Questions tagged [social-ethics]
The social-ethics tag has no usage guidance.
91
questions
4
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1answer
80 views
Is it ethically OK to read letters of a dead person, that were not addressed to you?
I hope, this stackexchange site, is the right one for this topic, because I have more of a morality/ethics question than plain philosophy.
I've been researching my family history for quite some time ...
0
votes
0answers
10 views
Need Help Interpreting Preface to Aristotle’s Ethics
I’m currently reading the translator’s preface to Aristotle’s Ethics and read a sentence that I simply cannot figure out the meaning behind. It states
There is, Aristotle insists, no difference of ...
1
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0answers
51 views
According to contemporary philosophical theoreies, from what is morality derived and what is it for in the context of society?
In Arabic, we have the concept 'ahlak' which is often translated into english as 'moral', but in fact they are not the same, and so following the principle of exegetical neutrality, I shall simply use ...
1
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0answers
23 views
How to relate Kantian Theory to Influence of social media on young people and their mental health
Influence of social media on young people and their mental health are one of the issues nowadays. Social media, particularly for teenagers, who are most vulnerable to insecurity and depression, has ...
0
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0answers
51 views
Arguments on censorship of the internet
I'm looking for philosophical or ethical takes on the question of whether government/companies should intervene/"censor" the internet.
Given that today, social networking sites such as ...
0
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1answer
164 views
Are Borat-style pranks ethical?
In Borat and related works, pranks tend to follow the following course.
An impersonator will pretend to be a bigoted (e.g. racist, sexist, or anti-Semitic) character.
The impersonator will then ...
3
votes
2answers
229 views
What are some arguments for judging historical figures by contemporary standards?
I've seen quite a lot of arguments against judging historical figures by modern standards, most representatively by the principle of moral relativism. Is there any argument for it though? The only ...
25
votes
12answers
7k views
How can one argue against income inequality while defending achievement and expertise inequality - beyond invoking Rawls' difference principle?
Update: Based on some of the comments and answers, I feel like I need to clarify something. I wasn't saying that scientists and intellectuals are necessarily the ones making millions of dollars a year ...
0
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0answers
215 views
What kind of sexual act is moral?
As far as I know if someone doesn't believe in a divine entity that is the source of morality he/she considers morality to be subjective. He/she believes morality exists to minimize the pain and ...
0
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0answers
74 views
Is there a philosophical framework for deciding on exposing humanity changing technology?
Let us assume, there is an inventor who thinks he/she is possess a humanity altering technology. For example, an artificial intelligence. He/she is also concerned, with possible adverse effects, his/...
0
votes
3answers
126 views
Victim blaming in violent crimes
After a recent court case where two men were convicted of torturing, raping and eventually killing a young woman, a lot of victim blaming went on in the media and in many private conversations.
I ...
1
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2answers
725 views
Who were the famous moral nihilists (philosophers) of 20th and 19th century?
If existential nihilism claims nothing has meaning does it also take moral values in to account?
2
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3answers
134 views
Should we place our own good before our nation's good? [closed]
I'm currently writing a screenplay, and one of the philosophical themes arises out of a very specific conflict, with I call:
INDIVIDUAL BENEFIT vs STATE BENEFIT.
One of the characters sacrifices ...
-3
votes
1answer
152 views
How is it possible that so many people get together, get married, have kids and *then* divorce and break up? [closed]
I have always been fundamentally baffled about this fact, as a male currently in his mid-30s who never managed to attract any female.
If this had happened, and we had got so far as to get married, ...
1
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0answers
27 views
Fostering and nurturing moral ethics--does it depend partly on how society views a person?
Fostering and nurturing moral ethics--does it depend partly on how society views him or her as a person and so as a human?
If a person feels in some cases they don't belong to society or where they ...
1
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0answers
54 views
What is the idea that a moral system is ethical if it can function when everyone in a community adheres to it?
What is the ethical paradigm from the title called?
To restate the concept in the negative, a moral system would be considered unethical if, when universally adhered to by everyone in a community, ...
1
vote
3answers
127 views
Should we forgive?
Religion and to some degree philosophy, may promote forgiveness. But how do you deal with: when people see that you forgive, that may give them a lesson that it is "ok" to do that to you.
Another ...
27
votes
13answers
14k views
Was Robin Hood's point of view ethically sound?
The story of Robin Hood was a favourite of mine as a child.
But as an adult, I am beginning to change my mind for a couple of reasons.
The first being that if we assume a free market exists, ...
2
votes
4answers
330 views
When is it okay to criticize someone?
Both in my family life and in politics, I see people running into the following dilemma.
Some entity (a person, or an organization, or a country) is doing something that someone sees as wrong. So, ...
1
vote
1answer
110 views
Is there any way to gain “truth”/accuracy in social truth? How?
Is there any way to gain "truth"/accuracy in social truth? How?
What seems to make it difficult is that I don't know if social truth has any generally accepted epistemologies, truth deduction ...
-1
votes
1answer
135 views
Is having a “type” ethical?
Some people have a particular “type”, a person with particular physical aspects that they look for in a partner.
What ethical frameworks can be used to evaluate this phenomena? Do those frameworks ...
2
votes
2answers
58 views
Ernesto Laclau: 'Any repetition that is governed by a structural law of successions is space'
There is a debate going on about Ernesto Laclau's argument that
any repetition that is governed by a structural law of successions is space
But what does he actually mean by that?
0
votes
1answer
165 views
What will future generations condemn us for? [closed]
I can think of the following:
Human-created mass extinctions
Industrial meat production
Institutionalisation and isolation of the elderly
Environment destruction
What are other contemporary ...
1
vote
2answers
120 views
What is the basis of the belief that words themselves can be hurtful and verbal aggression should be weeded out?
I used to believe that verbal aggression on its own is a minor issue and that, while insults, contemptuous language, unwelcome sexual advances and the likes are far from praiseworthy, they are ...
-1
votes
3answers
190 views
It is oppressive for youths to have laws that prohibit something exclusive to them? [closed]
I don't belong to the group of youths, but one does not need to belong to the particular group in order to defend their interests, like in the case of animal rights movements. Also, I belonged to it, ...
0
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2answers
64 views
Confusion on social conventions
Biologically we humans are animals.
I've thought about this lately and really would like the insight of others.
If animals start breeding when they reach bodily maturity, then why is this seen badly ...
-1
votes
1answer
56 views
Deterrent effect of nuclear weapons in comparison with carrying Firearms?
Would it be feasible to to compare the deterrent effect of nuclear weapons between nuclear armed countries (if such exist),
with the deterrent effect of a majority of citizen carrying firearms, inside ...
13
votes
6answers
2k views
Can the act of having certain thoughts be unethical? [duplicate]
On the basis of Western morality, the Greco-Roman Judeo-Christian one, behaviors like killing, betraying, cursing are considered immoral. Christianity imposes that thoughts can be corrupt, therefore ...
1
vote
1answer
3k views
What are the facts and what is the truth? [duplicate]
As I ask this know;
I purely ask this from a social point of view. As in conversations with others.
It's a random thought and kinda funny when I started thinking about it.
What's a fact?
Something ...
3
votes
1answer
132 views
Who else has explored the ‘cad problem’?
Is there anything in philosophy (presumably ethics) that specifically explores what I’ve called the “cad problem”.
Simply put, how should an individual (or a distinct group) that focuses on self ...
2
votes
2answers
265 views
Is wisdom always appropriate? [closed]
I have a 990 KB text file I wrote of wisdom I learned from God. No one asks me to hear what God teaches me, but I share anyway because it will do good for them. Is this OK? Does wisdom always need to ...
4
votes
3answers
717 views
Is evolutionary “morality” really the same thing as human morality?
In a different question I asked, Chris Johns' answer pinpointed exactly why all of the answers didn't satisfy me, so I'd like to ask a follow-up question which will further focus my question - would ...
3
votes
5answers
307 views
Evolution - how (epistemologically) an instinctive moral is possible?
I've asked a question about how evolution would explain morality, which lead me to a more basic question - if an instinct would tell the group members to act altruistically, where would that instinct ...
12
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7answers
4k views
Is it possible that evolution brought human kind morality?
I've heard this (rather odd imho) statement that evolution, by the need of survival, dictated humans to uphold moral codes in order to survive, thus gaining a moral system.
Now, to my understanding, ...
2
votes
1answer
182 views
What are the main concrete conceptualisations of social/societal good and a good society? [closed]
My main objective is to see how a particular technology instantiates or doesn't instantiate particular ideas of "socially/societally good". I'm more of a technologist, so it would help if someone ...
2
votes
2answers
87 views
Does Sokal & Bricmont's book offer proof of the vacuity of Post-Modernism? Can any schools of Philosophy be proven to be pure Sophistry?
Is Sokal & Bricmont's lambasting of Post-Modern Intellectuals proof of the vacuity of Post-Modernism?
Does this offer us a hope at proving that some schools of Philosophy can be proven to be pure ...
1
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1answer
65 views
Can one appreciate all people without discrimination at all?
Can one appreciate all people without discrimination at all?
Or is conflict normal? How to deal with it?
2
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5answers
208 views
Can one person value two other persons equally?
If one thinks deeply enough about the subjective value they place on their connection to other individuals, would they discover clearly distinct rankings of value?
1
vote
1answer
69 views
Is there a name for the ethical and unethical response that arises from the juxtaposition of “wealth” and poverty?
I would like to get a better understanding of the juxtaposition of wealth and poverty. By wealth I mean the situation where one has resources as opposed to one that does not.
Consider the following ...
3
votes
3answers
265 views
Do Non Vegetarians not have rights to mourn morally if their beloved ones are killed?
Pleasures for us is pain & suffering for the animals which are slaughtered. When we are causing suffering & pain to others, we lose moral rights to expect not the same ever happened to us. In ...
4
votes
3answers
447 views
Can being Violent in speech be considered as violence?
I want to know whether being Violent with speech too can be considered as violence - partially or fully?
1
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2answers
198 views
Is the “Anomaly of Plato?” a reality? [closed]
The "Anomaly of Plato" is a name for the fact that Socrates promoted Truth as a transcendent idea but (according to Popper), Plato did not allow for the immanent changes that Truth causes. Truths ...
0
votes
1answer
185 views
Is it morally wrong to deny friendship with nice people? [closed]
If someone you got to know who always has been polite to you tells you honestly that he likes you, is it morally wrong to tell him that you don't want to spend time with him?
On one hand, one could ...
1
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0answers
98 views
I trust people, why should it change?
I trust people.
For the small things in life, it helps me, definitely, but when it comes to larger things it is an issue.
For instance I recently started to search if I could buy a house. I am not ...
5
votes
1answer
106 views
Democratic ethics - sources for system of ethics determined by democratic principles
Ethics can be seen as a purely social construct, and so being determined by the powerful in the society (John Stuart Mill takes such a view in On Liberty). This view can also be further advanced to ...
9
votes
1answer
412 views
What are reasonable basic obligations of citizens in democratic societies?
Theorists (Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Kant, Hegel) have often discussed the state's obligations to its citizens, but nowadays it seems we need a definitive-but-succinctly articulated account of citizens'...
1
vote
2answers
428 views
Who is selfish?
Am I selfish if I choose not, or do not want, to help others?
Example: A friend asked me write a piece of code, ignoring everything else. I did not want to do it. We were not competing and there was ...
5
votes
3answers
311 views
Ethics when breaking non written rule occurs
Breaking non written rules happens all the time. This happens mostly in our private lives and close social circles, which is main source of anger for common peoples. For example, mother gives a ...
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2answers
171 views
Ethics of taboo in research
From a utilitarian point of view research is of benefit to the future population and so (if considering future generations) performing it would take precedent over some discomfort.
However some ...
4
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2answers
222 views
Can moral objectivism be reconciled with the fact that some unethical behaviors are “human nature”?
A constant argument I've been hearing recently is that people should be forgiven for engaging in unethical behavior if it is "natural" for them to do so. Examples:
It's natural for people to be ...
