Jon Roland: Introduction to Ethics

Introduction to Ethics

Course Outline by Jon Roland
of the Constitution Research

Test of any ethical system is whether it can resolve dilemmas

Dimensions of ethical analysis

Domain

Two-valued: Right or Wrong

Multi-valued: Right, Wrong, Undefined, Unknown, Other

Scalar

Vector

Relative

Nomic context

— Combination competitive/co-operative games: iterated prisoners' dilemmas: State of nature; Social contract: Duty of mutual defense of rights; Constitution: Delegations of powers; disablement of rights; due process; decisionmaking; Law: Instruments of control; utility; social models; Contract: Agency; corporate bodies; decisionmaking; Externalities: When non-parties are affected for better or worse

Structure — Number and kinds of

Principal; Agent; Object
— present each with dilemmas when conflicts arise among demands of one or more of each of the others, whether one, a few, or many, and depending on the relationships among them.

Interrogatory pronouns and proadverbs

Who: Right depends partly or entirely on who does it. Can the king do wrong?
What: Right depends partly or entirely on what kind of act it is. Are some acts always right, or always wrong?
How: Right depends partly or entirely on how it is done. Is there always a way to do anything that can make it right, or make it wrong?
When: Right depends partly or entirely on timing, and on what may have happened before, or may happen after. Is there always a right time to do anything, or a wrong time?
Where: Right depends partly or entirely on location or circumstances. Is there always a situation in which anything is right, or wrong?
Why: Right depends partly or entirely on cause or motive. Can good intentions always be enough?
Whither: Right depends partly or entirely on impacts, either short-term, mid-term, or long-term. Can it ever be right if it turns out badly, and how far ahead is far enough?
Whom: Right depends partly or entirely on to whom something is done. Does the target matter?

Traditional classifications

Ideal: Platonism

Virtue (aretaic): Aristotelianism, Stoicism, Eternalism

Pleasure: Epicurean ism, Hedonism

Duty (deontological): Augustinism, Thomism

Reason: Kantism

Utility (consequentialist): Benthamism, Utilitarianism, Pragmatism

Survival: Darwinism, Wilsonism, Memetic diffusionism

State: Fascism, Marxism, Collectivism, Totalitarianism

Social contract: Lockeanism, Constitutionalism

Dilbert:

Fairness is a concept that was invented so kids and idiots could participate in debates. — January 14, 2017.