From: Romana Machado (romana@glamazon.com)
Date: Fri Dec 13 1996 - 22:13:15 MST
>Is it possible to have a system of "rational ethics"?
I think the question is, is it possible to develop a system of rational ethics?
Let's start from a definition. Ethics are ways of choosing what to do. My
ethics are a set of ideas that guide me in my trade with the rest of the
universe. Ethics define what is right and wrong for me, and what is
valuable to me. Ethics guide my behavior - or if they fail - they measure
the depth of the resulting conflict. In doing this, they define me, and
reveal me to others.
It is necessary to my self-determination and self-development that my
ethics are open to question, analysis, experience, and experiment.I learn
from the ethical ideas of others by interacting with them, but no ethics
that I've inherited have been taken for granted.
Perhaps my ethics could be called rational, but they are not therefore
general, abstract, or universal - which seems to be what people who want to
"develop rational ethics" are seeking. I don't suppose that developing a
universal "rational ethic" is within anyone's capacity. The universe is
just too complex. I view any such claim made by others quite critically.
Romana Machado romana@glamazon.com
erotic site: http://www.glamazon.com/ "Romana Machado's Peek of the Week"
personal site: http://www.fqa.com/romana/ "Romana Machado World Headquarters"
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Fri Nov 01 2002 - 14:35:53 MST