Defend your ethics!

[SpiceGuid]

That's right, the morale or ethic commands a reaction or behavoir that protects a certain value, but in some special cases there is simply no value to be defended, so the morale relaxes or remains only as a merely matter of principle.

[Lance_Leader]

May i cut in? No? well i will anyway.

I figured this was pretty simple but im betting ull make it painfully obvious to me its not. I figured the system of honor would hold good. My type of honor  anyway stands at 1: Do not lie or decieve. 2: Any action taked against you, good or bad, should be repaid in full. 3:Friends/Family should be protected.ill add more later but my class is over and i got to go  :P

[nemafakei]

Easy. What if someone wants to kill your cousin: do you lie to protect them or hold good and let them die?

[blacktrance]

I guess I'll join in the discussion.

My beliefs include doing what is best for myself and my friends and family in that order. I really don't have morals, just do things for the benefits of the above. I act to cause happiness to myself and/or them or make sure that happiness happens to myself and/or them in the long term. Why do I seek personal happiness? Because I experience it. The experience of happiness is preferrable to any other experience. Now, happiness may be reached by being kind to strangers, giving money to the poor, and helping the less fortunate. As long as it causes happiness for me, it doesn't matter what it is, unless it prevents me from having happiness in the long term. I don't have a moral code, because it would restrict me.

As for people I hate, they deserve my fullest efforts to eradicate, unless it prevents my happiness to do so. People who cause me harm should me harmed in return in about twice the amount of harm they caused to me.

I don't think there is such a thing as true selflessness. Even the most "selfless" person helps others to achieve personal happiness.

1. A person is drowning in the sea. To save them, you need to swim over and drag them to the shore. Do you expend the effort to save them?

2. Same as above, except there are sharks in the sea. Do you expend the effort and take the risk of personal injury?

3. A terrorist wants to kill you. He takes one of your loved ones hostage and asks for your life in exchange for his/hers. Do you accept?

4. Same as above, but the hostage is not someone you love. It is an important scientific genius or world leader who you greatly admire. That person's death would be a greater loss to humanity than your death. Do you sacrifice yourself?

5. Would you give your life to save a million people? Why or why not?

1.

It depends on who the person is.

It depends on how far he/she is from shore.

2.

Again, it depends on the above two criteria, only, since my risk is increased, it is less likely.

3.

Probably not. I can't experience happiness if I'm dead. Although the killing of a loved one would make me unhappy in the short term, I would still be alive to cause happiness for me in the long term.

4.

No.

5.

It depends on whether I know and like them or not.

[GUNWOUNDS]

I guess I'll join in the discussion.

My beliefs include doing what is best for myself and my friends and family in that order. I really don't have morals, just do things for the benefits of the above. I act to cause happiness to myself and/or them or make sure that happiness happens to myself and/or them in the long term. Why do I seek personal happiness? Because I experience it. The experience of happiness is preferrable to any other experience. Now, happiness may be reached by being kind to strangers, giving money to the poor, and helping the less fortunate. As long as it causes happiness for me, it doesn't matter what it is, unless it prevents me from having happiness in the long term. I don't have a moral code, because it would restrict me.

As for people I hate, they deserve my fullest efforts to eradicate, unless it prevents my happiness to do so. People who cause me harm should me harmed in return in about twice the amount of harm they caused to me.

I don't think there is such a thing as true selflessness. Even the most "selfless" person helps others to achieve personal happiness.

1.

It depends on who the person is.

It depends on how far he/she is from shore.

2.

Again, it depends on the above two criteria, only, since my risk is increased, it is less likely.

3.

Probably not. I can't experience happiness if I'm dead. Although the killing of a loved one would make me unhappy in the short term, I would still be alive to cause happiness for me in the long term.

4.

No.

5.

It depends on whether I know and like them or not.

your #5 contradicts your #3

By your logic of experienced happiness.... your #5 should have the exact answer as your #3... which is "No i cant experience happiness if I'm Dead"

Just had to point out that error there.  Because if you are going to be consistent and follow your own logic then you shouldnt trade your life for a million people even if you like/know them... becuz even if they die... it will cause you short term unhappiness but you will still be alive to cause longterm happiness for yourself.

And btw you said you dont have a moral code but i believe "Hedonism" defines your moral code perfectly, since everything revolves around your happpiness/pleasure.

Guns

[blacktrance]

Well, I guess I wouldn't sacrifice myself, then.

[Khan]

Unless it would bring you happiness to know that you saved the lives of those you care about. Living without them could equal a much greater unhappiness.

[Cyborg]

As in the other thread, I present my view on good and bad:

Good and bad don't exist, and people react sefishly. Everyone tries to get the best out every situation they are in based on their view of what's best. The goal here is to get richer (material goods, immaterial goods).

If you can't gain something, you aim to lose as little as possible.

Let's say I give you a Christmas present. That would, based on my view on this, not be because I , myself, like to just give things away. I give something to you because that's expected of me, and I feel I'd lose more by not spending the money on the gift. If I don't feel it's expected of me, I don't give you the present unless I want to show you that I care. Then the gain in relationship with you will be worth more than the money spent.

I could go on with an endless amount of examples, but I guess Edric can start his questioning.