The future of Ethics

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Prof
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The future of Ethics

Post by Prof »

Historically, philosophy has been "the mother of the sciences." Astrology led to Astronomy, Alchemy led to Chemistry, Philosophy of Mind led to Psychology, Natural Philosophy led to Physics and Climatology; and some fine day Moral Philosophy will result in a Science of Ethics, which will not be merely descriptive (as to what norms various cultures live by today and in the past) but will be also prescriptive (normative), for it will suggest guidelines for rational folks to live by that will maximize the quality and duration of life for normal people who take advantage of the new knowledge. In fact, it could be that already Moral Psychology is the experimental branch of Ethics, the science. It is sometimes known as the Science of Moral Sense. I like the name "Ethics" for it, as a partner to "Physics."

For further details on the latter theme, see: LIVING WELL: How ethics helps us flourish (Nov. 2015)
http://www.myqol.com/wadeharvey/PDFs/LI ... ourish.pdf

and SUCCESSFUL LIVING: How to have a quality life (2016)
http://www.myqol.com/wadeharvey/PDFs/Su ... 20life.pdf

A critic who was wise enough to study the paper, Living Well, and who upon focusing on the analogy which spoke of the survival-value of cells of the human body being healthy, asked: "what if ... reason demands that in the interest of survival of the organism one body part, say a hopelessly damaged leg, must be amputated?" {Is it possible that one might be carrying an analogy too far?}

The point I was attempting to convey was that we all need each other as our support group, for each of us has unique talents and gifts that might serve to improve the quality of life for the human species, and thus perhaps for you or I as a member of this species.

If perhaps the questioner was implying that there is the 2% of the human race which constitutes the madmen, and the sociopaths (both men and women) who would hurt the rest of us, and was merely asking what should be done about them?

If that is the question, I would reply: Lock them away! Get them out of circulation, away from civil society. {Although I want the personnel
of the mental hospitals, the prisons, and the detention centers, to be screened before hiring to help insure that they are civil also.}

At the end of the other citation, entitled Successful Living, (which, incidentally, never mentions the words 'ethics' nor 'morality' even once - since the document is designed as material for discussion with the layman to philosophy, the proverbial "person in the street") readers can find a list of those actual guidelines for living a trouble-free and good life, one filled with harmonious interactions with those whom we encounter in daily life. The motivation for research into scientific Ethics is to make the world work for everyone while depriving no one.

All comments welcome....

-- Updated Fri Jul 22, 2016 6:50 pm to add the following --

Hello, Belinda

What did you have in mind exactly when you wrote: "what if ... reason demands that in the interest of survival of the organism one body part, say a hopelessly damaged leg, must be amputated?"

I'd like to discuss it further with you, but I'm not sure what you meant.

Furthermore, I apologize for calling you a "critic." You're super okay in my book!
To learn more on ethical topics, check out these references:onlinephilosophyclub.com/forums/viewtop ... amp;t=6097
Belinda
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Re: The future of Ethics

Post by Belinda »

I agree with Prof that criminals should be locked away in the care of decent guardians. I add that criminals should be rehabilitated whenever possible. I also add that a democratic regime is the only sort of regime that can protect all against oppression.

In this regard I comment that there is something wrong with the democratic process in America at this time when Chelsea Manning is being mentally tortured, including deprivation of her human rights.
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Wilson
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Re: The future of Ethics

Post by Wilson »

Belinda wrote: In this regard I comment that there is something wrong with the democratic process in America at this time when Chelsea Manning is being mentally tortured, including deprivation of her human rights.
Disagree. She violated the privacy of many people and revealed secret information without filter which could have exposed Americans to danger and certainly damaged the relations of the US with other nations. I assume that you believe citizens should obey the laws and should face the consequences if they choose not to. I also assume that you believe governments should be able to discuss things in private and to classify some items as secret. I think she's a nasty attention-seeking egotist and I'm happy for her to be in jail for many years.
Belinda
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Re: The future of Ethics

Post by Belinda »

Wilson wrote:
Belinda wrote: In this regard I comment that there is something wrong with the democratic process in America at this time when Chelsea Manning is being mentally tortured, including deprivation of her human rights.
Disagree. She violated the privacy of many people and revealed secret information without filter which could have exposed Americans to danger and certainly damaged the relations of the US with other nations. I assume that you believe citizens should obey the laws and should face the consequences if they choose not to. I also assume that you believe governments should be able to discuss things in private and to classify some items as secret. I think she's a nasty attention-seeking egotist and I'm happy for her to be in jail for many years.
I agree that Chelsea broke a recognisable law and that law breakers should be punished. The amount and style of pain that is being inflicted upon Chelsea is disproportionate, unusual, and unnecessary for upholding the law of a decent country like America.

Your interpretation of her personality is neither here nor there as Justice is blindfolded for good reason. Impartiality is paramount if justice is to be done. She broke the law and should be punished. Is American justice disproportionate, unusual, and unnecessary? I bet it isn't and so Chelsea is being made to suffer disproportionately and an unusually.
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Sy Borg
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Re: The future of Ethics

Post by Sy Borg »

It seems to me that future AI would be ideally placed to devise and refine a science of ethics. They could calculate the various relative impacts of give and take transactions, determining fairly precise estimates of the appropriate weight of reward and punishment for any given circumstance, with the aim of a society that balances motivation and equity, order and freedom, the collective and the individual.

The complexity at present is beyond humans, hence our governance and integrity issues, and generalised AI at present is still rudimentary. However, general AI is expected to exponentially increase in capacity and perhaps may be able to provide us with the hard information about which everyone is currently guessing. That time is probably a century or more way.
The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated—Gandhi.
Belinda
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Re: The future of Ethics

Post by Belinda »

Greta wrote:It seems to me that future AI would be ideally placed to devise and refine a science of ethics. They could calculate the various relative impacts of give and take transactions, determining fairly precise estimates of the appropriate weight of reward and punishment for any given circumstance, with the aim of a society that balances motivation and equity, order and freedom, the collective and the individual.

The complexity at present is beyond humans, hence our governance and integrity issues, and generalised AI at present is still rudimentary. However, general AI is expected to exponentially increase in capacity and perhaps may be able to provide us with the hard information about which everyone is currently guessing. That time is probably a century or more way.


Greta, I agree on principle but not sure about exponentially. I'm not sure if AI could ever be intuitional . Intuitions are not reasoned in the explicit way that computers seem to me to reason.I think that intuitions are caused by unspoken and implicit understandings that are learned from half- forgotten personal experiences, and from cultural memories that are often implicit in social interactions. I guess that when AIs are as socially embodied as we are then they will be ipso facto (is that the right phrase I never said it before? ) humans.
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Ormond
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Re: The future of Ethics

Post by Ormond »

...a Science of Ethics, which will not be merely descriptive (as to what norms various cultures live by today and in the past) but will be also prescriptive (normative), for it will suggest guidelines for rational folks to live by that will maximize the quality and duration of life for normal people who take advantage of the new knowledge.
The assumption here seems to be that if we gather enough data and process it with high technology we can come to the correct ethical answers. One of the goals of this process is declared to be maximizing the duration of life. Ok Mr. Science, answer us this please...

Where is the scientific evidence that life is better than death?

Observe how an entirely faith based position on the largest of questions is automatically assumed to be correct without examination, questioning or evidence, and then the label "science" is stamped on the project in an attempt to give it great authority.

The name for this process is "science worship". This is how reason gets converted in to yet another religion.
If the things we want to hear could take us where we want to go, we'd already be there.
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