Ethics Beyond Moral Theory

I develop an anti‐theory view of ethics. Moral theory (Kantian, utilitarian, virtue ethical, etc.) is the dominant approach to ethics among academic philosophers. But moral theory's hunt for a single Master Factor (utility, universalisability, virtue . . .) is implausibly systematising and reductionist. Perhaps scientism drives the approach? But good science always insists on respect for the data, even messy data: I criticise Singer's remarks on infanticide as a clear instance of moral theory failing to respect the data of moral perceptions and moral intuitions. Moral theory also fails to provide a coherent basis for real‐world motivation, justification, explanation, and prediction of good and bad, right and wrong. Consider for instance the marginal place of love in moral theory, compared with its central place in people's actual ethical outlooks and decision making. Hence, moral theory typically fails to ground any adequate ethical outlook. I propose that it is the notion of an ethical outlook that philosophical ethicists should pursue, not the unfruitful and distorting notion of a moral theory.     

Beyond Revolt: A Horizon for Feminist Ethics

The suggestion here is that casting the project of feminist ethics in confrontational language, rooted in a rebellion picture of moral epistemology, impedes the further development of that very project. Four commonplace examples are offered to make this suggestion plausible. I urge instead a pluralistic approach to styles of moral thinking and propose that the project of feminist ethics would be better served by casting it in the language of reconciliation.     

Beyond Positivist Ecology: Toward an Integrated Ecological Ethics

A post-positivist understanding of ecological science and the call for an “ecological ethic” indicate the need for a radically new approach to evaluating environmental change. The positivist view of science cannot capture the essence of environmental sciences because the recent work of “reflexive” ecological modelers shows that this requires a reconceptualization of the way in which values and ecological models interact in scientific process. Reflexive modelers are ecological modelers who believe it is appropriate for ecologists to examine the motives for their choices in developing models; this self-reflexive approach opens the door to a new way of integrating values into public discourse and to a more comprehensive approach to evaluating ecological change. This reflexive building of ecological models is introduced through the transformative simile of Aldo Leopold, which shows that learning to “think like a mountain” involves a shift in both ecological modeling and in values and responsibility. An adequate, interdisciplinary approach to ecological valuation, requires a re-framing of the evaluation questions in entirely new ways, i.e., a review of the current status of interdisciplinary value theory with respect to ecological values reveals that neither of the widely accepted theories of environmental value—neither economic utilitarianism nor intrinsic value theory (environmental ethics)—provides a foundation for an ecologically sensitive evaluation process. Thus, a new, ecologically sensitive, and more comprehensive approach to evaluating ecological change would include an examination of the metaphors that motivate the models used to describe environmental change.

Beyond the Classroom Wall: Theorist-Practitioner Relationships and Extra-Mural Ethics

In this paper I investigate the theory-practice relationship in ethics by using the lens of theorist-practitioner relationships. In particular I discuss the contrasts between theorist-practitioner relationship inside and outside the classroom, the ‘extra-mural’ expertise of theorists, and the ethical issues which arise when theorists act as co-practitioners. I argue that understanding these social and ethical issues is essential to understanding the relationship between theory and practice in ethics, and shows the need for more emphasis on practice-oriented forms of ethical theorising.     

Broadening Ethics Teaching in Engineering: Beyond the Individualistic Approach

There is a widespread approach to the teaching of ethics to engineering students in which the exclusive focus is on engineers as individual agents and the broader context in which they do their work is ignored. Although this approach has frequently been criticised in the literature, it persists on a wide scale, as can be inferred from accounts in the educational literature and from the contents of widely used textbooks in engineering ethics. In this contribution we intend to: (1) Restate why the individualistic approach to the teaching of ethics to engineering students is inadequate in view of preparing them for ethical, professional and social responsibility; (2) Examine the existing literature regarding the possible contribution of Science, Technology and Society (STS) scholarship in addressing the inadequacies of the individualistic approach; and (3) Assess this possible contribution of STS in order to realise desired learning outcomes regarding the preparation of students for ethical and social responsibility.     

组织诚信:超越个体品德的组织伦理和行为

由于市场经济活动中的交易行为更多是组织层面的行为,企业组织诚信相比较于个体诚信来说对社会公众就具有更广泛和更普遍的影响。本文辨析了组织诚信与个体诚信的异同,指出组织诚信是组织作为社会环境中的道德行为者,自觉遵守商业经营的一系列价值和伦理规则。文章揭示了组织诚信的作用,以及它成为组织战略性资产的定位,并进一步提出了建设组织诚信的基本路径。     

Beyond Ethics to Morality: Choices and Relationships in Bicultural Research Settings

As community and applied social psychologists, it is crucial that we know ourselves as cultural beings, appreciate the values and beliefs of those with whom we work and understand the history of relations among those in our work settings. In New Zealand, research by non‐Māori involving Māori has often mirrored the harmful colonising practices of the nation's wider history. In response, several frameworks have been developed setting out conditions and guidelines in which non‐Māori might conduct research in Māori settings responsibly and usefully. Nevertheless, views differ on the ways, and extent to which, non‐Māori might be involved. Most guidelines do not provide answers to ethical nuances that may arise. This article discusses the experiences of a non‐Māori community psychologist engaging in research in a predominantly Māori setting. It describes how the first author carefully negotiated entry into the setting, built relationships based on mutuality, sought expert guidance, exercised an ethic of caring, and ensured that the research was accountable to the community. We believe that there are important lessons here for researchers from dominant groups undertaking research in indigenous and minority communities. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

基督宗教伦理学的理论特质

本文从检讨道德与宗教的关系出发,具体分析基督宗教伦理学的各种重要定义以及由此引出的基本问题。在此基础上,作者又逐一检讨了基督宗教伦理学独特的思想本质。最后,作者对基督宗教伦理学的展开历史以及每一历史时期的特点作了简明而清晰的梳理。     

环境伦理学的三个理论焦点

一、人类中心主义与非人类中心主义之争 :所争何事 ?在西方环境伦理学界 ,人类中心主义和非人类中心主义争论的核心问题是 :保护自然这一伦理义务的最终根据或基础究竟是什么 ?对这一问题的典型的人类中心主义的回答是 :对他人的伦理义务。那么 ,为什么人只对人负有伦理义务呢 ?答曰 :人是惟一的目的存在物。到目前为止 ,康德的这一论证仍然是人类中心主义的主要的理论基石。由于担心人类中心主义所理解的这种环境伦理不足以约束人类破坏自然的行为 ,许多学者试图另辟蹊径 ,为人们提供一种更具“刚性”的伦理原则 ,用于指导人们调节人与自然…     

Moving Life Science Ethics Debates Beyond National Borders: Some Empirical Observations

The life sciences are increasingly being called on to produce “socially robust” knowledge that honors the social contract between science and society. This has resulted in the emergence of a number of “broad social issues” that reflect the ethical tensions in these social contracts. These issues are framed in a variety of ways around the world, evidenced by differences in regulations addressing them. It is important to question whether these variations are simply regulatory variations or in fact reflect a contextual approach to ethics that brings into question the existence of a system of “global scientific ethics”. Nonetheless, within ethics education for scientists these broad social issues are often presented using this scheme of global ethics due to legacies of science ethics pedagogy. This paper suggests this may present barriers to fostering international discourse between communities of scientists, and may cause difficulties in harmonizing (and transporting) national regulations for the governance of these issues. Reinterpreting these variations according to how the content of ethical principles is attributed by communities is proposed as crucial for developing a robust international discourse. To illustrate this, the paper offers some empirical fieldwork data that considers how the concept of dual-use (as a broad social issue) was discussed within African and UK laboratories. Demonstrating that African scientists reshaped the concept of dual-use according to their own research environmental pressures and ascribed alternative content to the principles that underpin it, suggests that the limitations of a “global scientific ethics” system for these issues cannot be ignored.     

五个层面的挑战与三大理论难题——试论基因伦理

基因伦理的挑战在基因-检测、基因-治疗、基因-生殖、基因-克隆、基因-生态等五个层面展开,大致包括保护基因隐私、防止基因歧视,生殖细胞能否基因治疗,辅助生殖是否“扮演上帝”,克隆人,转基因的安全性等内容。同时,提出了基因决定论、实体论和主观论以及基因伦理走向何处等理论难题,需要认真研究和讨论。     

论传播伦理学的理论建设

传播的基本属性决定了传播的道德属性 ,传播在其过程中深受社会道德的制约 ,因而 ,从理论上探讨传播伦理的性质特点及其与社会道德的关系 ,论述了传播伦理学的内涵、研究对象和任务及学科属性 ,在当今尤显重要。