Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Ethics what's your take?

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    Ethics what's your take?

    I thought I'd liven things up with a thread about ethics? What rules do you live by? What is right and wrong?


    The following is a big chunk from the book I am writing:


    How do we know that something is evil? It really depends on what our parents, our grandparents, our teachers, our peers and society in general has taught us. I would say that as an adult doing anything that makes you feel guilt, is doing evil.

    As a Pagan I follow a nature religion and there is no big epic battle between good and evil in nature. If I do something 'evil' I'm not choosing Lucifer over Jehovah. I'm choosing myself over some other life form. Any guilt I feel is empathy with that other life form (rather than my spider-sense telling me I'm going to hell).
    Evil is one of those words that each individual has to define for him or herself. For example I think killing anything is evil. That doesn't mean I won't squash a bug or eat a sausage. When I do those things I choose to be evil. Evil is simply putting your-self first.
    Is breaking the law evil? The sane amongst us would agree that things such as murder and rape are evil but when it comes to some of the more minor crimes like internet piracy or smoking weed, opinions are divided. When a person breaks the law they might be thinking "I know it's very wrong but I want to do it anyway." in which case they are committing an act of evil. However they might honestly think "this stupid law shouldn't exist because everyone does it" or "this law shouldn't exist because breaking it doesn't hurt anyone" or "I can see why some people need this law but I'm an exception because... and it shouldn't apply to me under these circumstances."

    Evil and illegal are two different things. Judges and Politicians and public opinion decide what is illegal. We make our own individual decisions about what is evil. Maybe some divine being will make a final judgement, maybe they won't.

    My definition of evil can be broken down into the equation:

    Evil = Choice + Harm + Empathy

    With that in mind you can better consider the implications of the following:
    "An' it harm none do what thou wilt." – Doreen Valiente
    It’s important to read the above correctly:
    Not this: Do what you like, it won’t hurt anyone.
    This: Do what you like if it won’t hurt anyone/anything.

    "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law." - Aleister Crowley
    What he meant was that we should learn to choose to do good because it is the better choice and not because we are compelled to by some law.
    Whilst Aleister may be more right, Doreen is clearly more useful when it comes to instructing/raising the young.

    #2
    Re: Ethics what's your take?

    1) Don't deliberately inflict harm without a just purpose.
    2) Don't coerce without just cause.
    3) Acting in heat of passion does not excuse you from rule 1 or 2.
    4) If through ignorance or stupidity, you create a problem then get off thine ass and fix it.

    other rules appear as necessary to further the goals of the above 4.
    life itself was a lightsaber in his hands; even in the face of treachery and death and hopes gone cold, he burned like a candle in the darkness. Like a star shining in the black eternity of space.

    Yoda: Dark Rendezvous

    "But those men who know anything at all about the Light also know that there is a fierceness to its power, like the bare sword of the law, or the white burning of the sun." Suddenly his voice sounded to Will very strong, and very Welsh. "At the very heart, that is. Other things, like humanity, and mercy, and charity, that most good men hold more precious than all else, they do not come first for the Light. Oh, sometimes they are there; often, indeed. But in the very long run the concern of you people is with the absolute good, ahead of all else..."

    John Rowlands, The Grey King by Susan Cooper

    "You come from the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve", said Aslan. "And that is both honour enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor on earth; be content."

    Aslan, Prince Caspian by CS Lewis


    Comment


      #3
      Re: Ethics what's your take?

      Originally posted by MaskedOne View Post
      1) Don't deliberately inflict harm without a just purpose.
      2) Don't coerce without just cause.
      3) Acting in heat of passion does not excuse you from rule 1 or 2.
      4) If through ignorance or stupidity, you create a problem then get off thine ass and fix it.

      other rules appear as necessary to further the goals of the above 4.
      The obvious question is how do you define just?

      Comment


        #4
        Re: Ethics what's your take?

        As far as daily life is concerned and this board has any business knowing, if you are an imminent threat to someone or thing under my protection, then the protections afforded to you by rules 1 and 2 shrink considerably depending on the nature of the threat you pose and what precisely you are threatening. There are other caveats that can potentially limit the protections afforded by rules one and two but most of them involve me taking up very specific responsibilities that I have not at this time assumed and therefore have no business making judgement calls based upon.
        life itself was a lightsaber in his hands; even in the face of treachery and death and hopes gone cold, he burned like a candle in the darkness. Like a star shining in the black eternity of space.

        Yoda: Dark Rendezvous

        "But those men who know anything at all about the Light also know that there is a fierceness to its power, like the bare sword of the law, or the white burning of the sun." Suddenly his voice sounded to Will very strong, and very Welsh. "At the very heart, that is. Other things, like humanity, and mercy, and charity, that most good men hold more precious than all else, they do not come first for the Light. Oh, sometimes they are there; often, indeed. But in the very long run the concern of you people is with the absolute good, ahead of all else..."

        John Rowlands, The Grey King by Susan Cooper

        "You come from the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve", said Aslan. "And that is both honour enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor on earth; be content."

        Aslan, Prince Caspian by CS Lewis


        Comment


          #5
          Re: Ethics what's your take?

          Personally, I stick to the truth and don't betray trust, including in myself. My inner voice seems to steer pretty straight & narrow.
          The most difficult thing for me to do is not visualize vengeful things if someone has betrayed me. I've trained myself out of it. It's not always easy, but I feel it's ethical not to create bad things.
          sigpic
          Can you hear me, Major Tom? I think I love you.

          Comment


            #6
            Re: Ethics what's your take?

            Well as a Satanist, that's where I get my ethics from. I personally don't believe in good and evil. At all. Someone can be low on the human factor. Say...stomping on a kitten. But I still don't call that evil. Not in the religious sense evil is used. You know 'Devil made me do it' nonsense.

            I personally follow (to the most part I guess. And I haven't actually ever taken the time to THINK about what my ethics are) But I'll give it a go.

            1)I do things that aid me. And if they don't aid me. I do things that won't hinder me. And if they do hinder me, I do things I've decided are ok to hinder me.

            2)Don't take things that aren't mine

            3)Mind my own business
            Satan is my spirit animal

            Comment


              #7
              Re: Ethics what's your take?

              The Nine Noble Virtues cover it for me. What's interesting is my parents instilled most of those in me without religion ever being involved (they're atheists).
              "The doer alone learneth." -- Friedrich Nietzsche

              Comment


                #8
                Re: Ethics what's your take?

                I could totally agree with some of those. Same as the 10 commandments I guess. I mean it's all about not being a douche human being.
                Though I don't believe in being honest in all things. And I certainly don't have compassion for all. Most, but definitely not all.
                Satan is my spirit animal

                Comment


                  #9
                  Re: Ethics what's your take?

                  I guess mine currently are:

                  1) Don't be a complete jerk.
                  2) If I can help, help. If I can't help, don't.
                  3) If I'm going to live in a society, contribute where I can.
                  4) Like Medusa said, mind my own business.
                  5) Keep calm and rock on (still working on this one).
                  my etsy store
                  My blog


                  "...leave me curled up in my ball,
                  surrounded by plush, downy things,
                  ill prepared, but willing,
                  to descend."

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Re: Ethics what's your take?

                    Originally posted by Vigdisdotter View Post
                    The Nine Noble Virtues cover it for me. What's interesting is my parents instilled most of those in me without religion ever being involved (they're atheists).

                    It's a misconception that religion is required for morality. If anything I think atheists are less likely to commit crimes than followers of Christianity or Islam.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Re: Ethics what's your take?

                      Originally posted by AL!CE View Post
                      It's a misconception that religion is required for morality. If anything I think atheists are less likely to commit crimes than followers of Christianity or Islam.
                      Absolutely! I find, ironically, that I live a far more "Christian" life than my church-going friends do.
                      sigpic
                      Can you hear me, Major Tom? I think I love you.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Re: Ethics what's your take?

                        Originally posted by AL!CE View Post
                        It's a misconception that religion is required for morality. If anything I think atheists are less likely to commit crimes than followers of Christianity or Islam.
                        I have to admit, when someone starts claiming to be a good and moral person because they have the 10Cs (or religious equivalent) I tent to keep an eye on them as I edge away slowly.
                        "The doer alone learneth." -- Friedrich Nietzsche

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Re: Ethics what's your take?

                          Originally posted by Vigdisdotter View Post
                          I have to admit, when someone starts claiming to be a good and moral person because they have the 10Cs (or religious equivalent) I tent to keep an eye on them as I edge away slowly.
                          Yeah, I'm far more interested in a person's behaviour than in their statements.
                          sigpic
                          Can you hear me, Major Tom? I think I love you.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Re: Ethics what's your take?

                            Evil is never so evil as when it's masquerading as being good....
                            www.thewolfenhowlepress.com


                            Phantom Turnips never die.... they just get stewed occasionally....

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Re: Ethics what's your take?

                              Originally posted by Vigdisdotter View Post
                              I have to admit, when someone starts claiming to be a good and moral person because they have the 10Cs (or religious equivalent) I tent to keep an eye on them as I edge away slowly.
                              I modify this rule slightly. If you have to tell me you're a good person then I keep an eye on you. Most good people I meet don't need to declare that fact. Doesn't really matter what you claim makes you a good person, the fact that you need to tell me you're a good person is a warning sign.
                              life itself was a lightsaber in his hands; even in the face of treachery and death and hopes gone cold, he burned like a candle in the darkness. Like a star shining in the black eternity of space.

                              Yoda: Dark Rendezvous

                              "But those men who know anything at all about the Light also know that there is a fierceness to its power, like the bare sword of the law, or the white burning of the sun." Suddenly his voice sounded to Will very strong, and very Welsh. "At the very heart, that is. Other things, like humanity, and mercy, and charity, that most good men hold more precious than all else, they do not come first for the Light. Oh, sometimes they are there; often, indeed. But in the very long run the concern of you people is with the absolute good, ahead of all else..."

                              John Rowlands, The Grey King by Susan Cooper

                              "You come from the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve", said Aslan. "And that is both honour enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor on earth; be content."

                              Aslan, Prince Caspian by CS Lewis


                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X