Friday, March 4, 2011

I have to develop and explain my own ethical theory! Can some one help me!Please!?

In light of some of the strengths and weaknesses of the theories we have explored what would your ideal ethical theory look like. Is it rule based or more concerned with particulars. If it is based on particulars how is it that it can still be a system? Is it intentions or actions which may be called moral and immoral? Does the intention matter with regards to degree of morality? Is it based on reason or a “natural” feeling or sentiment? Feel free to pick and choose parts from the theories we have discussed but take possession of this theory and make it your own, convince me that it is better than the possibilities we have already discussed. While it will be tempting to say both for all of the questions above, I caution you that that is a very difficult position to maintain. If actions are what count as moral then you don't care why someone helped the lady cross the street, if you ask why then you are probably more intentions based with regards to ethics, if you would consider them more moral if they did it to be nice rather than the expectation of getting paid, then that's intentions. If it is particular with no rules which hold always then you are saying that rape is sometimes OK, as well as lying and stealing and murder (not self-defense or in war). If both feeling and reason at what point does one stop and the other start, how would you determine when to employ which? Furthermore, saying "common sense" tells me nothing sense can be used in the way that Hume used it to indicate something akin to touching and hearing and the other senses, or akin to reason if you have your "senses" about you that may be equated with wits or smarts. If you use "common sense" you'll need to articulate what you mean by that. Also, just to restate the golden rule is not adequate, Kant and Mill both took themselves to be articulating the golden rule and yet had very different theories. Catchphrases need explanation. Presume the reader wants to be more ethical and wants to use your system to do so, how would one go about implementing it? What must one do given a certain ethical dilemma to ensure that they will choose ethically? Or is it even possible to be certain in matters of ethics, and if not why not? Additionally, telling me about doing the "right thing" is meaningless unless you have first explained to me how I can determine what the "right" things is. (I apologize the description is so long!)

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