[ExI] Origin of ethics and morals

[Stefano Vaj]

On 9 December 2011 15:56, Keith Henson <hkeithhenson at gmail.com> wrote:

> Perhaps you can convince me differently, but I see more in common than
> divergent across cultures.  Parents, for example, universally take
> care of children.
>

It may be a matter of definitions, but I suspect that the common part can
be fairly described as part of our ethology.

Is breathing an ethical or unethical behaviour?

Actual ethical systems come into play when they dictate diverging
behaviours to their respective followers.

As pointed out, eg, by Posner in The Problematics of Moral and Legal
Theory<http://www.amazon.com/Problematics-Moral-Legal-Theory/dp/0674007999/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1323444747&sr=8-2>,
"Do the Right Thing", or even "Thou Shalt Not Kill" does not really say
much about the solution or real-world moral dilemmas, which have invariably
to do with different views of what can or cannot be killed, how, when, why,
by whom, what "killing" does actually mean and what exhonerating or
mitigating circumstances may be applicable or not.

Now, I find it interesting that human experiences and theories offer a
range of answers to such questions that is much wider of what most of us
are able even to imagine, and covering almost everything which be barely
compatible with individual and group survival (and perhaps beyond...).

So, no, I am not persuaded that ethical values expounded, say, in Beowulf,
in Francis of Assisi's teachings and in Bentham's works are one and the
same.

--
Stefano Vaj
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