Alexander Kjerulf
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:alexander@kjerulf.com">alexander@kjerulf.com</a>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.positivesharing.com">http://www.positivesharing.com</a>
+45 2688 2373
Tagensvej 126, lejl. 613
2200 København N
</pre>
<br>
<br>
R. Duff Doel wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid001001c48f6e$cb4e0900$3602a8c0@nova" type="cite">
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<div><font face="Arial" size="2">This is an interesting discussion.
Here's my two cents worth...</font></div>
<div>š</div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">A few years ago i took a class
called: The Philosophy of Medicine. It was essentially a medical
ethics. The book of case studies was more than 60% about who actually
has the right to decide what happens to your body (including whether it
should live or die), you or the physician.</font></div>
<div>š</div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">As much as i enjoyed the class, i
was disturbed by the mere existence of that question. It is my body! </font></div>
<div>š</div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">I still feel that way, but the
interesting thing is that in a few of the discussions about various
case studies, i saw the "truth" in the physician overriding the choice
of the body's "owner".</font></div>
<div>š</div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">The essence of this is that as Funda
said, ethics are about why we choose something, not what we choose. </font></div>
<div>š</div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">Harrison said, "I don't really
believe that the space is ours to give or withhold." I agree with this.
My time and my energy, however, are mine to give or withhold.</font></div>
<div>š</div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">From an ethical point of view,
authenticity and integrity are mine alone to hold. I cannot be
responsible for those things in others.</font></div>
<div>š</div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">My world view is that in each act
(and thinking and feeling are acts) that i take, i have the choice
about who that act serves. Either it serves the world (all) or it
serves self at the expense of others.</font></div>
<div>š</div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">One tool of philosophy is that if
you are in doubt about the significance of an act, take it to the
extreme. So, if you have a company that is ethically questionable. (i
am going to choose an arbitrary example, not to offend any individual
views.) Let's say you have a manufacturer of firearms ammunition. And
they want you to hold Open Space for them so that they can become more
effective in their marketing of bullets. Do you do it? Not so clear.
But let's say you have a troup of militia who want you to Open Space
for them so they can become more effective in their recruiting and
training process. Do you do it? Again, not perfectly clear but becoming
more so. So, let's say you have a team of assassins who want you to
Open Space so they can become more efficient in their missions. Do you
do it? Say, a racist organization with a history of brutality, torture
and murder of minorities comes along...</font></div>
<div>š</div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">In each of these cases, i could
argue either side. At the very least, i could say that if i Open Space
for the assassins or racist group, that they could use that experience
to come to a more harmonius, a more caring way of living. But that
would be me wanting to impose on them my view of the world. That would
not be an authentic expression of me serving those groups. Rather, it
would be attempting to serve myself, my views.</font></div>
<div>š</div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">If i were to take on the job
strictly for the revenue, then it is clearly not authentically me.
(unless i am all about just making money and don't care about where
that comes from).</font></div>
<div>š</div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">Išdo feel that who we choose to Open
Space for is an ethical question. It is a reflection of our own
authenticity and integrity in doing our work. </font></div>
<div>š</div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">So, would i Open Space for a company
who's ethical standpoint in the world i disagree with? It depends on
why. </font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">And i also agree with Harrison that
my being closed would be a show stopper as the space wouldn't truly be
open.</font></div>
<div>š</div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">duff</font></div>
<div>š</div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2"><br>
---<br>
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.<br>
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (<a href="http://www.grisoft.com">http://www.grisoft.com</a>).<br>
Version: 6.0.744 / Virus Database: 496 - Release Date: 24/08/2004</font></div>
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