Questions tagged [ethics]
For questions about ethics, a branch of philosophy dealing with morality, justice, virtue, vice, good and evil.
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What did Robert Nozick mean by "subjunctive information"?
I quote pages 152-3 in Nozick, R. (1974) Anarchy, State and Utopia.
Idealizing greatly, let us suppose theoretical investigation will produce a principle of rectification. This principle uses ...
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Using the Universal Quantifier, Existential Quantifier, and logical connectives, write a description of a time when somthing bad for you was not bad
The following is an exercise in ethics, logic, the use of the universal quantifier and the the use of the existential quantifier.
In the following context, the syntax for the universal quantifier is ...
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Does childism influence evolution of humans?
Childism can be defined as follows :
Childism can refer either to advocacy for empowering children as a
subjugated group or to prejudice and/or discrimination against
children or childlike qualities....
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On a reductionist/functionalist account of consciousness, would we have ethical obligations toward robots?
If consciousness arises from specific functions instantiated by physical systems, consider a robot with functions mirroring those found in carbon-based life, particularly in humans. Would this imply ...
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About ethical sleeping in Islamic philosophy [closed]
In Islamic philosophy, those who die are divided into those who die in sleep and those who do not die in sleep. The following link is the relevant question: Sleep and Death
The truth is that if a ...
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Is Ethics essentially the same as Utilitarianism?
I have no training in philosophy so bare with me here. I often feel like the way people, including philosophers, talk about it is irrational. I am here to ask if you agree with me on the following. If ...
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Have philosophers debated the notion that "existence or the capacity for experience" may be homo sapiens' fundamental value?
I assume the 2600-year search for an ethical principle has two challenges: establishing homo sapiens' fundamental value; and articulating principles of action that target that value. Have philosophers ...
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Does every nation on Earth have a right to exist or do only peaceful nations have a right to exist?
I have been wondering lately as to what it is that gives every nation on Earth the right to exist.
Throughout human history, at any point in time, the Earth has been a mixed bag of nations that were ...
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Ethics of involuntary participation in an unethical hegemony
If you're an anticapitalist in the West or Global North you're an unwilling participant in the prevailing hegemony (capitalism), but usually without much choice. You can't find shelter without ...
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Is there any idea of goodness which is absolute?
Suppose I am very generous and forgiving then can I call myself good?
Is this goodness absolute in time(past ,present and future)and space( east , west , north , south) ?
Generally, is there any ...
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What would be the requirements for constructing an ethical calculus?
I am aware of Bentham's hedonic calculus, for which I feel is insufficient for describing ethical propositions outside of its weak implicature. There likely have been many critiques of it, so I shall ...
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What is the moral difference between saving a life and creating a life?
In modern society, a lot of people think that giving birth is either wrong if it leads to some suffering or at the very least non-morally optional. However, saving a life is considered good. Why is ...
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Should freedom of speech accept speech against liberal values? Such as hate speech?
Should freedom of speech accept speech against liberal values such as diversity? Focusing on a particular scenario as an example: If people want to protest against the existence of say black people, ...
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Is nationalism ethical?
This is discussed by Margaret Moore in The Ethics of Nationalism. Is national sovereignty worth a single human life? Is a nation justified in using disproportionate force to protect its citizens and ...
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Do we truly own our bodies?
Can we really say that we own our bodies even if we are not free and someone can take something from our bodies?
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When is war justified? Is defence of national sovereignty a sufficient moral justification? [closed]
If aggressive war is always wrong, is defensive war always right?
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What do philosophers say about vegetarianism and non-vegetarianism?
Animal kingdom can be divided into herbivores, carnivores and omnivores.
What do the philosophers say about the consequences of being herbivores, carnivores(including cannibals) or omnivores ?
How ...
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On assigning moral trues?
Let's say a person has a moral system and he believes can assign moral truths to moral philosophies.
Now, let's assume I have an individual who does not subscribe in ideas of truth. Rather he believes ...
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On philosophies which morally empower society
I see 4 possibilities when it comes to moral positions of a society as a response to the human condition and the moral code on how the moral philosophy spreads.
Moral authority: for example, we ...
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What are society's assumptions about the essential goodness of people? [closed]
What are society's assumptions about the essential goodness of people? Does society assume that people are essentially good, bad, or both?
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A problem regarding an impermanent hell
Regarding the Abrahamic hells, one could say that they are absolutely terrible for it is suffering without end, an eternal suffering; but there is a puzzling different type of hell or hells, those of ...
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What meta-ethics is most commonly associated with 'hard determinism'?
Since moral responsibility seems to require free will, hard
determinism implies that people are not morally responsible for their
actions.
So what exactly does that imply about supposed moral ...
user67675
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3/ Is it that only individuals who are able to "spontaneously" act virtuously be deemed to be considered virtuous?
Is it that only individuals who are able to spontaneously act virtuously be deemed to be considered virtuous?
"Spontaneous" meaning here without premeditation or external stimulus.
This is ...
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2/ Is it that individuals who rely on favourable conditions are not deemed to be considered really virtuous?
Is it that only individuals able to be virtuous even in adverse conditions (psychological and/or physical discomfort) can be deemed to be considered as really virtuous?
In other words, is it that ...
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1/ Is it that only individuals able to be virtuous "naturally" be deemed really virtuous?
Is it that being dependent on external, thought-through, developed-through, things (more or less advanced science and technique, knowledge, developed ethics, etc.) in order to be virtuous makes those ...
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What is 'an Ontological Evil'?
In various discussions touching upon topics between geopolitics, ethics, and general philosophy, I have seen the term used, in phrases such as 'please do not believe that members of [faction that both ...
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Is improving the quality of our existence human's fundamental objective? [closed]
Is existence or our capacity for experience our fundamental value? Is every action you take intended to improve the quality (duration and magnitude of value) of your existence, or stated as, capacity ...
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Looking for reading recommendations: Theories of right/justice that safeguard against having one's job automated?
Can anyone recommend any books or articles on AI automation of jobs?
Specifically, books that develop or discuss a theory of right and then apply it to the question of whether we should let job ...
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The Copenhagen Interpretation: From Quantum Mechanics to Ethics?
I've been pondering an intriguing comparison lately, drawing parallels between the Copenhagen Interpretation in quantum mechanics and a hypothetical "Copenhagen Interpretation of Ethics". As ...
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Do you think evil people are conducting according to principles that are legitimate in their own system of values? [closed]
Do you think people who are phenomenally evil and profiting off of others’ suffering are conducting according to a set of internal values that are legitimate from their point of view, although they ...
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Does Kant think we have an imperfect duty to not take intoxicants?
I want to smoke a cigarette to feel better. I want to smoke opium to feel better.
I think we can ignore the consequences of everyone performing this action (in similar situations), mass addiction and ...
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Counter arguments to benatar's assymatry argument's defence by Elias Muusavi
Elias Muusavi published a defence of benatar's assymatry https://shorturl.at/juvAF (if you wish to read it) in it they said that the absence of pleasure is "not worse than the presence of ...
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Can a mathematician create free will, rigour, etc etc? [closed]
So I've been thinking for a while:
Can a mathematician create free will?
And for the more rigorous:
https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/4773643/cardinality-in-an-instance-where-evolution-...
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Where is the Ethics in Deep Ecology?
Norwegian philosopher and activist Arne Naess (1912–2009) is credited as a pioneer of the environmental movement and the first to coin the term "deep ecology." Distinguishing between deep ...
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Does actualism imply moral nihilism?
Actualism is the view that only the actual is possible. Moral nihilism is the belief in the nonexistence of morality. My question is, does actualism imply moral nihilism? At least in my case, the ...
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Does Aristotle provide a mean for Phronesis? And if so, what is it?
From what I've tried to understand, Aristotle believed that practical wisdom (phronesis) is an intellectual virtue. And also, virtues are found at the mean between excess and deficiency. It seems to ...
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Harm Principle and the Trolley Case
My question concerns what someone following the Harm Principle does when confronted with a trolley-like situation: where causing a couple people to die would save many more lives. This specifically ...
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For Kant, how can we have moral autonomy if there's just one correct moral law?
What else then can freedom of the will be but autonomy, that is, the property of the will to be a law to itself?
Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals
So that in a nutshell is autonomy and freedom ...
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Which philosophers have defended both the claim that any attitude can ground meaning and moral error theory?
Which philosophers have defended both the claim that any attitude (a pro attitude to anything) can ground meaning and moral error theory? It may even be the the received view among the population in ...
user67675
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Killing with bare hands vs Rube Goldberg killing machine: How can we connect causes to persons, and so be morally responsible for effects by us?
What brought up this question:
I was watching a television show and was thinking of how powerful individuals can obtain hired guns to do their dirty work. The police and legal system then has ...
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What is the morality of joining the military?
What is the morality of joining the military?
Clearly, military men and women can have any number of virtues, but also are trained killers. There is the argument that they are legally so, but while I ...
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What would it mean for the herd to be victorious over the overman?
What would it mean for the herd to be victorious over the overman? What would that amount to? I assume that the herd has its perverse plans, born out of ressentiment, for the ubermensch, and they will ...
user67521
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The deception clause in lying
What if I am asked a question, and respond with an untruth I know is untrue, and I don't really care if I am believed, but definitely don't want to be found out (I don't want anyone to know Ive ...
user67521
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When is ok to tell a lie?
When is ok to tell a lie? Clearly, there may well be some cases, such as hiding Anne Frank.
May we sometimes lie about our infidelity, if e.g. we think it could lead to a jealous murder? What about ...
user67521
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Is the existence of morality compatible with necessitarianism?
This is somewhat related to my previous question, here: Is the nature of morality counterfactual?. If morality is counterfactual, what would a necessitarian point of view imply about it? Since ...
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Is the nature of morality counterfactual?
I know that just because some action or state of affairs is morally right, that does not mean it will actually happen. So, does that mean morality is counterfactual in nature? Or am I misunderstanding ...
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What is the difference between morality and ethics?
Is there a difference between morality and ethics, and if so, what is it? I have seen those terms used interchangeably, but have any philosophers made a distinction between the two?
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When is personal tragedy an excuse to be immoral?
When is personal tragedy an excuse to be immoral? I think my mistake was not being able to see that certain people cannot be moral, due to their own issues.
goodbye
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Do we define 'infidelity' ourselves
I think we do, but it's a strange idea unless we think of it as passing rules, quasi laws, for ourselves, and that may go against the tenor of what it means for us (no joke intended, I"m ...
user67302
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How to justify retributive punishment?
It is said that retributive punishment is an expression of a misguided, sadistic sensibility—one that delights in controlling others, violating their human rights and making them suffer. When ...
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