With regard to the topic of this thread, the following excerpt from pp. 39-40 of Katz - ETHICAL EXPLORATIONS (quoted with permission) may be of relevance. So let’s here consider what makes an ethical theory “a better theory”:
WHAT CRITERIA SHOULD A THEORY FULFILL?
Some contend that this current paradigm we are constructing here is a better theory– and specifically a better ethical theory- than some of the alternatives because:
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it contains variables in its axioms and may thus cover a wider range of applications than any of the rival theories when these variables are interpreted in terms of specific situations and events
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it provides a frame-of-reference to which more sub-models cancohere;
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this paradigm is a synthesis of the prevailing conventional schools of thought that the academy teaches, with its stress on character, happiness; human dignity, universality, obligations, sanctions, conscience, varied phenomenological perspectives, etc., etc.
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it has a logical thread of reasoning which binds the systemtogether. Recall that discussion in Ethical Adventures;
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it has already been applied to a wide range of concrete issues andhas provided some sensible, tentative answers;
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it is compatible with the many and varied forms of The GoldenRule; See www / jcu.edu/philosophy gensler/goldrule htm
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it incorporates principles such asthe avoidance of causing suffering; natural rights based upon human nature; cultural evolution; avoidance of double standards, etc.,etc.
8 ) it has a calculus of values which enables deductions of new principles;
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Its definition of the term "Intrinsic Value” overlaps with and confirms Phenomenology’s conception of Intentionality.
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It manages to define “good” in a manner that avoids committing The Naturalistic Fallacy propounded by G. E. Moore since the Axiom of Value– which defines “good”–employs set theory and class membership: thus good is not defined in terms of pleasure, preference; feelings, evolution, satisfaction, realization, nor any other naturalistic quality; thus it passes The Open Question Test;
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it derives a series of ‘ethical fallacies’ and shows why they are errors in reasoning
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it is expandable and has what philosopher-of-science C. G. Hempel speaks of as ‘theoretical and empirical import’;
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it can embrace multi-cultural schools of ethical thought such as Shinto ethics, Confucianism, Buddhist ethics, Taoist ethics, etc., which the major academic theories cannot comfortably do;
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it has a theory of justice, of authenticity, of ethical evolution, of moral corruption, and is able to explain things that the other schools cannot;
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it is able to define exactly what “Ethics” is as a study in its own right; it also defines with some precision “morality” and "hypocrisy"and shows how they vary inversely;
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it applies to business and management and shares a common premise with the prevailing principle that drives enterprises, namely: to add value.
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The meta-ethics for this theory is able to offer a precise definition for key terms such as ‘better,’ ‘appreciation,’ ‘bad,’ ‘fair,’ ‘ought’, ‘approval’ etc, No other theory so far accomplishes this.For example the definition of better in the meta-ethics is this:
X is better than Y” if and only if– all else being equal– X has more features than Y. Hence X is richer in meaning than Y is. (If, say, X refers to an appliance, one of the features may be ‘simplicity of use.’)If the concept is shifted to make it more specific, then the issue of weighting comes into play: the more specific and concrete the concept, the more valuable it is, the more it‘weighs.’ We must be careful not to unintentionally shift the concept to a lower level of abstraction: A‘ball’ is, say, Y; but a ‘beach ball’ is Y1. A better theory will have more predicates in its meaning since it applies to a wider range of data.
.Based upon reason, a reader or participant at this Forum on Philosophy - whether a student or a professional - will be able to decide which theory she/he wants to embrace. Each person may choose for himself. He/she may decide he wants the one that has more features relevant to the field,and thus complies with the definition of “a better theory”
Comments?