I have reduced my complete ethical system to five basic principles; the five fingers of ethics
Briefly, these five principles are
-the thumb: the universalist imperative: do what everyone should have to do. Ask yourself the question: “what if everyone (who is capable) would act according to this rule?”
-the index: the value of biodiversity (everything that is directly generated by evolution)
-the middle finger: the basic right: beings with a higher level of complexity (from living beings over responsive and sentient beings to rational beings) should not be used as merely means to other’s ends at a higher level of importance (from luxuy needs, over basic and vital needs to survival ends).
-the ring finger: impartial justice of well-being: Maximize the qualities of life (values of lifetime well-being) of all sentient beings, giving a strong priority to increases of the lowest values of well being.
-the little finger: tolerated partiality: you are allowed to be partial (and deviate a bit from the previous principle) if you are willing to tolerate similar levels of partiality of everyone else.
For a more elaborate formulation: stijnbruers.wordpress.com/2012/0 … of-ethics/