Break up into small groups. Delegate one or more members of your group to (1) prepare a summary of your group's discussion and (2) make a list of your group's members. Make sure each member of your group has a record of the discussion. [Note: Participation in group work counts as class participation.]

Discuss your answers to the following questions.

1. How many times did Christian Haroldsen break the law? According to the members of your group, did he do the right thing in breaking it on any or all of these occasions? Why or why not?
2. To the extent that C.H. accepted the punishment for disobeying the law, was he right to do so? Why or why not?
3. Do any of the theories of right and wrong discussed in class make sense of your answers to the first two questions? If so, how so? If not, why not?
4. Was any of C.H.'s law-breaking an example of civil disobedience? Why or why not?
5. What moral theories discussed by Timmons or Noddings can be used to support obeying or disobeying the law(s) C.H. broke? What does this suggest about the adequacy of these theories?

M. Kagan
(Page last changed on January 27, 2010)