What We’re Reading: September 17, 2015

6 Things You Should Know about the Iran Nuclear Deal (Politifact)
by Linda Qiu
“With 41 Senate Democrats backing the historic agreement between Iran and five world powers, the Iran nuclear deal is on its way to becoming a done deal, notching a foreign-policy win for President Barack Obama…The 159-page deal may hinge on nuclear physics, but understanding the basics shouldn’t be rocket science. We’re here to help. Here are six points you need to know.”

Meet the Companies That Are Trying to Profit from Global Warming (Vox)
by Brad Palmer
“Global warming won’t necessarily be bad news for everyone. For some companies and countries, it might even prove quite lucrative.”

Scientists Want to Study the World’s Best Humans (NY Mag)
by Melissa Dahl
“Researchers at Wake Forest University recently won a $3.9 million grant intended to fund a three-year research initiative studying the most morally upright people they can find, nominated by the people who know them. They hope that these ‘moral superstars,’ as the researchers dubbed them, will provide some lessons for the rest of us on how to be good.”

California Approves Physician-Assisted Suicide (NPR)
by April Dembosky
“A controversial bill to legalize physician-assisted suicide in California is headed to the governor for consideration, after almost nine months of intense — often personal — debate in the legislature. If Gov. Jerry Brown signs the bill, California would become the fifth state to allow doctors to prescribe lethal medication to terminally ill patients who request it, after Oregon, Washington, Vermont and Montana.”

Judging a Person by Their Friends (Practical Ethics)
by Jim A.C. Everett
“Is it a legitimate strategy to infer an person’s ethics through their friends? On the basis of limited information, should we judge a person by their friends?”

Here are some great ethics-related videos to watch when you’re finished with your reading:
Jonathan Haidt: The Moral Roots of Liberals and Conservatives
Sarah Silverman: Being Put Off By Political Correctness is a Sign of Being Old