Ethics in a Nutshell

Thank you, Dan, for the feedback on my effort to sum up the essentials of Ethics in what might take two pages, with font-size 16.

What do the rest of you Readers think? Is it wise to be concise?

Now that you know your Ethics, if any of you have skill at teaching, the next step would be for you to teach these points to students, or to those you mentor or tutor. Let’s change the world for the better !!!

“Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.”

“When we help each other, we all thrive.”

“Lifting up those at the socio-economic bottom, will make us all better off.”

as a way to apply Ethics to society’s problems, let’s encourage the government to provide a strong safety-net, and to provide opportunity for advancement as a way to decrease poverty.

What say you?

.

.

[b]Learn to rely on your Ethics

even more than you rely

on your smartphone![/b]

[size=85]{To understand what is meant by “Ethics,” read the literature cited below.}[/size]
.

What do you believe is basic to ethics that I omitted to mention in my original post above? I would like to consider adding it to the list of essentials.‘’

For example, I did not mention: Make things better.
Nor did I mention: Don’t be a martyr. [It’s very okay, though, to be a “hero” in CNN’s sense of the word, as seen at their website. We note there the sort of people they nominate to receive their “Hero of the Year” award.]
Nor did I write (but could have): Encourage policies that strengthen the safety-net for the extremely-poor. One such policy might be direct cash payments to those able-bodied who show a willingness to work, instead of the humiliating and bureaucratic steps we submit them to now.
I did not bring up: Write into law that in a democracy we all have the right to vote, to exercise our franchise. Is this not also essential?

So I ask of you: When you think of “ethics” what comes to mind that should have been listed as basic?

A lovely list, friend.

Possible things that occur to me:

a) Make time for self reflection. Contemplate your actions after the fact, and consider whether in retrospect there may have been a better approach.

b) Seek to learn from not only yourself, but from others - everyone holds truth, regardless of whether they’re aware of it or not. With gentle, compassionate regard for the other… we may draw lessons, information and truth from them [or even the environment at large] - regardless of whether they sought to teach us or not.

c) [this may tie into ‘Don’t be a martyr’.] Treat not only others ethically, but yourself too. We are all worthy of consideration and compassion. Seek not to neglect or undermine your own needs without just cause - factor your own well-being into decisions.

=

Perhaps there are more, but again, these are my initial thoughts.

Greetings, Ben

You and Dan inspire me. I am comforted by the thought that even when I am ashes and dust you younger guys will carry on the work. The result will be that human beings will get closer to living in an ethical world.

When people are clear about their values they likely will choose to live ethically rather than to cut corners, to be malicious, to deceive, or to"put people on" (for a little sadistic fun.) They won’t be as likely to worship money for it s own sake [to indulge in Greed.] They will be fussy about the means they use to get to their ends-in-view. Those means (steps to reach the goal) will have to qualify as “ethical.”

They will not want to do any damage, to needlessly destroy, or to confuse, or to initiate chaos. They will have a constructive attitude. They will be cosmic optimists. They will be devoted to goodness.
When somebody writes something, and shows it to them, they will say to themselves: “How can I glean something from this that can be used to build a better world?” rather than saying: “How can I cleverly criticize this?” [and thereby score a few points. …and maybe get a laugh at the writer’s expense.]
Those who know their Ethics will not harbor grievances, nor be smart-alecs. They will minimize their hypocricy, will avoid selfishness; and they worn’t corrupt themselves by committing one of the Ethical Fallacies.

Ancient Shinto Philosophy teaches individuals to be mentally and physically strong (healthy) in order better to be more-helpful to others. To be of service to others is the point. Yes, we are prewired to seek our own personal benefit; what we need to be reminded is to assume some responsibility, and to be willing to be held accountable for our performance.

Today, Ethics theory teaches us to be value-creators; to innovate, to figure out how everybody can be ‘a winner.’

I thank you for responding and providing feedback. I am grateful!

.

Readers:

My question for you is: What did I miss (in my effort to sum up the basics of ethics)?
Is there something essential, or highly relevant, that you feel I omitted?

And can you provide me with some pressing moral dilemma - to which I will apply the new paradigm in order to resolve that dilemma …or at least show how it may be resolved. If you have more than one to present that would be fine also.

Thank you in advance for contributing!

ON MORAL COURAGE

See the video at this site: moralcourage.com/founder/

Check out the summary of the topic at this site: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moral_courage

and also make note of these sites:

moralcourage.us/ht/d/sp/i/180/pid/180

and here - moralcourage.us/ht/d/sp/i/180/pid/180

as well aas: -
udayton.edu/artssciences/ctr/hr … /index.php

What’s your take on this important concept of “Moral courage.”

Your views on this are relevant and appreciated………
.

Darnell Frasier, 17-years old, offers a contemporary example of Moral Courage. She was threatened with having Mace sprayed into her face if she did not cease filming the torture and brutal murder of 32-year-old George Floyd.

She continued to film, with her smart phone, the video of the nearly 10-minute incident, and then she posted it fearlessly on her Facebook page, where all the world could witness the horror. It went viral. It became the chief evidence in a trial of Officer Derek Chauvin. The rest, as they say, is history.
cnn.com/us/live-news/derek- … index.html

Historians will note that today, April 20, 2021, was a turning-point in U.S. justice, and police-reform policies …although this remains to be seen and will depend upon your activism for bringing us closer to an Ethical world …one that cares about the sne sanctity of human life [one that Intrinsically-values individuals who have individuality.]

When people say “Black lives matter” they are not excluding the broader point that 'all lives matter.

What say you?

{If you have the inquiring mind of a philosopher [a lover of wisdom], you may want to know what is meant by “Ethical” in the phrase “an Ethical world,” or what is meant by “Intrinsic” valuation. For more details, see the safe-to-open selections in the References below.

I would like to know what you think with regard to this proposed legislation designed to stop one form of cheating? It proposes to close some tax loopholes that enable large corporations to avoid paying any taxes at all; it will not raise any individual’s taxes but would raise, over 10 year, an enormous amount of revenue for the United States.

What is your evaluation of this measure? Could you, as a constructive activity, ever lobby for this law by urging your I.S. Senator to co-sponsor it?

.

I think most morals and ethics boils down to kindness.
Kindness means we give our excess do the needy,
and refrain from attacking those who we see as different.

Giving our excess requires we work efficiently and make a surplus.

Holding back attacks requires self control and self awareness.

Ethics began with the realization that there are things and beings other than the Self. It happens to every newborn.
Evolution shows altruism is a survival mechanism.
Ethics expands when one is able to see the Other as worthy of the Good regardless of Self, clan, society, country-
The Good is addressed human needs such as clothing, food, water, housing., etc.

I agree! Isn’t that above proposition another way of stating what the proposed system of Ethics – the new paradigm – speaks of as “the definition of 'Ethics.'”
It says, as you noted when you examined The Structure of Ethics document (pp. 29-21) that when we Intrinsicially-value another individual, or group of them, we are in the field of Ethics.

I also agree that in a normal individual’s [human] development, the baby reaches a point where he/she realizes: “there are beings out there that are distinct from me. They seem not to be part of me, myself.”

Thanks for the Evolutionary perspective… As you may have noticed, I touched on this myself when I wrote on the evolution of the concept of cooperation.

BYW, you use a term that was not in the Ethical theory offered here, namely “altruism.” What is your definition of that word? How does it differ from what is presented as among ‘the facts of Ethics’ in the Structure document (See p. 11.)

Thank you, once again, for contributing.

Ive tried your methods, but they have led to pain.
Too much to go into it, but one thing that is crucially wrong is to hold yourself to the same standards as others - because this means you hold others by the same standards as yourself, which means, if youve got integrity, that you make demands on them that are not yours to make.

Simple ethics: examine your values by exposing them to each other in life and bring them into accord with each other; work to eliminate contradictions in your valuing. Become monadic, so you can be a pillar to a merciful culture.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altruism
This is a much more thorough examination of the meanings of altruism than I could offer in a simple summary such as “unselfish giving”. It contains scientific, psychological and religious interpretations.

I think it would be difficult to make a distinction between what it is like to be ethical and what it is like to be moral. In any event ethics, morality and decency are human labels for actions done by humans or animals.
In our time biodiversity in an ecosystem must act in ways that the good affects Self and Other, since we are interconnected physically and mentally. I like the term “plenitude”-a whole comprised of a variety of interconnected parts. Unless we see ourselves in such a way, we will destroy our planet. Even now the disconnect between isolated individuals threatens our very existence. Moral or ethical behavior depends on willful harmony on the part of humans.

In a nutshell–we must unite in care for our planet, our only universal home. Ethics depends on survival.

Would you be so kind as to go into it with a few specifics now. Please enlighten us as to how “my methods” led to pain. Which of the suggested tentative standards to live by what you refer to as my “methods” was the specific cause of the pain?? And please tell us what the specific pain was?

I agree completely that a moral person ought to avoid moralism. In my writings, to which one may refer by clicking on the safe-to-open documents in the References listed below, I counsel: Don’t be a moralist! Do not be morally-judgmental. I believe that is what you were getting at, Fixed, in that paragraph quoted. Then you recommend what the theory, the new paradigm for Ethics, speaks of as The Consistency Principle. Again, I thoroughly agree!

Simple ethics: examine your values by exposing them to each other in life and bring them into accord with each other; work to eliminate contradictions in your valuing. … Be a pillar to a merciful culture.
[/quote]
Let’s all work to achieve a merciful culture.

Thank you for your contribution, Fixed Cross. Please respond …

Since a respondent brought up the concept of what he spoke of as “my methods,” it would be appropriate here to summarize some of the major points expressed in the Structure book - the first pdf reference listed below - and in other writings on the topic of the new approach to Ethical Theory, and the applications which follow logically from the theory.

Ethics, as viewed in the new paradigm I offer [inspired by – and based upon – the breakthrough pioneering work done by the profound, original thinking of a philosopher named Robert S. Hartman to whom ample credit must be given] is spun from an axiom, along with a couple of key definitions.

The axiom (or generative idea) is: Make things better!
One of the key definitions is the definition of “Ethics” itself. The other is the definition of “Morality.” The latter is synonymous with “moral value.” This assumes a prior understanding of the concepts “value” and "good. Therefore both of these ideas are explicated in the papers and books by yours truly.

PART I

Avoiding technicalities here, since we are merely explaining Ethics in a nutshell, it will suffice to say that the meaning of “Ethics” is conveyed by the imperative, the first principle: To the extent you possibly can, honor and respect each individual.
Then, what follows from this: Engage readily in caring and sharing, doing acts of kindness, and being of service. If you understand the structure of ethics and the benefits that ensue, both from trying to create value in every situation, and from cooperating on worthwhile project and endeavors, you will devote yourself to being authentic and to genuinely caring.

You will be aware that ‘we’re all in this together,’ since we are all just trying to make a life (having some quality.) The notion of a Quality Life is well-defined in the Structure manuscript {also available on Kindle}; such a life entails enjoying the simple pleasures, bonding with friends, strengthening support networks, having a deep sense of well-being suport networks, having a deep sense of health and well-being, exercising the mind, etc. For details see the literature reference below.

What really helps you helps me, and vice versa, since we are all in this together. Thus, as Ierrillus informs us in an earlier post, if the habitat for the human species is ruined …if our planet is desecrated, defiled, and polluted, we may not survive. Even if we do survive, life could be intolerable: a very-low quality of life.
Ethics teaches that we are to live with efficiency (a Systemic value), and with practicality, savior faire, excellence of performance [what Aristotle called “Eudemonia,” (which is Extrinsic value); but most importantly of all with expressing Intrinsic Value to individuals and to groups.

Respect yourself and others. Be courteous; avoid rudeness. Be a good listener.

Aim to be a good person, one of good character. Be real! Don’t be a phony. Don’t ‘put people on’ or run them down. Do not disparage them, nor exploit them. Such a person of good charcter is ‘turned off’ by injustice - cops being judge, jury and executioner, senators passing laws and then exempting themselves from having to live up to those laws, people who are well-off evading taxes and buying legislators with donations that have conditions attached, etc., etc… Ethical individuals are ‘turned off’ by dishonesty, by bait-and-switch, and other forms of cheating. They strive to be true to themselves. Thus they work for mutually-beneficial relationships.

…to be continued. - All comments most welcomed…

PART II

In every situation those who know their Ethics choose to create the greatest value, and to provide each person they encounter the full opportunity to express their creativity. They want this for society also. Hence they want to empower people from the bottom up: they want a strong safety-net, they want to get rid of extreme poverty to the extent possible. They realize that money will not ‘trickle down’ from those who are quite well-off financially but who may have an attitude primarily of: “What’s in it for me!?” … or from the affluent who are the greedy ones, the psychopaths, the predators.

Look to creative design to solve problems.
Set a good example for others, be a role-model of Ethics.

This was a feeble attempt to sum up a vast field of research and practice. In earlier threads and posts I touched on ethical topics such as: how to make wise moral decisions; and how to avoid personal corruption; how an ethical world will come about through ethical technologies; and I discussed many other relevant issues. Also, it was pointed out that Ethics, the discipline, has an experimental branch known as Moral Psychology. In that sense, Ethics is already a science.

Your views? What say you?

To be fair most of your points are decent though vague. How does one establish a value standard? How does one find it? That is, I believe, the true mission of ethics.
Most people have absolutely no clue. So for them such advice is hollow; they need to go through the process of discovering themselves before they can be aware of any standards.

I have become very wary of optimistic moral advice, as the human world is infinitely wretched, something to be overcome. Further, I dont think that one should be adding moral principles all the time but rather to reduce them to a few greater principles of value.

I think there are certain things missing from your list, namely things concerning problems with the human species. The problems you will encounter in life are not largely your own making. That is a solipsistic myth. People are generally exceedingly stupid savages and being kind and respectful to them is like being respectful to cockroaches, its not wise and they have no idea what respect is or how to reward it.

Well actually I mean that Ive found only a very small number of people in my life who would even consider holding standards so high as my own - and I always forgave them for their shortcomings, but this has harmed me. I have improved my quality of life by looking down on people with lower standards - and I have given up trying to exalt them - I accept them for what they are but that doesn’t mean I respect them.

I do respect, always, people at the outset. But I no longer pretend that things which are happening aren’t happening, or that they dont matter. Everything matters.

I hope I have added some value here.

Along with Mercy,

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdnMEShz5N0[/youtube]

we should add Severity.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUTaALDSezY[/youtube]