Thread: The Art of Ethics *highbrow alert*

Actually, during my time as a full-time philosopher* I have developer an entirely separate theory of ethics:

I call these the Three Infallible Rules of Human Nature
1. People do what they want.
2. If they want conflicting things, the stronger want wins.
3. Most people are highly unaware of this, and try to offer more complicated explanations.

As such, it is my belief that any other explanation of ethics is highly illusory and just muddies the waters. (no offense, KP) Ranging from the monotheist with his hard and fast list of what's ok and what's not, to the Left Hand Path adherent who lives by the rule "as long as thou harm no one, do as thou wilt," to the atheist who views ethics as an evolutionary check-valve; all are basically playing by the same underlying rules (as stated above) without realizing it.

* the English word "philosopher" comes from "philo-sophos" a Greek phrase meaning "not otherwise usefully employed"

Originally Posted by jockeys

Actually, during my time as a full-time philosopher* I have developer an entirely separate theory of ethics:

I call these the Three Infallible Rules of Human Nature
1. People do what they want.
2. If they want conflicting things, the stronger want wins.
3. Most people are highly unaware of this, and try to offer more complicated explanations.

...

* the English word "philosopher" comes from "philo-sophos" a Greek phrase meaning "not otherwise usefully employed"

But throw in the factor that people can choose to change, and even the wary will try to offer more complicated explanations

Every non-usefully employed man and woman will at some point ask, "What drives my wants, and if I change them, was it because something forced me to do so or because I chose to do so? Am I a product of my will or is my will a product of circumstance?"

I contend that the usefully employed will simply live the answers to these questions without having to ask them to do so

Originally Posted by hoglahoo

But throw in the factor that people can choose to change, and even the wary will try to offer more complicated explanations

inevitably, they are changing because they want to.

Originally Posted by jockeys

Actually, during my time as a full-time philosopher* I have developer an entirely separate theory of ethics:

I call these the Three Infallible Rules of Human Nature
1. People do what they want.
2. If they want conflicting things, the stronger want wins.
3. Most people are highly unaware of this, and try to offer more complicated explanations.

As such, it is my belief that any other explanation of ethics is highly illusory and just muddies the waters. (no offense, KP) Ranging from the monotheist with his hard and fast list of what's ok and what's not, to the Left Hand Path adherent who lives by the rule "as long as thou harm no one, do as thou wilt," to the atheist who views ethics as an evolutionary check-valve; all are basically playing by the same underlying rules (as stated above) without realizing it.

* the English word "philosopher" comes from "philo-sophos" a Greek phrase meaning "not otherwise usefully employed"

I thought it came from the Greek Phi-Losopho which means: "In need of a towel" but I could be misstaken. (disclaimer...you might not get that one unless you're very well versed in the Discworld books)

As for your statements......well duh

People aren't going to be motivated because the DON'T want to do something. The question in all of this is....



WHY do they want it?

Originally Posted by LX_Emergency

WHY do they want it?

because at some level, they find it rewarding. to quote the good Doctor:

"There is no such thing as 'moral' Right. There is only true Right, the balance of the Natural Law, Lex Talionis, versus aquired Right, bestowed by popular consensus and usage. Morality is a human invention conferred by the self-serving interests of the sensually impoverished."

Originally Posted by jockeys

because at some level, they find it rewarding.

So basically, they want it because they want it. I like that