Philosophy Forums » Ethics » Why be ethical? » Why be ethical? Why be ethical? 1 2 3 4 5 Next Last Details Discussion (45) Print Report Why be ethical? •jaminb Resident Usergroup: Members Joined: Dec 28, 2003 Location: London UK Total Topics: 100 Total Posts: 359 #1 - Quote - Permalink Posted Mar 20, 2004 - 5:39 AM: If like many nowadays, you dont believe in an afterlife or any spiritual karma, then why do you feel it important to be ethical? This is something that I have been thinking a lot about lately, why be nice to people apart from the pleasure that I get from doing so? Why become a vegan (surely the only really ethical standpoint) if theres nothing in it for me apart from the warm glow of self-satisfaction? I understand that Singer has discussed greatly the benefits of being ethical for its own sake and I would greatly like to hear arguments for people from all ethical stances. I personally attempt to be ethical because I enjoy helping people, and feeling that I am seeking relevant information about ethical/political issues to play my small part. However, I couldnt claim to be a paradigm of virtue, I like to make fun of people (within limits) could give loads more to charity, an be far nicer to people and the planet in general. So, what are the main benefits of actually BEING ethical in an age of flagrant excess, consumerism and hedonism, any thoughts/insights/opinions? •armchairphilosopher Tattooed,Psychotic,Biker Avatar Usergroup: Sponsors Joined: Apr 18, 2003 Location: Belfast Total Topics: 45 Total Posts: 943 #2 - Quote - Permalink Posted Mar 20, 2004 - 6:35 AM: jaminb wrote: So, what are the main benefits of actually BEING ethical in an age of flagrant excess, consumerism and hedonism, any thoughts/insights/opinions? I believe that morality and ethics are humans extensions to their instincts. We are sentient, aware, conscious Free-willed beings. (Subject to debate I know but go with me here for a moment) While we have free will, to choose what to do and what not to do, without ethics we would not have organised, civil society. We could have organised civil society based on law, big brother and a police state, but humans prefer more self-regulation and hence we have to trust in individuals to act within moral and ethical codes that are agreed, even if unwritten in some respects, in order to maintain order, remain healthy, to survive and thrive. We know that breeding with ones own family members, incest, produces unhealthy offspring, this is one reason not to do it, but we also have morality that dictates that we do not. Is it ethical to enjoy incestual relations if you use contraception? I do not believe that it is, but I do not have a strictly ethical answer as to why not. •Gassendi1 Unmoderated Member Usergroup: Unmoderated Member Joined: Jul 10, 2003 Total Topics: 153 Total Posts: 11029 #3 - Quote - Permalink Posted Mar 20, 2004 - 6:43 AM: jaminb wrote: If like many nowadays, you dont believe in an afterlife or any spiritual karma, then why do you feel it important to be ethical? This is something that I have been thinking a lot about lately, why be nice to people apart from the pleasure that I get from doing so? Why become a vegan (surely the only really ethical standpoint) if theres nothing in it for me apart from the warm glow of self-satisfaction? I understand that Singer has discussed greatly the benefits of being ethical for its own sake and I would greatly like to hear arguments for people from all ethical stances. I personally attempt to be ethical because I enjoy helping people, and feeling that I am seeking relevant information about ethical/political issues to play my small part. However, I couldnt claim to be a paradigm of virtue, I like to make fun of people (within limits) could give loads more to charity, an be far nicer to people and the planet in general. So, what are the main benefits of actually BEING ethical in an age of flagrant excess, consumerism and hedonism, any thoughts/insights/opinions? ___________________________________________________________ Have you considered what sort of reason you would accept to be ethical? Suppose I could guarantee (and no one can) that if you are ethical, you will be happy? Would this (in your eyes) justify being ethical? One thing, though. It seems to me that you have to make a distinction between what would be a reason for being ethical, and what would motivate being ethical. A reason would justify being ethical. A motive would simply get you to be ethical. An example of the distinction would be this: let us suppose that it is ethically wrong to exceed the speed limit when you are driving. But, you dont consider that when you drive. However, you do not exceed the speed limit when you drive because you are afraid of being stopped and getting a speeding ticket. The fear motivates you not to drive too fast, but that is not your ethical justification for not driving too fast. In fact, if we could suppose that you would not get a ticket, you would drive fast all the time. But, nevertheless, if breaking the speeding law is wrong, then even if you were not motivated to break the law, you would still be ethically unjustified in breaking the law. In his dialogue, The Republic, Plato imagines a person who has a ring that makes him invisible, so he can get away with anything he wants to do. So he is not motivated by the fear of punishment when he does something wrong, because he knows he will not be caught. Does that mean he is justified in doing what is wrong? Clearly not. So, to go back to your question, would such a person have a reason for being ethical? •piearesquared Initiate Usergroup: Members Joined: Nov 21, 2003 Location: Canada Total Topics: 8 Total Posts: 75 #4 - Quote - Permalink Posted Mar 20, 2004 - 7:40 AM: jaminb wrote: So, what are the main benefits of actually BEING ethical in an age of flagrant excess, consumerism and hedonism, any thoughts/insights/opinions? If by ethical you mean in accordance with what is good for humanity, then I think the benefits are obvious. I believe that each animal has an inherent primary goal in life: procreation, to further the species. It is each individuals duty to ensure that humanity presses on. But as you say, we are in an age of anti-Darwinism, where we protect those not fit achieve this goal. We have evolved, perhaps irreversibly, into a species on the verge of extinction. So, we have a choice. We can humbly accept that, alone, we cannot solve the worlds problems, but play our part nevertheless. Or, we can oppose nature (Gods design, if you believe in that), and shift our goals from survival of the species to survival of the individual. •darkcrow PF Addict Avatar Usergroup: Sponsors Joined: Feb 08, 2003 Location: San Diego Total Topics: 131 Total Posts: 4256 #5 - Quote - Permalink Posted Mar 20, 2004 - 7:59 AM: jaminb wrote: If like many nowadays, you dont believe in an afterlife or any spiritual karma, then why do you feel it important to be ethical? This is something that I have been thinking a lot about lately, why be nice to people apart from the pleasure that I get from doing so? Why become a vegan (surely the only really ethical standpoint) if theres nothing in it for me apart from the warm glow of self-satisfaction? I understand that Singer has discussed greatly the benefits of being ethical for its own sake and I would greatly like to hear arguments for people from all ethical stances. I personally attempt to be ethical because I enjoy helping people, and feeling that I am seeking relevant information about ethical/political issues to play my small part. However, I couldnt claim to be a paradigm of virtue, I like to make fun of people (within limits) could give loads more to charity, an be far nicer to people and the planet in general. So, what are the main benefits of actually BEING ethical in an age of flagrant excess, consumerism and hedonism, any thoughts/insights/opinions? Jails around the world, and especially in the US, are filled to overflowing because people cant find a reason, but; then that is a pretty good reason for those who have no other. rolling eyes Kant, and others have argued that we can determine if an action is morally acceptable by asking, What if everyone did it? (Which can work turned 180, but that’s not the point.) •Gassendi1 Unmoderated Member Usergroup: Unmoderated Member Joined: Jul 10, 2003 Total Topics: 153 Total Posts: 11029 #6 - Quote - Permalink Posted Mar 20, 2004 - 8:39 AM: darkcrow wrote: Jails around the world, and especially in the US, are filled to overflowing because people cant find a reason, but; then that is a pretty good reason for those who have no other. rolling eyes Kant, and others have argued that we can determine if an action is morally acceptable by asking, What if everyone did it? (Which can work turned 180, but that’s not the point.) _________________________________________________-- Jails are not a reason for being ethical. They are a reason for wanting to be ethical. •darkcrow PF Addict Avatar Usergroup: Sponsors Joined: Feb 08, 2003 Location: San Diego Total Topics: 131 Total Posts: 4256 #7 - Quote - Permalink Posted Mar 20, 2004 - 10:05 AM: Gassendi1 wrote: _________________________________________________-- Jails are not a reason for being ethical. They are a reason for wanting to be ethical. No, that’s why people wish they had not got caught; from that it does not follow they want to be more ethical, just more careful.
Posted on: Tue, 05 Nov 2013 08:57:05 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015