- Aristotle - the Golden Mean
"Moral virtue is the appropriate location between two extremes."
- Kant's Deontic (duty) Ethics - the Categorical
(unconditional) Imperative.
"Act on that maxim which you will to become universal law."
- This is the golden rule philosophically universalized.
- It comes from Kant's "Critique of Practical Reason" and
"Metaphysic of Morals." - moral law should be like natural law.
- Test your ethical
principle by determining if you want it applied universally - no
extenuating circumstances.
- This can be understood as making ethics based on what must occur
for societies to survive. (e.g. truth telling)
- Some actions are always wrong: cheating, stealing, hurting others
for personal gain. Some are always right: truth telling, benevolence,
keeping promises.
This tradition is UNIVERSAL
- Utilitarian Ethics (J. Bentham and J.S.Mill)
[hedonistic]
"Seek" the greatest happiness for the greatest number."
OR
- calculate all the consequences of an act for good or harm
- choose the best "cost/benefit" ratio.
examples: inflation vs unemployment, mandatory vaccinations
(Robin Hood)
- Communication Ethics (Habermas, Deetz, Arnett)
[Dialogic Ethics]
"Act to keep the (authentic) conversation going."
- Humans are formed through communication and accountable through
it, thus its priority.
- This tradition presupposes that self and other are intelligent,
unique individuals each with their own legitimate purposes and the
ablility to express them.
- Ethics should protect the essential functions of authentic
communication
Test/parts:
- "Christian" Ethics (and Jewish, Taoist, etc.)
"Love thy neighbor as thy self."
- Karl Wallace Guidelines
- Search for truth. (the Dialectic) Develop a thorough knowledge of
what you will communicate
- Do justice. select facts, opinion, arguments fairly and honestly.
- Prefer the public to the private interest.
- Respect dissent (others).
This tradition tends toward
UNIVERSALITY.
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