ETHICS AND MORALS MORALS.TXT ********************************************************************* MOST PEOPLE HAVE A SET OF VALUES/RULES/CODE OF BEHAVIOR, THEY ESPOUSE AND AT LEAST "TRY" TO LIVE BY. SUCH A CODE OF BEHAVIOR IS OFTEN CALLED MORALS. WHEN MOST PEOPLE SPEAK OF MORALS IN AMERICA, THEY IMMEDIATELY THINK OF THE BASIC TEN COMMANDMENTS GIVEN IN CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES. IN MY UNDERSTANDING MORALS ARE A CODE OF BEHAVIOR THAT IS RIDGED AND MUST BE FOLLOWED AT ALL COSTS. CERTAIN "THINGS" ARE ALWAYS GOOD/RIGHT AND CERTAIN OTHER "THINGS" ARE ALWAYS BAD/WRONG. IN MY UNDERSTANDING, MORALS ARE AN INAPPROPRIATE WAY TO RUN YOUR LIFE ! MORALS DO NOT TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION ANY DIFFERENCES IN CIRCUMSTANCES. EXAMPLE: ALWAYS TELL THE TRUTH IS A MORAL. IN MY UNDERSTANDING THIS STATEMENT IS ACTUALLY SAYING, ALWAYS TELL THE TRUTH NO MATTER WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES, NO MATTER WHO OR HOW IT MAY HURT OR WHAT THE RESULTS MAY BE. IN MY UNDERSTANDING THIS IS IGNORANT AND STUPID. I HAVE NO MORALS....I HAVE ETHICS..... IN MY UNDERSTANDING ETHICS ARE A CODE OF BEHAVIOR WHICH IS NOT RIDGED. ETHICS ALLOW VARIATIONS IN BEHAVIOR, ALLOWS "APPROPRIATE" BEHAVIOR, TO FIT EACH SPECIFIC SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES. I BELIEVE IT IS INAPPROPRIATE TO LIE, BUT I WOULD QUITE COMFORTABLY LIE IF IT WOULD SAVE A PERSON'S LIFE TO DO SO. I WOULD FEEL NO GUILT ABOUT THE LYING AT ALL, FOR IN MY UNDERSTANDING IT WAS THE "APPROPRIATE" BEHAVIOR IN THE SITUATION. IN MY UNDERSTANDING, IF I SEE SOMEONE TRYING TO KILL ANOTHER PERSON AND I TAKE NO ACTION TO TRY TO STOP THE KILLING, I AM THEN PARTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PERSONS DEATH. IF I TAKE ACTION TO STOP THE KILLING, BUT AM UNABLE TO STOP IT, I BELIEVE I HAVE NO RESPONSIBILITY IN THE PERSON'S DEATH, BECAUSE I DID MY BEST TO STOP IT. I BELIEVE IT IS INAPPROPRIATE TO STEAL, BUT IF I HAVE SMALL CHILDREN WHO ARE STARVING AND I CAN NOT GET FOOD FOR THEM EXCEPT BY STEALING, I WILL STEAL TO FEED THEM. AND I WILL FEEL NO GUILT IN DOING SO. I BELIEVE IT IS INAPPROPRIATE TO KILL, HOWEVER, I WILL KILL TO PROTECT MY LIFE, THE LIVES OF MY LOVED ONES AND MY WEAKER "BROTHER'S" LIVES. ***********************************************************************