Philosophy Now Forum

Here are a couple of definitions I came up with. Can you suggest any improvements upon them? Do they fit in with what you think of as ethics?

Ethical actions are actions that are morally right. What is morally right betters the situation of parties affected by the action. In sum, a morally-right action is an act that betters society - as measured by the level of society's prosperity for each of its members and the happiness of its citizens as measured by a national happiness index.


"Compassion" =def.= a desire to alleviate or reduce the suffering of another, and when appropriate to show kindness.

Are these definitions fitting? Are they adequate? Should a nation supplement the GNP index with a Happiness Index? If yes, would you advocate for that?

Allow me for a moment to return to the theme of a previous thread:

For those who have been wondering... Ethics, the science, will progress by inspiring the development of workable technologies, technologies that will have obvious benefits, that will make life easier and more comfortable by providing harmonious human relations, thus reducing some of the stress and friction that aggravates people and prematurely ages them.

Those who choose harmony over dissension will, as a result of new knowledge, want to, and will have the know-how to, commit to those specific values that make for improved cooperation, and improved human relationships.

Comments?

C

prof wrote:Here are a couple of definitions I came up with. Can you suggest any improvements upon them? Do they fit in with what you think of as ethics?

Ethical actions are actions that are morally right. What is morally right betters the situation of parties affected by the action. In sum, a morally-right action is an act that betters society - as measured by the level of society's prosperity for each of its members and the happiness of its citizens as measured by a national happiness index.

A morally right action is one that decreases suffering. Suffering is in the mind. Suffering comes from a non-acceptance that you are forever loosing what you are and have. Morally right action is in the mind. The basic parameters of life ie that everyone will loose everything that they ever were or had, are not going to change through anybody's behaviour. The situation cannot be bettered, only the thinking about it can.

prof wrote: "Compassion" =def.= a desire to alleviate or reduce the suffering of another, and when appropriate to show kindness.

Compassion comes from realising that you are in the same boat with everybody else, namely that you and everyone else will loose everything that they ever were or had. An act of compassion works towards acceptance and understanding of this unmutable fact.

Thank you, Breath, for your thoughtful contribution.

You have deep insight especially when you write: "Compassion comes from realising that you are in the same boat with everybody else, namely that you and everyone else will loose everything that they ever were or had."

It would benefit us all to reflect on these ideas.

Good work.