These are questions that were accumulated during the EthicsDiscussion.
We began with the question: “What is the source of Ethics?” We quickly discovered a number of other questions, as well.
The Questions
Here is my running tally of the questions here, so far. LionKimbro, 2006-11-21
How does this conversation work?
- What are the parameters of the conversation?
- What do we agree is interesting, and why do we think it is interesting?
- What is given, and what is up for debate?
- Where does conversation about ethics get boring?
- Why are we having this conversation?
- What is the structure of this question, “What is the source of Ethics?”
- Are we asking…
- “Why do people have the particular ideas they have?”
- “What is the source of systems of thought about ethics?”
- “What are sources of ethical behavior?” (ie, perhaps “accountability,” “police,” and such)
- “If there is a singular, metaphysical independent ideal ethics out there, what is it’s source, its foundation?”
- “What is the source of ethical intuitions, moral sentiments, the moral sense?”
- (material causes) “What is ethics, what is it made of, and where does it come from?”
- (efficient causes) “Who is supplying us with ethical ideas, what are the forces bringing them to us?”
- (final causes) “What are the situations that cause ethical ideas to arise?”
- (formal causes) “What is the structure and form of ethical reasoning?”
- In what other sense, may we ask: “What is the source of ethics?”
- What is ethics? What is the proper field of our ethical conversation? What problems is ethics the solution to?
- What language is useful for our conversation about ethics? How should we talk about ethics, recognizing the ChallengeOfEmotiveExpression?
Is ethics one truth?
- Is ethics one truth? Is ethics like Physics? Is there such a thing as a metaphysical, independent ideal ethics out there? Or, (giving our respect to the ChallengeOfEmotiveExpression,) is ethics more like cooking, a matter of taste?
- Can a truly believed ethical assertion be wrong? If you think I should do X, or I think that you yourself should, is the question of whether this is true or not a meaningful question?
- Does the truth of an ethical statement depend on the point of view or mood of the holder? Can what is ethical for you and me be different for reasons that depend on our attitudes rather than our circumstances?
- Does the collection of true ethical statements sum to a single, internally consistent body of knowledge? Or are there many equally true systems of ethics?
Can humanity make progress in ethics?
- What is (or are) the destination(s) of ethics? Is there such a thing as progress in ethics?
- Can we learn things about ethics that we didn’t know, such that the state of ethical knowledge can be said to advance?
- Do we believe that humanity will converge or diverge in terms of ethical thinking?
How can we judge ethical ideas?
- If there is one reality behind ethics, how can we test ethical ideas against this ethical reality?
- If there is one reality behind ethics, are ethical intuitions, moral sentiments, the moral sense— are they reliable sources of true knowledge about what is ethical and what is not?
- If we hold differing views on an ethical question, do we think that we can in principle resolve that difference, even though we may not know how?
How does ethics fit into EvolutionarySpirituality?
- How does ethics fit in with the Great Story? Within evolutionary spirituality?
- How do people in general feel about ethics?
- Why do people have essentialist ideas about ethics, and can that ever change?
- What naturalistic ways are there of describing ethics? As a solution to problems, as a creative enterprise, as an evolutionary product, …
- How can we respect what religions and philosophies have spoken of ethics in the past?
- What worldviews can come out of a naturalistic explanation of ethics, without resort to a metaphysical “one ethical reality?”
- Alternatively, what naturalistic explanations can end in something like “one ethical reality,” without resort to metaphysical backing?
What do we want?
See Also
Discussion
None yet!