Moral relativism and subjectivism

This chapter explores the claim that ethics is subjective or relative. In other words that there are no moral absolutes and that moral claims always vary depending on the dominant norms at the time. The chapter explains the difficulties with claims of this kind. It also considers how ethics can appreciate diversity within society and be tolerant, while holding on to moral absolutes.

Tensions in Anglican – Roman Catholic Dialogue Doctrinal and Moral Absolutes 1980–2020

The article surveys Anglican – Roman Catholic ecumenical relationships from 1980–2020. It examines the belief in doctrinal and moral absolutes in official statements of the cdf, and the impact this had on documents from arcic. This was different from statements from the pcpcu, especially in relationship to wcc texts. The article concludes by looking at the changes since the election of Pope Francis, and whether ecumenical relationships will be different in the future.

Conscientious objection: unmasking the impartial spectator

Hoping to bring some objectivity to the debate, Ben-Moshe has argued that conscientious objection in medicine should be accommodated based on its concordance with the ‘impartial spectator’, a metaphor for conscience drawn from the writings of Adam Smith. This response finds fault with this account on two fronts: first, that its claim to objectivity is unsubstantiated; second, that it implicitly relies on moral absolutes, despite claiming that conscience is a social construct, thereby calling its coherence and claims into question. Briefly, a traditional account of conscience is then described, before ending with a related thesis for future discussion.

Good Deaths: Perspectives on Dying Well and on Medical Assistance in Dying at Thrangu Monastery Canada

Anthropological, sociological, and bioethical research suggest that various agencies affect one’s relationship with the dying process and end-of-life decisions. Agencies include the media, medical professionals, culture, and religion. Observing the prevalence of meditations and rituals relating to death at Thrangu Monastery Canada, I wanted to investigate how the latter two agencies in particular, namely culture and religion, impacted the monastery members’ views on the dying process. During 2018 interviews, I asked their opinions on the meaning of dying well, and on Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID), which was legalized in Canada in 2016. Although some scriptural examinations have suggested that voluntary euthanasia is contrary to Buddhist teachings, the majority of the monastery’s respondents support MAID to some degree and in some circumstances. Moral absolutes were not valued as much as autonomy, noninterference, wisdom, and compassion.

Truth, Justice, and the Socialist Way?

Bevin argues that Grant Morrison’s contribution to DC’s New 52 presents readers with a Superman who starts his career as a partisan social activist fighting for the rights of the most vulnerable in society but who transitions to a superhero who defends “everyone” as his story progresses. Bevin places his analysis in the context of Morrison’s earlier work to argue that his tenure on Action Comics follows his well-established thematic preoccupations and that Superman’s development throughout mirrors the writer’s own political evolution from a critic of Margaret Thatcher’s right-wing United Kingdom government to a popular philosopher suspicious of any strict political dogma, conservative, liberal, or otherwise. Bevin also applies the theories offered by cultural materialist Alan Sinfield in Faultline (1992) to suggest that, as a result of his political development, Morrison is now suspicious of moral absolutes and clear binary divisions.

Buddhist Ethics Compared to Western Ethics

The three main ethical theories in Western philosophy can be used as a framework from which to bring out the features of Buddhist ethics; hermeneutical questions regarding the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of comparison; a consideration of Buddhist ethics as virtue ethics, centring around the notions of practices, narratives, and traditions, as proposed by MacIntyre, including a discussion of relativism in the context of naturalism, the fact/value gap, and cognitivism/non-cognitivism; a critique of consequentialism including a discussion of Goodman and Singer on altruism and compassion, agent-neutrality, and personhood, especially the bodhisattva-ideal; a critique of deontology that argues that there are no moral absolutes, and that only the wise can establish in a particular situation what is right, that is, what leads to a more awakened state. Conclusion: a discussion of why it is fruitful to see Buddhist ethics as a member of the family of (neo-Aristotelian) virtue ethical theories.