Ethics, a branch of philosophy, delves into moral ideals, the choices we make, and the good or bad consequences that may follow. It examines these issues on personal, social, and spiritual levels, often exploring connections among them.
Within religions, ethical codes might appear fixed. However, different schools of interpretation often coexist, sometimes with tension. For instance, Protestant denominations may accept female or even homosexual clergy, contrasting with the Catholic Church’s stance on an all-male priesthood and its biblically-based teachings on homosexuality.
To understand ethical decision-making further, it’s helpful to consider some of the major frameworks used. Consequentialism, for example, judges actions based on the outcomes they produce, focusing on maximizing good. Deontology, on the other hand, emphasizes duties and following universal moral principles, regardless of the consequences. Virtue ethics takes a different approach, highlighting the importance of developing good character traits that lead to virtuous actions.
Ethics are applied in various fields beyond philosophy. Bioethics tackles issues in medicine, biotechnology, and research. Business ethics grapple with questions of fair trade, corporate social responsibility, and insider trading. Environmental ethics explores the ethical relationship between humans and the environment.
Finally, ethical decision-making isn’t always straightforward. Moral relativism suggests ethical principles are relative to each culture, while moral universalism argues that some principles hold true across cultures. When faced with conflicting interests, whistleblowing dilemmas, or difficult resource allocation choices, the complexity of ethics becomes even more apparent.
At this point, one can ask whether or not it is ethical to do an AI article like the one above!
Well, first of all, the opening two paragraphs are mine. I am mostly interested in religion and spirituality, so when writing this former Think Free entry I didn’t bother to wade into the philosophical intricacies of ethics. But today, with AI, I can easily point to the main areas some folks feel are important.
To me, a lot of philosophy is too dry and abstract to be of any real interest. I want my ‘philosophy’ (i.e. love of wisdom) to be based on experience and not just intricate webs of thought. I guess that puts me in the category of theological ethics, more commonly understood as moral theology. But unlike the popular Catholic saints Augustine and Anselm, I don’t believe in order to understand. I believe because I have reason to believe. Put simply, over the years I have had numerous ongoing experiences that have contributed to my continually revised personal theory. My understanding remains severely limited and imperfect – I’m just a guy, after all – but my perception and subsequent analyses have become increasingly refined.
Like any art, we improve with practice.
Of course, madmen and madwomen often say the same thing, as do cultic and some religious followers. But the madperson tends to omit two important factors—humility and a willingness to admit uncertainty.
Madpersons are utterly convinced they are not only right but also superior, not unlike an insightful but essentially warped professor I once had.
Because of misguided individuals like this science is winning out as the dominant paradigm in the 21st century. However, our current form of scientific knowledge gathering is not enough. Psychological ‘science’ (I say that lightly because I see psychology as a weak science) needs to be tempered and deepened by personal experience combined with level-headed analysis and, as mentioned, humility and a willingness to admit uncertainty. Only then may we approach an ethics that really means something, instead of the abstract nonsense that some philosophers spout out or the superficial psychology studies that some career-driven researchers publish, perhaps even concealing aspects of their process that would render the results less significant.
They say you can’t serve God and money. There might be some truth to that after all.
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