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{{Infobox BBS
| image = Archived-En.png
| file = ethics.txt
| author = Unknown
| date = Unknown
| subject =
| orig_bbs = Unknown
| bbs_main_page = [[ParaNet Main Page]]
| key_words = ParaNet, UFO, Ufology
}}

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*****************************************************************
I M P O R T A N T N O T I C E
concerning the following text file
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ParaNet makes no endorsement of this material and the views
expressed herein are not necessarily the views of ParaNet. This
information is provided as a public service only.

This file is SHARETEXT material. This means that you are free to
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ParaNet(sm): Freedom of Information for a better world!

(C) 1991 ParaNet(sm) Information Service. All Rights Reserved.
****************************************************************
ParaNet File Number: 00129

DATE OF UPLOAD: September 10, 1989
ORIGIN OF UPLOAD: ParaNet Alpha/Denver, Colorado
CONTRIBUTED BY: Sally Sheridan
========================================================
WHY ETHICS MATTER
AN ESSAY
BY
SALLY SHERIDAN

Are we about to live through extraordinary times in the
history of mankind?
Let's assume for a moment that we are.
The rumors and tone of the UFO literature have become deadly
serious. It isn't much fun to be a UFO investigator anymore.
I keep thinking about the people living in Western Europe
during the Nazi Era; the people living in Amsterdam at the time
Anne Frank's family was hiding. I wonder if I would have had the
courage to hide them. I think about that a lot.
These days we scrutinize the behavior of people who lived
through that time. We praise and admire the ones who did not.
I believe we investigators may be living through a time when
similarly enormous stresses and, yes, dangers may threaten us.
And for that reason I think we all should think about how we
should proceed. I think we all should think about how far we are
willing to go to get credit for the Big Story.
Here is a quiz to measure your Ethics Quotient.

Question: How far would you go if you could be reasonably
certain of being the investigator who would get the credit for
finally breaking the UFO mystery?
A. BETRAYAL
1. Would you betray a stranger or an acquaintance?
(for example, divulging a name you promised to keep secret?)
2. Would you betray a close friend?
3. Would you betray another investigator?
4. Would you betray a member of your family?
B. RISKING HARM (physical, emotional, financial or other
forms of harm)
5. Would you risk possible harm to a stranger or an
acquaintance?
6. Would you risk possible harm to a close friend?
7. Would you risk possible harm to another
investigator?
8. Would you risk possible harm to a member of your
family?
C. CAUSING HARM (physical, emotional, financial or other
forms of harm)
9. Would you CAUSE harm to a stranger or an
acquaintance?
10. Would you CAUSE harm to a close friend?
11. Would you CAUSE harm to another investigator?
12. Would you CAUSE harm to a member of your family?

SCORING

There is only one right answer. NO to all of the above
without any equivocation!

CONCLUSION
Whatever the future holds, we must experience it as
decently, as ethically as we possibly can. I believe that no
secret, not even this one, is so important that we have to get to
it by stepping on our brothers and sisters.
No times are so stressful that it becomes acceptable to
betray, risk or knowingly cause harm to a fellow human being.
At the beginning of this essay I assumed that we are living
through, or are about to live through, extraordinary times. I
really do not know if this assumption is true.
What if it is not? What if none of the Lear-Bennewitz-
Cooper-Moore-"aliens making deals with the government" material
is true?
What if the world just goes on with its mundane problems?
Then, if we've justified answering "yes" to any part of the quiz,
we've betrayed, risked, and/or caused harm to others for NOTHING.
Either way, if its real or if its not, ethics matter because
living in dangerous times does not excuse us from the
responsibility and the obligation to act ethically.

=================================================================

Sally Sheridan is an investigator for the Center for UFO Studies
and is also the MUFON Section Director for Yuma County, Arizona.
She is also a special contributor to ParaNet. She is currently
researching the connection between UFOs and the Tibetan culture
as reflected in Tibetan Buddhist teachings.

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