✾Miscellanea✾
Once, I spoke to a friend online about my personal code of morals. Much of this is an edited transcript of what I said at the time; it feels like an interesting topic, albeit very personal for me, so I decided to make it a post.
My personal view on ethics centers around the belief that an 'ultimate Truth' exists. Right and wrong are set already, for example, something like murder is inherently wrong in itself, regardless of any specifics. For comparison, although this is a similar concept to what many religions have, like what is called 'sin' and 'virtue' in Christianity, it isn't necessarily connected to a belief in a deity. At core, the only necessary belief would be in an universal Truth.
Now imagine you have something that is wrong in itself. Lying, for example. Refusing to lie is one of the views that causes me the most trouble, because opinions on it change wildly depending on people's morality, particularly for 'white lies'. That is likely why I chose it as an example. The reason I do not agree with the concept of 'white lies', or harmless lies, is because lying in itself is wrong - this is a reality outside of me and my specific situation, i.e., my reasons to lie, or the consequences.
When you do something wrong, the wrong is based on what you did, and not on what the outcome was for you or others or the world. The wrong is attached to you by your choice of action. (A comedic way to look at this is to imagine you are born as a blank canvas, and every wrong you do is a stain appearing on it. Ideally, you want the canvas to have no stains, regardless of what is going to be painted on it.)
In the case of moral dilemmas, you should take the route that allows you to do the least wrong. (Following the previous metaphor, a small stain is better than a big stain.) An advantage of this type of morality is that it hinges of the individual keeping themselves in check, rather than outside reward or punishment systems, whereas the main issue I have come across is usually how other people react to it.
To use Kohlberg's theory for comparison, people evidencing Stage 1 or 2 moral development (obedience and punishment driven, or self-interest driven) will see it as wholly pointless; Stage 3 (good intentions as determined by social consensus, 'good boy' morality) people might think it's too cold, as it is not dependant on empathy; and Stage 4 (authority and social order obedience driven) people have trouble grasping why something that is technically legal and has no apparent - usually immediate - negative outcome can still be wrong.
I am unsure of how my own ethics code would place in Kohlberg's stages, and seeing as I have yet to meet another person with similar views to mine, it is difficult to find out.
Three final, but important notes:
1. Because we cannot fully know what the Truth is, i.e., what is wrong and right, exploring and discussing the concept should be encouraged. It is not necessarily immutable.
2. Related to the above, I have taken a long time to try and figure out where right and wrong are set. That could take another post entirely, but I was always going from several criteria, such as what is seen as moral almost universally (e.g., 'do not kill others'), or what is done for solely selfish reasons despite negative outcomes (e.g., drug abuse), etc.
3. Although I mentioned how this ethics code may come across as too cold, I will admit there can be an add-on where you should not only keep yourself from doing wrong things, but you should also be proactive in doing good things for others. I jokingly named it the 'altruistic DLC'. Personal experience has made me believe that, while this would be the ideal in a better world, it is often too troublesome in our current reality.
Example: Moral Dilemma
You find out a close friend murdered someone. Do you turn them in or keep quiet, possibly becoming an accomplice in the process?
Answer: I try to convince them to turn themselves in. If they refuse, I will tell them that I will warn the police of what they did, and do so. Assuming this is a loved one, I would do this not because I would be an accomplice, but because my close friend was the one who did wrong and I want them to do the right thing for their own sake.
✾Miscellanea✾