Human Excellence - Section 3
The Ethical and Moral World

The Creation, Study and Practice of Ethics

Introduction of Decision-Making Tools (Or Moral Theories).
 

In your journey to becoming an Excellent Human Being

you will need to learn about different moral tools,

learn how to use them through practice,

reflect on how you did in the real game of life,

and then make adjustments, if necessary, for future decisions.

 

There are a small collection of basic approaches to moral decision making and action,

through which all human moral thought and activity can be addressed.

These categories have many different offshoots and subgroupings,

many of which intersect with each other in moral situations.

 

Each of the moral theories reflects a part of nature, human nature.

The theories are the way the world is or what human nature is like.

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Ethics is the study of the moral part of our human nature.

 

The goal of the study of morality is not simply to understand the way the world is,

but to use this knowledge to make the world a better place; to improve the world.

 

Humans behave differently based on knowledge gained

from the study of biology, medicine, chemistry, physics,

and the many other fields through which we learn to understand the world.

 

Of all of these fields, ethics is the most challenging.

This is because we create this part of the world,

and then assemble it,

rather than primarily assembling it with our minds

as we do with the physical world.

 

The morality we create is as real as the physical world.

 

Ethics provides us with a way to organize the moral world,

and to group it into areas which help us improve the world.

 

In this section we will cover the main areas or groupings of how to approach morality.

 

There is one common element,

one fact, which is also a principle,

which is the core of all study of the world.

This includes the physical as well as the moral world. 

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However, this principle takes on greater significance in the moral world,

by virtue of the fact that we not only assemble this part of the world with our minds,

but we also create it.

 

All morality is grounded in the unifying fact and principles

that “I am” and “you are”.

 

 

The absolute, undeniable fact that I am

makes moral decision making clear and simple.

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However, the almost absolute, undeniable fact that you exist

makes moral decision making challenging and complicated.

 

 

All ethics theories have one common element,

one place where they all intersect

YOU.

 

You, me and every individual human being,

must make every moral decision!

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Our human nature, the way humans are,

and this fact that the individual must make every moral decision,

provides a focal point for all of morality,

a unifying approach to moral decision making.

 

The theory around this approach is called virtue ethics,

and will be the starting point for our discussion of the science of ethics.

 

As we go through the different approaches to morality

we will always come back to I am. 

 

Understanding ‘I am’

 

Facts are a little like things.  They sometimes seem to just sit there.

 

You and I elevate facts to principles,

and apply them to our lives,

and the universe around us. 

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For example, there are objects in the universe

which are attracted to each other,

or move towards each other when they get close together.

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From this fact we create a principle related to one particular force.

The principle states that all bodies existing in the universe, which have mass,

attract other bodies in specific, measurable ways.  Or, said another way,

all bodies with mass have a gravitational field around them.

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We call this factual principle the law of gravity.

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The basic law of gravity, as first articulated clearly by Newton,

has generated all sorts of math, science, engineering, and general development,

as well as rules applicable to everyday life, such as don’t jump off a tall building.

 

Our world is full of facts and principles.

 

I am.

That you exist is a fact, the most important fact in all the universe. 

I am is true of every human who has, does, or will exist.

 

The fact that “I am”, is the most certain fact in the universe.

It is more important than any scientific or mathematical facts and principles,

such as the laws of gravity, motion, and even basic addition and subtraction.

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This is because every other fact depends on “I am” as a knower.

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However, while other facts and principles do depend in part on the external world,

the facts and principles of human morality depend entirely on “I am”

and the closely associated “You are”.

 

Morality is internal to you

and external in your relationship with me,

and all other humans.

 

Human Morality

 

Morality is about what is good or bad; right or wrong.

 

Morality is about you and me.

 

Morality is about your happiness,

it is about my happiness,

it is about all of us flourishing together. 

 

As we discuss ethics,

keep in mind that the experience of the entire universe

occurs within you. 

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If you do not exist, then, in a very real sense, the universe does not exist.

Another way to say this, is that the experience of the universe

requires a person.

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You are absolutely necessary for the experience of all the universe,

in every moment of your existence.

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The same is true for me, and for every human being.

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The universe requires your survival, my survival, and our survival.

Our existence and continual survival

is the ultimate good, for without it, there is nothing.

 

The core principle of all morality is the importance of your (my, our) existence and survival.  

 

Those things which are good for your survival,

for my survival,

for the survival of each and every one of us,

and the survival of the species,

are the foundation of human morality.    

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Flourishing is built on the foundation of survival.

Happiness requires the I am to exist and continue to exist;

you (me) the individual human being, every individual human being.

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Building Morality on I Am

A Universal Model for The Future

 

Just as we build on the law of gravity, or any other fact of the universe,

such as those found in science or math,

so too, we build on I am.

 

While there are many things which are built on, or out of, I am,

our focus is morality; right and wrong. 

 

It starts with the individual.

 

Virtue Ethics

 

Humans are creatures of habit.

A good habit is called a virtue.

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You and I have habits built into us from conception.

Another name for these habits is instinct.

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You have biological instincts, or habits,

most of which you have in common with other living things,

such as digestion, breathing, regulation of body temperature,

and the many other functions and processes which are part of being alive.

These are core instincts or habits, essential to life.

 

More obvious habits, built on these core instincts,

are things like eating, drinking, or seeking shelter and warmth.

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These instincts or biological habits are connected.

 

For example, when the digestive system is about to stop for lack of food,

a child will cry out for food, and like adults, must eat on a regular basis.

 

You and I have a habit of eating regularly.

 

Over time, through the study of the biology of the human body,

we have learned that some things we eat

are better for our survival and flourishing

than other things we can eat.

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The habit of eating healthy food is a virtue, or good habit.

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Most animals and plants instinctively eat what is good for their survival and flourishing.

At present we are not aware of their thoughts, if any, in this process.

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However, human beings have the ability to alter

many of the instinctive processes and activities of their bodies.

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You and I can develop good, or virtuous, eating habits.

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Virtue

 

You may have many notions already about what a virtue is, and what it is not.

 

In the context of ethics, and morality,

a virtue is a habit which you have,

which is good for you,

in the sense that the habit promotes your survival, happiness and flourishing.

 

Because others exist,

the actions of others have a direct impact on your survival and flourishing.

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Therefore, it is necessary that you have habits,

which are good for others,

and promote the survival, happiness and flourishing of others.

 

To validate the need for other-directed virtues,

we need go no further than our example of the biological habit of digestion.

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Your mother, or some caretaker in your life,

must have had the good habit, or virtue,

of responding to your cry for food when you were a baby,

and fed you.

Otherwise, you would not exist.  There would be no I am.

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Many of the other ethics theories we are going to discuss

are tools or methods you can use to help you develop virtues,

or get into the habit of doing the right, or good moral thing.

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