The Ethicist

Author: Amanda Greene

Going back to school is intoxicating. Moving in involves a rediscovery of the dining hall, highly anticipated living arrangements and new classes. Back-to-school time is as exciting as it was when the best thing about September was a brand new box of markers and shiny notebooks. Of course, going back to school necessitates the purchase of copious books. Knowledge, it seems, comes at a price.

In August my friend e-mailed a professor asking for the book list for a class he is enrolled in this fall. The professor responded and attached the book list along with his opinion that the student should purchase texts from theCollege Bookstore because books are ordered based on the probable enrollment in a class. He suggested that students shopping elsewhere should inform the bookstore that they would not be buying their texts from Middlebury. Is it ethical for professors to chide students for not purchasing their texts from the College?

Professors are free to favor the bookstore over www.amazon.com. They should not, however, suggest that students are disloyal to the College because they desire cheaper textbooks. If prices were equal, I'm sure that all students would shop at the College store instead of turning to outside vendors. Middlebury students want to shop locally. Those who frequent the bookstore are paying for the convenience of one-stop shopping. My friend's situation is analogous to the consumer who shops at Home Depot instead of the local paint store. The consumer is not a detrimental community member, but rather an individual who is (unfortunately and inevitably) subjected to economic considerations. Ultimately, students should not be encouraged or expected to spend more money than is necessary.



And now for this week's question:



Q: I returned from abroad and have a new mailbox number. The box's previous owner, Max, graduated last spring. Max has a subscription to the Economist and hasn't updated his address. Recently, a letter arrived and the envelope mentioned that Max's subscription would be automatically renewed unless Max informed the magazine otherwise. I don't have Max's contact information. Am I obligated to seek him out so that he doesn't get charged for a periodical that he isn't receiving?

­- Rattled-by-Renewal



A: This situation centers more on what is polite rather than what is obligatory. If you received someone's mail from the mailman you would place it back in your box to be redelivered. It's true that the Middlebury Mail Center is not the USPS, but this difference does not mean that all propriety should be abandoned. You don't have to send a private investigator out after Max, but it would be appropriate for you try to obtain Max's e-mail address and contact him electronically. Most likely, Max isn't aware that his subscription is up for renewal.



Want to consult the ethicist? Send submissions to amgreene@middlebury.edu.