The Inescapable Nature of Ethics:
Navigating Moral Dilemmas and
Personal Growth
Ethics and the Moral Life
The Inescapability of Ethics
Ethics, or moral philosophy, is the study of morality - beliefs about right
and wrong, good and bad.
These beliefs guide our actions, define our values, and shape who we
are as individuals.
The question "How ought we to live?" posed by Socrates highlights the
compelling nature of ethics - it is something we cannot escape.
Even if one tries to remove themselves from the ethical realm, they
have still assumed a particular view about morality and its place in
their life.
Dealing with moral conflicts, decisions, and debates is an unavoidable
part of life.
The Importance of Ethics
Ethics is concerned with moral values - it determines what is most
important in our lives, what is worth living and dying for.
It helps us decide on the greatest good, life goals, virtues to cultivate,
duties to fulfill, the value of human life, and what sacrifices to make for
notions like the common good, justice, and rights.
Ethical issues, such as the death penalty, saving a starving child,
plagiarism, and female genital mutilation, matter greatly and require
careful ethical reflection.
The Easy Way Out
Many people choose to simply embrace the moral beliefs and norms
given to them by their family and society without critical examination.
This undermines personal freedom, as the beliefs are not truly one's
own.
It also increases the risk of incomplete, confused, or mistaken
responses to moral dilemmas and contradictions.
It hinders intellectual moral growth and the ability to defend one's
beliefs against criticism.
Other easy roads, such as subjectivism, are no better as they still
require critical examination to avoid arbitrary choices.
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