Practical Moral Philosophy for Lawyers

Moral Traditions and Communities of Ethics in To Kill a Mockingbird

| Notes on Community | Readings | A Story |

(1) Identify, if you can, the moral traditions you bring with you to your new life as a
lawyer? (What is a moral tradition?)

(i) Of what moral communities are you a member? (What is a moral community?)

(ii) What is the relationship between the traditions you have identified and the moral communities in which you claim membership?

(iii) How do the moral traditions and moral communities you have identified shape your ethical outlook as a law student and lawyer? What does it mean to be an ethical lawyer given your moral traditions and moral communities?

(2) What moral communities are described in Harper Lee's novel, To Kill a Mockingbird?

(3) What kind of moral community is the college of law?

(4) What kind of moral communities does one find in the legal profession?

(5) How does a community of lawyers support and undermine one's regard for the moral/ethical dimension of a life in law?

(i) How can we become a part of a community, embrace its ethos, learn the ethical mandates embodied in a community ethos, and avoid the moral failures of the community (those questionable practices too readily forgiven within the community)?

(ii) How can Atticus Finch manage to live in a town like Maycomb and avoid "Maycomb's usual disease"? [93] How does Atticus resist the unworthy popular sentiments of his community?

(6) We live in communities. Or do we? We sometimes say we live in communities. But do we? We also talk and imagine ourselves as communities of one, as individuals. At times we seem to move from respect for the individual and the ideal of personal autonomy to something that verges on individualism as a form of secular worship. Our faith is in the religion of individualism. How, in light of our devotion to individualism, can we ever find a place (in ethics and in professional life) to stand together?

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