Philosophy
We often think of ethical duties in negative terms, as a series of thou shalt not rules. And while it certainly is true that in general, one ought not lie, one ought not steal, one ought not put glue sticks where your roommate usually keeps his roll-on deodorant, there are also positive duties, things you need to do. But where there are the ones that everyone has to do whenever called upon, what about the ones that you have a choice about?
It is a good thing to learn to speak another language, to pick up an instrument, to read a book that opens your mind to new horizons. These sort of activities enrich you as a human being. They make you more interesting, more well rounded, closer to the ideal self you could be. Do you have to do something like this? If someone stays out of trouble, but uses their leisure time to be a slug, never going to concerts, plays, museums, or lectures, never finds films or books that make him rethink his assumptions about the world, never works on his backhand or gets in shape, is there something morally wrong with the lack of action? Do we have a duty to -- not at all times, but often enough -- do something to grow?
- Sins Of Old Age: Is Ethics Age-dependent?
On the way in this morning, the classical station played Rossini's "Sins of Old Age," a title that begs for consideration. There is surely a time before adulthood when one is not fully able to be a complete moral agent because of lack of knowledge,...
- Do You Have To Do Something To Do Something Good?
Whenever I teach ethics, one point in Kant's discussion that always gives rise to an interesting conversation is his claim that for an act to be of moral worth, it cannot serve any positive purpose for the person who does it. Even if it just makes...
- Comedist Commandments
Brothers, Sisters, and Transgenedered Comedists Everywhere: One of the functions of a religion is to provide spiritual guidance on living life. So on this the holiest day of the year, I give unto you these fifteen?oy?these Ten Commandments: 1. I am the...
- Somebody Please Explain Situational Ethics To Me
One of the bogeymen of the right is "situational ethics." I will admit that I haven't a clue what it is they mean. Some mean ethical relativism, and that has its own set of problems, but others clearly intend something else and I'm not sure what...
- God And Ethics: What Is The Relationship Between Religion And Morality?
Dostoevsky said that "Without religion, everything is allowed," the idea being that some supernatural authority is a necessary precondition for morality. This is wrong, of course, one can be a perfectly ethical person without belief in God and ethical...
Philosophy
Is There a Duty of Self-Improvement?
We often think of ethical duties in negative terms, as a series of thou shalt not rules. And while it certainly is true that in general, one ought not lie, one ought not steal, one ought not put glue sticks where your roommate usually keeps his roll-on deodorant, there are also positive duties, things you need to do. But where there are the ones that everyone has to do whenever called upon, what about the ones that you have a choice about?
It is a good thing to learn to speak another language, to pick up an instrument, to read a book that opens your mind to new horizons. These sort of activities enrich you as a human being. They make you more interesting, more well rounded, closer to the ideal self you could be. Do you have to do something like this? If someone stays out of trouble, but uses their leisure time to be a slug, never going to concerts, plays, museums, or lectures, never finds films or books that make him rethink his assumptions about the world, never works on his backhand or gets in shape, is there something morally wrong with the lack of action? Do we have a duty to -- not at all times, but often enough -- do something to grow?
- Sins Of Old Age: Is Ethics Age-dependent?
On the way in this morning, the classical station played Rossini's "Sins of Old Age," a title that begs for consideration. There is surely a time before adulthood when one is not fully able to be a complete moral agent because of lack of knowledge,...
- Do You Have To Do Something To Do Something Good?
Whenever I teach ethics, one point in Kant's discussion that always gives rise to an interesting conversation is his claim that for an act to be of moral worth, it cannot serve any positive purpose for the person who does it. Even if it just makes...
- Comedist Commandments
Brothers, Sisters, and Transgenedered Comedists Everywhere: One of the functions of a religion is to provide spiritual guidance on living life. So on this the holiest day of the year, I give unto you these fifteen?oy?these Ten Commandments: 1. I am the...
- Somebody Please Explain Situational Ethics To Me
One of the bogeymen of the right is "situational ethics." I will admit that I haven't a clue what it is they mean. Some mean ethical relativism, and that has its own set of problems, but others clearly intend something else and I'm not sure what...
- God And Ethics: What Is The Relationship Between Religion And Morality?
Dostoevsky said that "Without religion, everything is allowed," the idea being that some supernatural authority is a necessary precondition for morality. This is wrong, of course, one can be a perfectly ethical person without belief in God and ethical...