In Ethics Class...I Dominate
Dear Avid Reader,
I just read my last post, the one on change.
And you know what, it is completely off-base. There is absolutely no way that anyone can separate emotion from decision making. It would be completely naive of me to suggest otherwise.
But I still think there is some validity in the spirit of my post. These revelations happened during my ethics class while we were discussing...ethics.
The question was asked, "Are there 'situational ethics'?"
I said yes.
To quote me, I said, "Are there 'situational ethics'? Yes. This is because there isn't a manual for life. There is no 'If A happens, then B is the right response and C is the wrong response all of the time.' This doesn't happen.
"The fear of the person that says there ARE absolute ethics, is that in a reality where situational ethics exist, there can be no absolute right and wrong. I disagree. I believe that absolute right and wrong exist, and they exist absolutely. What changes, is which response is right and what response is wrong within a situation. In each situation, there exists an absolute right response and an absolute wrong response."
A few other choice revelations.
"Whenever someone begins to talk about ethics, they talk about action. No one ever discusses if unethical thinking exists. Only unethical action."
"Speeding is always brought up when discussing ethics. Speeding is ground zero for ethical inquiry."
Going back to situational ethics. I believe that situational ethics have a biblical back as well. Consider Jesus and healing the blind man on a Sabbath. He broke a law, but he did something good/right. The same can be applied to...Speeding. The classic is that is you are rushing to save your friend from a gunshot wound, then it's O.K. to break the law.
Some would counter that the spirit of the speed limit is that you should not drive recklessly. Ergo, you aren't REALLY breaking the law (Thank you Robyn). But to me, this is semantics. The question still remains, "Is speeding unethical?" And the answer is, sometimes yes and sometimes no. It depends on the situation. We can only know if it was right or wrong in retrospect.
In this way, we can say that ethics are values in action. If you do something with the intent to make yourself feel good while causing someone else to feel bad, then to are unethical. But if you are trying to minimize pain and create compassion, then you are ethical. Ethics, then, are about intent.
So once again, change is going to happen, the potential rightness or wrongness of the change is unknown. But right and wrong still exist, and they exist absolutely.
See, nice little bow on the end.
I just read my last post, the one on change.
And you know what, it is completely off-base. There is absolutely no way that anyone can separate emotion from decision making. It would be completely naive of me to suggest otherwise.
But I still think there is some validity in the spirit of my post. These revelations happened during my ethics class while we were discussing...ethics.
The question was asked, "Are there 'situational ethics'?"
I said yes.
To quote me, I said, "Are there 'situational ethics'? Yes. This is because there isn't a manual for life. There is no 'If A happens, then B is the right response and C is the wrong response all of the time.' This doesn't happen.
"The fear of the person that says there ARE absolute ethics, is that in a reality where situational ethics exist, there can be no absolute right and wrong. I disagree. I believe that absolute right and wrong exist, and they exist absolutely. What changes, is which response is right and what response is wrong within a situation. In each situation, there exists an absolute right response and an absolute wrong response."
A few other choice revelations.
"Whenever someone begins to talk about ethics, they talk about action. No one ever discusses if unethical thinking exists. Only unethical action."
"Speeding is always brought up when discussing ethics. Speeding is ground zero for ethical inquiry."
Going back to situational ethics. I believe that situational ethics have a biblical back as well. Consider Jesus and healing the blind man on a Sabbath. He broke a law, but he did something good/right. The same can be applied to...Speeding. The classic is that is you are rushing to save your friend from a gunshot wound, then it's O.K. to break the law.
Some would counter that the spirit of the speed limit is that you should not drive recklessly. Ergo, you aren't REALLY breaking the law (Thank you Robyn). But to me, this is semantics. The question still remains, "Is speeding unethical?" And the answer is, sometimes yes and sometimes no. It depends on the situation. We can only know if it was right or wrong in retrospect.
In this way, we can say that ethics are values in action. If you do something with the intent to make yourself feel good while causing someone else to feel bad, then to are unethical. But if you are trying to minimize pain and create compassion, then you are ethical. Ethics, then, are about intent.
So once again, change is going to happen, the potential rightness or wrongness of the change is unknown. But right and wrong still exist, and they exist absolutely.
See, nice little bow on the end.
The Next Post Promises To Be Better,
James
James
posted by James at 6:42 AM
5 Comments:
Not only is a wrong action OK if there is a greater good (speeding to save a life) but a right action can be all wrong if the intent is bad.
Jesus had much to say about this. If our heart is not right and our intentions are impure it doesn't matter if we act out the right thing.
Ethics is about knowing right from wrong and always chosing to do right - even when the only one looking is God.
Sermon over
DJWB out
PS check out my new music blog
http://homemademusic.blogspot.com
Just a question.
How did you get the date of your post to show up as Wednesday 1/25/06?
I'm reading this on Sunday 1/22/06.
If you've invented a time machine without me I'm going to be mad...
+MacMan
Yes, I've invented a time machine.
By the way, take a left and not a rigth when you come to the intersection with the peach orchard in from of you. Also, get vanilla...trust me.
For real, I'll tell you. At the bottom of the posting area, there is a frame. Click on the arrow next to the words "Post and Comment Options". A drop down menu will appear and you can make changes that way.
Sweet action.
Situational Ethics.
This idea always get blown out of proportion. I think there are some absolutes in life (I know, very non-pomo of me).
At a recent event my boss Gary and I were discussing freedom of choice and absolute truth in a postmodern age. At the banquet they offered only one salad dressing, some kind of garlicy-italian-ranch hybrid, that the waiter called "vinagarette." Gary's response was, "In a postmodern word there is no absolute salad dressing." I laughed, the waiter said, "Take it or leave it." There is a lesson there somewhere.
Oh, and "Ethics" isn't what you'll be asked about in the afterlife. Did you ever hear of St. Peter saying, "Did you behave ethically?" Ethics is like what you have to do to be out of trouble. But being a good person is going beyond this bare minimum.
It's kind of like pieces of flare... you can were the minimun or you can choose to wear more and we want to encourage that.
And I want to know how to postdate your blog as well.
Again for the uninitiated.
Go and click "Create New" as if you were making a new post.
At the bottom of the posting area, there is a frame. Click on the "arrow" next to the words "Post and Comment Options".
A drop down menu will appear and you can make changes to the date and time.
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