“Hard Measures,” is a book written from the perspective of Jose A. Rodriguez, Jr. and can easily be categorized as the most controversial story told regarding the aggressive CIA actions that followed after the September 11th terrorist attacks on the United States. As I began to read this book I was immediately able to see Jose’s desperate attempt to justify his actions as the former Chief of the CIA’s Counterterrorism Center. My first question was why he felt so compelled to write a book explaining himself in the first place? In my opinion, if actions are morally right and justified then there is really no need to vindicate oneself because I truly believe that actions speak louder than words ever will. However, due to media scrutiny and public
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Rodriguez Jr. states, “I share this not because I think readers are anxious to know every twist and turn in my formative years, but because the events of my first half century had a tremendous influence in shaping what happened during my tenure at the seniormost levels of the CIA.” From a very broad understanding of ethics, this statement demonstrates ethical relativism by contributing to the theory that morality is relative to a particular culture or social group. The textbook, “Ethics in the Criminal Justice System” defines relativism as a way to study the reasons why different groups think the way that they do. To elaborate even further, this statement is a perfect example of what the philosopher, Plato, argued when regarding ethical behavior. According to the text, his argument stated that, “Ethical behavior is a set of ideas that cannot be taught but rather it is an essential element that is taught throughout an individual’s upbringing.” In my opinion, I believe this is why ethical behavior is difficult to measure and this is why ethical decisions vary from person to person. Each individual experiences different things and are exposed to different environments. To me, it seems as though we are not in control of our moral reasoning or the set of values we have instilled in us because we are a product of our upbringing. Forces beyond our power have contributed to the way we think and is ultimately the underlying reason for the decisions we make. Over the course of the first few chapters, Jose A. Rodriguez, Jr. describes his upbringing as disorderly and leads readers to think that this may have affected his decision-making process during his time as Chief of the CIA’s Counterterrorism Center. As I continued to read further, I was able to gain a more in depth understanding of what his life consisted of and I began to search for the truth behind his
Rodriguez Jr. states, “I share this not because I think readers are anxious to know every twist and turn in my formative years, but because the events of my first half century had a tremendous influence in shaping what happened during my tenure at the seniormost levels of the CIA.” From a very broad understanding of ethics, this statement demonstrates ethical relativism by contributing to the theory that morality is relative to a particular culture or social group. The textbook, “Ethics in the Criminal Justice System” defines relativism as a way to study the reasons why different groups think the way that they do. To elaborate even further, this statement is a perfect example of what the philosopher, Plato, argued when regarding ethical behavior. According to the text, his argument stated that, “Ethical behavior is a set of ideas that cannot be taught but rather it is an essential element that is taught throughout an individual’s upbringing.” In my opinion, I believe this is why ethical behavior is difficult to measure and this is why ethical decisions vary from person to person. Each individual experiences different things and are exposed to different environments. To me, it seems as though we are not in control of our moral reasoning or the set of values we have instilled in us because we are a product of our upbringing. Forces beyond our power have contributed to the way we think and is ultimately the underlying reason for the decisions we make. Over the course of the first few chapters, Jose A. Rodriguez, Jr. describes his upbringing as disorderly and leads readers to think that this may have affected his decision-making process during his time as Chief of the CIA’s Counterterrorism Center. As I continued to read further, I was able to gain a more in depth understanding of what his life consisted of and I began to search for the truth behind his