This presentation explores morality by comparing a behaviour's motivation with its impact and makes some recommendations for how we can build a self-perpetuating cycle of good.
2. We make moral judgements of behaviour by consulting
our conscience (which could be defined as “the
intersection of the mind and the soul”.)
• We do this by comparing a behaviour’s motivation with its impact.
• When motivation and impact are perceived to be good, we judge
an action to be “right”.
• When motivation and impact are perceived to be bad, we judge an
action to be “wrong”.
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5. Realm of the soul (motivation)
Realm of the mind (knowledge)
6. Right/ Right Right
Misguided
Realm of the soul (motivation)
Right/ Right Right
Misguided
Wrong Wrong/ Wrong/
Ambiguous Ambiguous
Realm of the mind (knowledge)
7. Divine
Right/ Right Right
Misguided
Realm of the soul (motivation)
Right/ Right Right
Misguided
Wrong Wrong/ Wrong/
Ambiguous Ambiguous
Malevolent
Realm of the mind (knowledge)
8. Moral judgements are not always black and
white.
• Some behaviours are hard to judge because:
– Interactions between motivation and impact can be paradoxical.
– We are often working with incomplete information about how a person
has weighed the consequences of their behaviour.
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9. When we are choosing our own
behaviour, it is our conscience that guides
us.
• Our own moral intentions could be said to emanate from the
“realm of the soul”.
• Our assessment of the net impact of our behaviour on other lives
emanates from the “realm of the mind”.
• Individual moral decisions are therefore always personal and
subjective, as they can only be made within the parameters of
what is known.
• Because “what is known” can have infinite variations, there are no
moral absolutes.
• Moral absolutes require infinite knowledge of the connection of
all things.
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10. Self-interest
• Self interest is never good, but it doesn’t seems as bad if the
consequences are net neutral or net positive.
• It is well known that the more we can remove ourselves from the
consequences of our actions, the easier it is to act in self interest.
• Capitalism and globalisation remove us from the consequences of
our actions.
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11. Lessons
• By tapping into the connectedness of all things, we can make
better moral judgements.
• If we wish to judge, the first thing we must do is increase our
knowledge of the unique circumstances of the moral dilemma.
• We need to build societies and ways of living in the world that
bring us into greater contact with the consequences of our
decisions.
• Ultimately, because we can’t know the connectedness of all
things, we must:
– Focus on the “now”.
– Direct our moral intentions towards those we are with (regardless of
species).
– Do the right thing by them.
• If all of us do this, we will create a self-perpetuating cycle of
good.
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