Before you begin, consider what rights and responsibilities are. What does it mean to have rights and why are rights and responsibilities often mentioned together? Would you say that, in a civil society, you have more rights or more responsibilities?
Rights give us freedoms protected by a rule or a law. This protection means that we have lawful or legitimate recourse when we are wronged. Responsibilities are things we should do to uphold the rules and the laws that protect our rights/freedoms. A responsibility may be a duty or an obligation or simply an act of goodness that contributes to a safe and happy society. Students' rights and responsibilities are linked because, although there are laws or rules in place to protect your freedoms and guide your behaviour, it is ultimately your responsibility to uphold the law and act in accordance with those rules.
Have you ever wondered why people cheat? Is it because the rules are not explicit enough or are there other reasons?
The following video offers a few plausible explanations for why people bend the rules. As you watch the video, consider whether you have felt the same pressures as the students in the video.
Source: "Introduction to Behavioral Ethics" by McCombs School of Business is part of a free online educational video series about ethics
licensed through YouTube by The University of Texas at Austin.
The University of Saskatchewan's main campus is situated on Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis.
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