Virtue, Study and Academic Integrity

Published: Sept. 15, 2009, 11 p.m.

In this show, we discuss the issue of academic integrity and why it matters. Why bother with studying for a class that one will “never use”? We will explain why and we will also discuss, why, in our view, cheating happens. After all, Aristotle claims that “all men by nature desire to know.” If that is true, why do “paper mills” exist? Why do students cheat? Hint: we think it has something to do with a flawed and dangerous conception of ‘success’ that looms large in the consciousness of students. In addition to discussing these issues, we will also discuss the impact of the internet on education, including the growth of such sites as myedu.com and koofers.com which allow students access to professors’ grade distribution reports. Some fear that this will motivate students to shop for ‘easy’ classes, while others claim that this helps students to avoid notoriously ‘unfair teachers’. Join us for a stimulating discussion about something that matters to all of us and to future generations: education.