David Gruber
Number of articles: 6First article: January 28, 2011
Latest article: May 6, 2011
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The Ethicist: Exploring the ethics of events and networking
I am the leader of a large campus organization. We are often asked to support or co-sponsor events organized by other organizations and individuals. We were recently asked to support an interesting event which, in my opinion, was not going to be popular. It was clear that no one would come. I, for one, would rather have spent my Friday night elsewhere. Was it wrong to agree to support the event if I didn't think it would be well-received?
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The Ethicist: Ethical solutions for the dining hall drama
When I enter a dining hall, I hang my coat on a hanger and leave my bag next to it. I proceed to prepare my meal then find a seat. Am I going out of order? My real question: Is it proper to reserve a seat before you sit down? In episode #415 of Seinfeld, Kramer and Elaine arrive early to a showing of the since-forgotten film, "Checkmate." Kramer asks Elaine to save him a seat, but Elaine protests: "Don't put me through that! I once had the fleece just ripped out of my winter coat in a seat-saving incident." In proper cyclical Seinfeld fashion, Elaine is soon driven to hysterics in a similar seat-saving fiasco.
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Bean returns and phone manners
I bought a pair of Bean Boots last winter. When I dug them out of the closet a few months ago, they looked old and torn. Because I know that L.L.Bean will exchange my boots for a new pair, no questions asked, I'm tempted to drive to Freeport and redeem a new pair of boots. What constitutes an abuse of L.L.Bean's return policy?
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Looking at the ethics of tipping and skipping
"I work as a waiter at a restaurant on Maine Street, and in my years of experience I have found that Bowdoin students don't tip. Ethicist, please address proper tipping practice." -Samuel Sabasteanski '13
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Stalling over bathroom etiquette: seats and single-sex
On February 4, the New York Times Magazine announced that "Ethicist" Randy Cohen would be the next in a series of layoffs. It has been reported that Cohen will take his moralizing elsewhere, probably to the public radio airwaves. In his absence, I will continue to invoke his style to address Bowdoin-specific ethical dilemmas and rules of accepted behavior. This week, I will tackle readers' questions on a single topic: bathroom etiquette.
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Dilemmas in dining
For over 10 years, the New York Times Sunday Magazine has published a column in which Randy Cohen answers readers' questions about "the moral and ethical dilemmas of our time." Over the course of my three years at Bowdoin, I've encountered quite a few such Bowdoin-specific ethical quandaries. I'm not an expert, but I am a concerned community member hoping to codify Bowdoin social norms and basic principles of right conduct. Send me your questions and I'll reply with the justice and wit you expect of the Orient.