ANALYSIS. Answer the following.

Dilemma 1
Crack cocaine and powder cocaine are two forms of the same drug. Both are
illegal. Yet, the law has treated them differently. Crack cocaine, the only drug for
which there is a federally mandated minimum sentence for mere possession, carries
a minimum five-year prison sentence for possession of five grams. However, you
would need to possess at least 500 grams of powder cocaine to get the same
sentence. A 2006 study found that 82 % of Americans sentenced for possession of
crack are black, even though they comprise only 30 % of users. Crack is the form of
cocaine used more often by blacks and people with lower incomes, as opposed to
powder cocaine which is more expensive. Most people would say our justice system
should be fair, balanced— moderate. Would you agree that the sentencing policy
for crack cocaine possession shows moderation?

ANSWER :
Yes, I would agree that the sentencing policy for crack cocaine possession
shows moderation as it would help to minimize the users from using this kind of drug
since the intensity of the high created by crack makes crack more addictive than
powder and makes its users more violence-prone. Furthermore, the sentencing
policy for crack cocaine possession is very helpful to reduce the cases of taking this
kind of illegal drug or violation since crack is more likely to be abused because the
high is short, which causes users to desire more of the drug, and the reason that it is
cheap and widely available.
In addition, developing federal sentencing guidelines/policies for crack
cocaine possession is greatly helpful to discipline and prohibit drug users from
abusing this kind of illegal drug. This policy is very effective to attain the primary
goals which is to reduce the cases of this kind of violation that drastically affect the
health of drug users.

Moreover, I totally agree with this policy since crack cocaine is inexpensive
and usually sold in small quantities, so it is often sold in open-air markets which are
especially prone to violence. Crack cocaine also causes distribution-related violence
and it is more often sold in volatile settings. Thus, the sentencing policy for crack
cocaine possession is very effective to manage and minimize the cases of illegal
drug users. And also, it would help to protect people who might be involved from any
form of violence caused by the violators.

Dilemma 2
 Your friend texts you all throughout the day, even during school hours and late
into the night. They get upset if you don't hit them back within five minutes, but you
cannot stop everything to respond to so many texts. You want to keep them as a
friend, but their texting needs are driving you up the wall. What should you do?

ANSWER:
The things that should I do to cope with this concern and to keep our
friendship, I would politely and sincerely tell to my friends that not all the time I can
respond to all of their messages. I would honestly tell them all the reasons why I
cannot be able to entertain their texts. Additionally, to not make things complicated
and make our friendship long-lasting, I would convince them to understand my
situation since I'm being genuine to them. Apart from this, I don't want to offend them
that's why this is the only way that I can do to avoid misunderstanding and to keep
our friendship by being candid and patient.

• Can you think of a real-life example of a virtuous person? Why do you

consider a person to be so?

ANSWER:
A real-life example of a virtuous person is a person who has developed the
virtue of generosity or is often referred to as a generous person. I consider him or
her a virtuous person because he or she tends to be generous in all circumstances.
Moreover, a person who has developed virtues will be naturally disposed to act in
ways that are consistent with moral principles. Hence I can consider a generous
person as an ethical person. In addition to this, my ideas regarding the traits of a
virtuous person are anchored by ethical values and natural internal tendencies that
need to be nurtured by individuals. Based on my example, a virtuous person is
someone who is generous or kind across many situations over a lifetime because
that is his/her character and not because she wants to maximize utility or gain favors
or simply do his/her duty.