TALKING POINTS FOR WESTON

 

Why ethics?

  • Mindful living giving balance to reason, emotion and action.
  • Deep hearing… what is it?

·   Hearing another

·   Hearing ourselves

·         What is dogmatism?

·   Emotional investment without rational investment.

·         What is rationalizing?

·   The counterfeit of reasoning = special pleading, excuse making, double
          standards, informal fallacies, etc.

  • Diversity

·   Difference is the beginning of dialogue

·   Difference is opportunity

 

Appeal to Authority

  • Types of authority - God, rules, theories, etc
  • Teachers/mentors vs. authorities

 

Ethical Creativity

·         Non-judgmental ways of investigating

·   Breaking “set” – deep hearing again

·   Brainstorming

·   Free association

·   Intermediate Impossible

·         Work backwards from ideal model to best possible model

·         Reframe problem

·   Don’t freeze-frame; don’t accommodate the real problem; get to the root

·   Preventative ethics

·   Opportunity instead of problem

·   Go public – invite dialogue

 

Avoid Polarization

  • Right vs. Right
  • Integrative strategies

·   Find the common ground

·   Find what is compatible

·   Split the difference

 

Ethics with a Heart

Difference is the beginning of dialogue

  • How the heart closes

·   Fear, ego, “the other”

  • How the heart opens

·   Exchanging self for other

  • The expanding circle

 

ASSIGNMENT:  Write a succinct (one or two sentence) definition of each of these terms from the readings in Weston. Be sure to explain how each activity named helps or hinders constructive moral dialogue. An example would help.

  • Split the difference.
  • Right vs. right.
  • Intermediate impossible.
  • Expanding circle
  • Breaking set
  • Dogmatism.
  • Rationalizing.
  • Polarizing (judgmental, either/or) thinking.
  • Appeals to authority.

 

SOME TALKING POINTS FOR THE OTHER READINGS

 

SOCRATES

·                     Ethics - the art of living a good life.>

·                     Friendship: We are all better off to the extent we can live as friends. To be a good friend, I must be a good person.

·                     Eros (love based on desire) + Agape (love based on caring) if in balance = Philia (friendship)

·                     Socratic paradox: All people pursue the good to the best of their understanding.

·                     Arete: The excellent action is the action that expedites the good.  What good do we aim for? What means do we use?

·                     Arete (genus): courage, self-control, justice, holiness, wisdom (species)

·                     The problem of "mis-measure."

·                     Rational reflection, moral rectitude, just agreements.

·                     Socratic ignorance, Socratic dialogue.

 

HUME (18th century)

·                     Skepticism is not a privileged position.

·                     Probabalism.

·                     Human happiness is the goal.

 

KANT (18th century)

·                     Categorical imperative.

·                     What if everybody did it?

·                     A priori, universal, intrinsic, categorical: life, autonomy, self-actualization.

·                     Reason, not sentiment.

 

UTILITARIANISM (19th century)

·                     The goal is human happiness, therefore the greatest goal is the greatest happiness for the greatest number.

·                     Rule vs. Act

 

FEMINIST ETHICS (20th century)

·                     Ethics of caring

·                     Importance of bonding

·                     Sentiment restored - the expanding circle.

·                     Primacy of practice over rules.

 

NON-WESTERN INFLUENCES

Buddhism:

·                     Non-duality, interdependence.

·                     Start where you are.

·                     Compassion.

Taoism:

·                     Reverence for nature

Native American:

·                     Web of life - Acceptance

Africa:

·                     "It takes a village"