He is speaking here poetically, saying to us: do something to help the world improve. You will then have made a difference; your life will not have been in vain. At the same time though, as an educator he very much believed in self-improvement for all. Individual Ethics and Social Ethics are compatible studies; both are equally important and will get equal emphasis in the following theory, with its many implications for living a trouble-free, harmonious life.“Be ashamed to die until you have won a victory for humanity.”
---------Horace Mann (1796-1859)
I will leave it to you, dear Readers, to figure out some of the deductions and implications that follow from these postulates; and to visualize the kind of world we would have if this ethical system were taught in classrooms wherever on this planet there is literacy, or there are people of intelligence.
Definition One: When an individual is Intrinsically-valued one has entered the field of Ethics, for Ethics may be defined as: the Intrinsic valuation of an individual, or a group of them. [It s a perspective on individuals which was explained at some length in Katz – BASIC ETHICS: a systematic approach (2014) http://tinyurl.com/mfcgzfz ]
Axiom (I) An ethical individual wants to make things morally better and approves of, and endorses it when conditions are made better.
Implied imperative: Make yourself better! - Make things better!
Axiom (II): The ultimate goal for Ethics is to provide a quality life for all.
Implied imperative: Work for Social Justice.
Optimal living, well-being, is enhanced by peace both within the individual and in the world in which s/he lives. Be aware that without justice there is no peace. By their nature most human beings have a capacity to detect, and to disapprove of, injustice. At every opportunity ask yourself how you can add value to the situation.
Axiom (III): The more the individual improves, the more the world which we inhabit becomes a better place in which to live; and the more the world improves (becomes more peaceful, cooperative, and full of people feeling good will toward each other) the better off is the individual who lives in that world.
Definition Two: “Morality” in this paradigm will mean: self being true to true self. It implies authenticity, honesty, and transparency. When the self-image (the self-ideal) of an individual contains some moral principles and it matches, to some measurable degree, the conduct of that individual (the actual observable self), then to that degree we may accurately speak of that person as moral.
Morality is a very dynamic concept, for it can grow in at least two ways: One may add more moral principles to one’s self-ideal; and one may more-and-more live up to those high ideals. Thus “morality” may be also understood as: “increasing correspondence with an improving self-ideal.” As the actual self better approximates the ideal Self, morality is the measure. Morality is self-motivated - it is our guide to a better life, health, happiness. Moral principles are not rules; they are merely guidelines to a more-comfortable, more-trouble-free life.
An ethical person would not have fun, nor ‘get ahead,’ at the expense of others. Furthermore, in an effort to make things better, ethical persons would have this attitude: “We care about people and our planet; and we want to share our good fortune with those who need a helping hand. Also we will do whatever we can to increase upward social mobility.” Such a view could well be part of a moral self-image possessed by a person of good character.
Theorem 1. Do no harm.
This follows from Definition 1, for if human life is valuable, if an individual is, as Ethics requires, uncountably valuable - then it is irrational and counterproductive to deliberately cause that person harm. Be mindful that harm or abuse can be both psychological and physical. When something is done to hurt others, whether it is ridicule, bullying, or what is called “collateral damage,” value is lost. As we go toward zero-value we are going in the direction of inertness, apathy, and death. In contrast, as we go toward more positive value (as we add more properties, enrich the concept) we are going in the direction of life …of life more abundant.
Implied imperative: Work to alleviate and reduce human suffering.
Axiom (IV): Each of us has a moral obligation to be morally good, to be happy, and to dispel unhappiness.
Note that ants, tigers, and anteaters have brains, albeit somewhat primitive. Normal human beings, however, have developed a functioning cerebral cortex in the frontal lobes of their brains. The primitive brain, the amygdala, tells us to over-eat us and to have frequent and indiscriminate sex, while the cerebral cortex tells us it is not wise to over-indulge – that it is not in our best interest. That is our mind working for us.
Implied imperative: Be mindful
Becoming the best possible person facilitates our living the best- possible life, and living an ethical life enables us to become the best we can be. Living a healthy, flourishing life on an ongoing basis necessitates our possessing a good character. [Note the section devoted to this topic which provides further details as to what this entails. See pp.7-8 in: Katz - LIVING WELL: how ethics helps us flourish - http://tinyurl.com/nrnb4t4 ]
Becoming an early adopter of this new paradigm for ethical theory and practice will make you wise. Do you want to be? Do you want to take part in this paradigm shift?
Your comments are welcome !
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