Ethics in the Nazi Example

The writer is basically talking about the application of the theories of ethics in practical situation of technical communication. How technical communicators should act? What is their role? Is it only to transmit information “objectively”? There are such questions that he/she needs to be careful about.
They need to be careful about the context and the consequences of their writing/communication.
Nazi example shows that “over-emphasizing objectivity as a positive value of technical communication can obfuscate ethical issues.” It shows how so called scientific research led to mass murder and holocaust. The point is that technical writers are also partly responsible. They should think beyond the mechanical act of writing. They should think of human values before scientific ideas. Science should not be thought of as an good in itself. F. precedents pertaining to Nazi experiements. (IRB)
So, the point is to take nothing for granted and to think of every knowledge as socially constructed. This is why Carolyn Miller worries about objectivization (treating people as objects).

How to create a simple webstie

The Ethics Tradition

This chapter discusses different theories of ethics from the Greeks to the present and divides them into four major categories:

1. Aristotlean Ethics

2. Kantian Ethics

3. Utilitarian Ethics

4. Ethics of Care: Feminist theory of Ethics

Aristotle:

Aristotle considers virtue and personal character to be the basis for ethics. His approach is both pragmatic and philosophical. He is aware about the human imperfections and at the same time believes that we have some divine spirit that helps us determine what is good and what is bad. Ethics for Aristotle involves the intentions and goals to be good rather than the actions themselves. Here, one should be able to go beyond the circumstances and determine what are the good intentions and intrinsic rightness of the behavior. Aristotle's notion of ethics is based on reason. The difference of Aristotle's theory of ethics from Plato's is that it is not idealistic like Plato's. For Aristotle, science deals with the absolute and therefore is not a matter for ethical consideration. This view of Aristotle has been criticized in the present days as science and technology are also though to be rhetorical.

Kant

Kant's focus is on duty based on universal principle that is an extension of an individual's sense of ethics. This is because he believes that every individual has an inherent moral principle. So, for his ethics is not concerned with divine principle, nor with utilitarian notion of the greatest happiness for the greatest number. Since he believes in the universal principle, his notion differs from Feminist notion of ethics of care. But his focus on universal principle that every individual has seems to be similar to what Plato would believe to be divine. Kant's is not a relativist notion of ethics.

Utilitarianism

Here, the guiding principle is not universal principle of what is right or wrong. It is nor the idea of divine principle. For utilitarians, the basis for ethical decision is the greatest happiness for greatest number. So, they calculate benefits and costs.

Feminism

Feminism shares major postmodern tendency of challenging all notions of absolute truth and universal principles. That is why feminists reject Kantian notion of ethics as masculinist. Feminists also disagree with the idea that science and technology deal with the absolute and the inherently right. Scientific method avoids contextual and interrelationships of different variables. Feminists believe that language and social values thought to be neutral are themselves gendered.

Feminist principle of ethics believes that "women generally emphasize caring concern, relationship, and the flexible application of values depending on the particular person and circumstance in rendering theri ethical judgments, whereas men generally emphasize justice through inflexible application of abstrct principles regardless of the person or the relationship" (63).

Other Views

Confucianism is based on the idea of collective good and merit. Confucian ethics is based on "immediate realities rather than in immutable, timeless absolutes." It focuses on subduing individual egos for the greater good of the society. So, it is collectivist rather than individual. Similarly, virtue does not depend on abstract principles, rather it is related to the concrete episodes and events.

Levinas

He is postmodern thinker. So, for him ethics is concerned with the particular situation rather than an abstract principle. Ethics results from our awareness of the other. So, it is a recognition that there are other people who think differently than us. So, he rejects any pretension of universal reason or morality. Consider "the other" even more important that you.

Gert

His focus is on avoidance of evil rather than on seeking good.

Reports and Other Longer Documents: Part 2

Oliu, Brusaw, and Alred, “Creating Tables and Illustrations.”
1. Consider your graphic requirements before you begin to write. Make it an integral part of your outline.
2. To illustrate and to clarify ideas, keep these points about integrating visuals in your mind:
a. Make it clear in the text why the illustration is included.
b. Keep the illustration to the point.
c. Keep terminology consistent .
d. Specify the units of measurements used.
e. Position the labels horizontally.
f. Give each illustration a concise title.
g. Like table of contents, if there are more than five illustrations, prepare a list of figures and tables after table of contents. Include title, figure number and page numbers.
h. Refer to illustrations in the text of documents by figure or table numbers. You should introduce illustration first and place it after that.
i. Provide adequate white space on the page around and within the illustration.
j. Consider copyright.
3. Tables: for data that can be compared and contrasted.
a. Table number
b. Table title
c. Boxhead
d. Stub
e. Body
f. Rules
g. Source line
h. Footnotes
i. Continuing tables: repeat the column headings and give table number with “continued” label
4. Graphs: present numerical data in visual form.
a. Trends, movements, distributions, and cycles are more readily apparent in graphs than they are in tables
b. But less accurate
c. Different kinds of graph are used for different purposes
i. Line graphs: relationship between two sets of figures
ii. Pie graphs
5. Drawings
6. Flowcharts
7. Photographs
Using Graphics to Communicate Internationally
a. Punctuation marks
b. Religious symbols
c. Colors
d. People, parts of the body, and gestures
e. Cultural symbols
f. Technology symbols
g. Reading practices
h. Directional signs
Ewing, “Strategies of Persuasion”
The major message of this essay is that we need to consider rhetorical situation while writing technical document.
1. Consider whether your views will make problems for readers: In such situation, you need to first take the readers into confidence and indirectly persuade them.
2. Don’t offer new ideas, directives, or recommendations for change until your readers are prepared for them:
3. Credibility: given and acquired.
4. If your audience disagrees with your ideas or is uncertain about them, present both sides of the argument
5. Win respect by making your opinion or recommendation clear
6. Put your strongest point last if the audience is very interested in the argument, first it is not so interested
7. Don’t count on changing attitudes by offering information alone
8. Testimonials are most likely to be persuasive if drawn from people with whom readers associate
9. Be wary of Using Extreme or sensational claims and facts
10. Tailor your presentation to the reasons for readers’ attitudes if you know them
11. Never mention Other people without considering their possible effect on the reader
12. Sizing up your readers
Kolin’s, “Proposals”
Guidelines for writing a successful proposal
1. Approach writing a proposal as a problem-solving activity
2. Regard your audience as skeptical readers
3. Research your proposal carefully
4. Prove that your proposal is workable
5. Be sure that your proposal is financially realistic
6. Package your proposal attractively
Internal proposals:
1. Proposals to address internal problems within a company
2. Be aware of your audience and your office politics
3. The organization of an internal proposal:
a. The introduction
b. Background of the problem
c. The solution or plan
d. The conclusion
4. Sales proposals: Think of your audience and their needs. Organization:
a. Introduction
i. Statement of purpose and subject of proposal
ii. Background of the problem you propose to solve
b. Description of the proposed product or service
i. Carefully show your potential customers that your product or service is right for them
ii. Describe your work in suitable details
iii. Stress any special features, maintenance advantange, warranties, or service benefits
c. Timetable
d. Costs
e. Qualifications of your company
f. Conclusion