ETHICS AND SOCIAL ISSUES
Our human life begins because of events outside of our control. Our early survival depends on the
mercy of others we are only able to influence by our expressions of pain and pleasure, and then only if
powerful others care. Our subsequent survival, growth, learning, reproduction, old age, and death seem
intricately involved with others in our partnership, family, society, nation, and world. What happens after
we die is unknown. Thus, human life is characterized by a struggle for survival, the pursuit of pleasure,
and the avoidance of pain.
Some ethical stances condemn certain knowledge and acts because they are “unnatural.” (For
example, cloning or aborting a fertilized egg before implantation are condemned as something that
should be “out of human control.” Other approaches to ethics encourage humans to gain knowledge
and control “Might makes right.” That is, if an act gives you power, then it is right. If a personality trait
gives you power, then it is right.
In individual human control (conscious/unconscious)
Individual actions
Control of behavior, material environment, others
Thoughts?
Emotions?
Desires?
Out of individual human control
God/Mother Nature/Evolution
Survival instinct
Biology/Chemical/Physical events
Genetics?
ETHICS AND SOCIAL ISSUES
ON CHALKBOARD
0
PreConception
In body
Out of body
Conception
In
Out
0-18 years
18-30
Birth Growing/Learning Creating
In
powerless
powerful
Out
18-45
Reproducing
indiv/couple
18-90
Child Rearing
indiv/couple
70-100
Death
After
Life
Serenity Prayer
Lord grant me the courage to change the things I can change, the serenity to accept the things I cannot
change, and the wisdom to know the difference.
Human Intervention
Individual
Masturbation
Non-marital intercourse
Non-reproductive intercourse
Marital intercourse
Sexual partnering/Marriage
Un-partnering/Divorce
Prostitution (sex trade)
Contraception
Rhythm, Withdrawal
Pre/Post Implantation
Prayer, Meditation
Abortion (Sentient, viable)
Abortion (gender, health, rape, incest)
In vitrio fertilization
Giving a child for adoption
Adopting a child
Child rearing
By individual
In couple
In family
Taking drugs
Medicine (invasive)
Human cloning
Genetic modification
Human cell/organ growing
Creation of families
Creation of social groups
Creation of government
Creation of economic systems
Govern/Social.Eco interven
Lying
Killing
Couple
Family
Group
Nation
World
Environment
SOCIAL ISSUES
1. Euthanasia
2. Abortion
3. Sexual Morality
4. Equality and Discrimination
5. Environment
6. Economic Justice: Affirm action, Welfare
7. Stem Cell Research/Therapy, Eugenics, Cloning
8. Violence, Terrorism and War
9. Global Issues & Globalization
Are our positions on these different issues mutually consistent in their
Observations (probably need access to more studies to answer this)
Value judgments (the sacredness of homo sapiens, consciousness, or sentience, the notion
of equal rights, etc.)
and Assumptions (do we think that we flourish through interdependence or independence? Etc.)