Ethical Truths

Since Ethics is about creating value in human interactions, if I can be of service I am creating some value and therefore I am being ethical. If I can boost you up in some way, such as giving you a well0deserved compliment, I am being ethical.
It is not enough just to avoid doing harm or even being kind and thoughtful: if one is to be ethical one is to grow (in a moral sense.) That means one is to add to his/her repertoire new moral principles, and is to live by them. One then expresses these standards in action. One’s conduct reflects them. Thus an ethical person throughout life alters his conduct in a moral direction. Thus one becomes increasingly-more ethical with the passage of time.

An ethical person lives responsibly, purposefully, has individuality. He or she respects life, at least mammalian life. S/he has humility, and balance; balances work-life and leisure. S/he believes human life is significant, and works on or supports social policies that reduce predation, and extreme inequality. S/he believes that no one is superior or inferior to anyone else. No one is entitled to rule over others, nor to manipulate them, nor exploit them.

An ethical individual is considerate of others and avoids being too self-centered, avoids being selfish. When one is ethical he observes moderation. Thus he neither overvalues nor under-values: he will be careful to neither over-do nor under-do, yet he will get something worthwhile done. He hates violence and war and will decline to take part in such activity. {The one exception is if his country has been invaded.} He loves justice and kindness.

In contrast, those with sick minds may have a personality disorder and show it by being narcissistic, authoritarian, lying compulsively – all of which are a matter of degree. They, and others, may conduct themselves as predators. They can behave in an evil manner. There are a small percentage of the population who are madmen, are fiendish or diabolical.

Children, before they mature, can be vengeful: they, as if by reflex, impose on others the lowest form of justice: retribution. They will do this on one who they believe has wronged them (done them some harm.) They say to themselves: “You harm me, I throw you a punch or a slap. Or maybe I’ll just push you away.” Retaliation is often seen in 4-to-8 year olds who have not been raised to be ethical. Once a kid matures, develops human-relationship skills, he or she seeks a higher form of justice when wronged. Forms of justice that are higher – more-valuable than mere tit-for-tat – are redemption, reconciliation, negotiation, and creative sentencing by a wise judge.

Your comments are most welcome! Any thoughts on these topics?

Understanding the Ethical Perspective

The following consists of two excerpts from the book, Ethics: A College Course. currikicdn.s3-us-west-2.amazona … 482dfe.pdf
The first quotation is from p. 19. The second is from pp. 23-24. The symbols S, E, and I enclosed in parentheses - which you find in the first paragraph below - refer to three dimensions of value explained earlier in the book, as well as in an earlier thread here at the Forum. ilovephilosophy.com/viewtop … ons&sid%20
I would like to learn your thinking on the subjects discussed in these quotes.Do you have any responses, any extensions, or any improvements to suggest?

.

Your views?

Perhaps because the information in our DNA is very important to us, human beings love to know they are getting accurate information!

This requires transparency. And this also requires rapid feedback telling us that we are on the right track.

Therefore, any attempt to obscure information, or to block transparency, violates our best interests.

Is the current administration in the United States being transparent with its citizens? No. It is definitely not. Thus Americans by supporting, or even tolerating the federal Executive and its current so-called ‘Justice’-Department they now have, are violating their own best interests. Human beings need transparency, and authenticity.

There are two kinds of virus threatening U.S. citizens now: the Corona Virus and the Trump cult virus.

An example of the lack of transparency is that we are not being told that certain infiltrators of the Protest Movement for Justice and better police training are Nazis, White-Supremists, race-baiters, haters, destroyers, predators, those who would love to see a race war. They are the main ones setting fires, smashing windows to make it easier for looters, destroying property, assaulting policemen and policewomen. They figure their damage will be blamed upon people of color, blamed upon people whose skin is a darker complexion than those who immigrated here from Northern Europe.

While there are many sub-cultures, there is only one race: the human race. We are all one species, one family; we just aren’t aware of it yet.

How do you feel about it? Let’s discuss it.

I thought the accurate information is,
it is a fact [as evidenced] Antifa [anti-Trump] that is inflaming the violence in USA at present?

What Is Antifa, the Movement Trump Wants to Declare a Terror Group?
nytimes.com/2020/06/02/us/w … trump.html

See this image;
static01.nyt.com/images/2020/05 … &auto=webp

As with any group there are always the extremist - 1-5% within the Bell Curve - Normal Distribution and they are not representative of the group, i.e. in this case, the GOP and Trump.

It would be true if violence is inherent within the Constitution of the Republican Party or otherwise, of the Democrats party.
For example, within the Quran, i.e. the core Constitution of Islam, Allah permits [even exhorts] Muslims to kill non-Muslims upon the slightest threat to the religion. note Quran 5:33.

I like what you wrote elsewhere when you informed us that

Several allusions to the evolutionary perspective are made in The Structure of Ethics paper as well. See the pdf file, a safe-to-open link to which is given below.

As you create value and work to get something worthwhile done, do everything in the most efficient manner possible. And do everything in the right order.

Work where you have the most to work with.

You pay for what you get: everything has its price - if not in money then in time or effort. Life is a series of trade-offs.

Do you get what you pay for?

You pay for what you get.
[See R.W. Emerson, on Compensation.] Also, consider the ancient concept of karma when it refers to the spiritual principle of cause and effect where intent and actions of an individual (cause) influence the future of that individual (effect). Good intent and good deeds contribute to good karma.

Your opinions??

Black Lives Matter is in the news, as well as is the movement for Social Justice in policing practices, better police training, a more-ethical justice system.

Here is a definition of “racism” contributed by Joel Futterman:

Robert Hartman taught that “prejudice” is attributing other attributes to an individual based upon one property possessed by that person. It is a case of over-generalization.

One of the main points of Ethics is that Human lives matter. In fact, that is its earliest point, a theme generated by its very definition - also attributable to Robert S. Hartman, the Axiologist and philosophical genius. He defined Ethics as: the application of Intrinsic Value to an individual or to a group of individuals.

An awareness of the meaning of Ethics encourages us to look for and find the multiplicity of properties ‘radiating’ - so to speak -from each specific individual, to be aware of the depth and the complexity that may be there, if one cares to find it. If one does, one avoids committing racism.

On that topic, here is a further essay - quoted with permission - by (spontaneous composer - jazz artist) Joel Futterman. [He is the author of a book on Creativity which was just published.] :arrow_right: It is suggested that you share these thoughts with your entire mailing list:

With each breath there is hope.

The insanity and poison of racism has existed since the inception of the constitution. The constitution didn’t recognize people who happened to be women, people who happened to be black, and people who were Native American.
:arrow_right:

Forced slavery, the Dredd Scott Case in 1857 that stated that people who happened to be black were not American citizens, Plessy V.Ferguson that propelled the Jim Crow laws of separate and equal which was never equal and continued to foster extreme racism, the 1000 lynchings per month in the 1920’s 30’s 40’s, Brown V. the Board of Education which took years to happen and hateful attitudes, criminal acts of injustice and horrendous violence continued to thwart the educational, social, and economic mobility of people who happened to be black. The brutality of the criminal justice system, the police, and the powers that be want to perpetuate a status quo has been going on for over 400 years. People with hateful attitudes deny history and they Will themselves not to know about

history and the poison of America’s systemic racism.

Hopefully the protests will lead to positive change.

Yet the judicial and legislative branches of government will have to enforce these changes or the protests will just be protests. When people say we are all God’s children do they practice what they preach. Until people interact with each other in a loving way, eat a meal with people that are different from you, meet families that are different from your family, respect the dignity and worth of each human being, become a waking human being with love and respect for each person no matter what ethnicity, creed as long as it’s a creed of kindness and love.

Reparations should be given to people who happen to be black for the hell that has been inflicted for over 400 years. Reparations and an apology still will not undo America’s poisonous racism but it is necessary for America to admit the hell it has caused and continue to cause on people that happen to be black.

Vote these racist assholes out of office. If you attribute any other characteristic to a person because of a physical characteristic that person has then you are a racist.

Racism is ignorant and the racist could be on the Supreme Court or the president of the United States. Ignorance is racism.

Let’s hope there is change. In 150 years from now, everyone that is here will be gone. Why can’t we be a family?

All systematic policy must be based on four basic principles for the world to truly evolve where we are a family.
PEACE, LOVE, HEALTH, HELP THE LESS FORTUNATE.

…Your comments are welcome!

“Human lives matter” is considered a racist statement today, as is “All lives matter”.

Reparations based on skin color? People “who happen to be black” should get money for being black?

That’s racist.

What makes you think that they won’t just be replaced by other “racist assholes”?

No it isn’t.

I agree.

Are you an “anti-racist” - in the sense that this author defines the term?

goodreads.com/book/show/402 … antiracist

He tells how to be an anti-racist if you want to be one. I am such, in that I am an activist working to get racist policies removed, and to substitute for them ethical policies, and ethical practices.

So too are those who are working on the various Dignity projects, and human righys projects.
See google.com/search?channel=t … ty+project

and those helping others to understand a simplified Transactional Analysis – originated by Dr. Eric Berne and now taught by Dr. Tom Harris.
See the videos presented on the page when you type in a search box: I’m Ok, you’re OK.

For example, this presentation to teachers: youtube.com/watch?v=-OoY5YEyUOg

What do you think about all this? Are you working for a better world? Are you working on improving your social interactions? Are you in “Adult” mode more than you are in either “Parent” of the “Child” mode?
.

To my mind, “All human life is important” logically includes “Black life matters.”
Do you agree?

Some day soon, if we work at it, an individual will be judged by his character rather than by the color of his skin. ----- Do you agree?
[size=50]{Yours truly, with pale skin, was there, at The March on Washington, when Dr King gave that “I Have a Dream” speech. Previously I had been engaged in lunch-counter Sit-Ins. I also helped integrate swimming pools and movie theaters.}[/size]

Regarding the issues raised by Black Lies Matter and by the Protests for Human Rights and Social Justice, see this book:
Begin Again by E. S. Glaude Jr, Ph.D. (2020)


If you have contact with someone (or you personally know someone) who has money in excess of personal needs --  someone who wants to set up a foundation, or who has already done so --  say to him or her:  “I have a bright idea I’d like to share with you.  It’s an idea for the Foundation that bears your name.
Your Foundation shall sponsor a Research and Teaching Institute known as [his initials followed by the letter I.]  This stands for [Insert his name] Institute for Ethical Technology.” 

As to what is meant by the term “Ethical Technology,” details are to found in most of the references listed in the Signature below.  Safe-to-open links are  
Provided so that these documents may be read free of charge.
If you inquire of me: What does the phrase = "Ethical Technology" - mean?  How do you define it? Then in the next post I will respond to your specific question.

Ethics is very-much concerned with the nature of Human Nature.  The following are two models of this nature.  They are brilliant analyses – of genius quality!  They are references highly-relevant to this discussion of the truths of Ethics:

The wisdom of Dr. Bertrand Russell.  Study this:
[getpocket.com/explore/item/the- ... ket-newtab](https://getpocket.com/explore/item/the-four-desires-driving-all-human-behavior-bertrand-russell-s-magnificent-nobel-prize-acceptance?utm_source=pocket-newtab)

On the theory of human needs by Abraham Maslow:
[google.com/search?q=abraham ... refox-b-1-](https://www.google.com/search?q=abraham+maslow%27s+Theory+of+human+needs&client=firefox-b-1-)
[sociology.org/the-seven-ess ... statement/](https://www.sociology.org/the-seven-essential-human-needs-basic-statement/)
[medium.com/human-spirituality/a ... 35329ae437](https://medium.com/human-spirituality/abraham-maslows-two-hierarchies-of-need-c435329ae437)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This YouTube video is essential to understanding Ethics applied to Economics.  Do not miss it!  
[Listen  to all of it before judging what the message is – for that is the philosophical approach – don’t jump to conclusions until you have digested the entire argument by Dr. Wolff, an Economist, and a[b] Philosopher of Economics[/b]:

[youtube.com/watch?v=dzSYZcv ... jYj&index=](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzSYZcvuqR0&list=PLPJpiw1WYdTMLIyASxEheOVjl1vKkajYj&index=)

You may perhaps enjoy this timely talk even more:
[youtube.com/watch?v=d775YUg ... e=youtu.be](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d775YUgcMEw&feature=youtu.be)

Let us know what you think ...on any of these topics.  Okay?