Ethics: An introduction

Leon would very much like to taste that lollipop. But it’s Lina’s. And Leon doesn’t want to make her sad. Or angry. So maybe it’s wrong to take the lollipop?

Or is it? People have thought about how one should behave to do the right thing, for thousands of years. The old Greeks for example. They called this issue ethos. And in ancient Rome they also discussed this.

But called it moralis. In our language, we use the words ethics and morals. There are different ways to figure out what is right - there are several ethical models. According to one model, you are to follow existing rules: rule - or duty-based ethics. If you follow the rules, you are doing the right thing.

The rules might be religious or they might be the laws that apply to a country. One common rule is that it is wrong to steal. There are other ethical models than rule-based ethics. Many people for instance feel that what you do is not as important as what it will lead to – the consequences of your action, that is - consequentialism. If you, Leon take Lina’s candy, the consequences will be that Lina will be unhappy, or angry.

So you wouldn’t consider that a good thing. What are you thinking now, Leon? Ah, so you think that if Lina eats her lollipop she might damage her teeth and need to see the dentist. But if you eat the lollipop Lina won’t need to. So that would be good for you and for Lina.

Well, yes, then your action would result in good consequences. If this is what would happen. It might be that you need to see the dentist instead. Lina would probably be unhappy or angry anyway. So it might not be as good as you thought.

Yes, figuring out what consequences an action may have can be a bit tricky. A third ethical model instead considers what one aims to make happen by taking an action. And if one intends to do good, the action should be considered good. This is called moral sense ethics. If you, Leon, really want to help Lina to get better teeth, then you might claim that you are doing something good.

But if instead you just think that it would be nice to eat a lollipop, then no, it’s not possible to say that you are doing something good. A fourth ethical model states that some personal traits are good in themselves. Kindness and courage for example. This is what the ancient Greeks thought. They called these traits virtues.

They also counted as virtues: generosity, compassion and loyalty. This model is called virtue ethics. Do you think you’re displaying a virtue if you steal Lina’s lollipop, Leon? Kindness? Courage?

So, to be able to claim that an action is good or bad you need to interpret that action. And the means by which we interpret it, are what we call ethics. The action itself we call moral if it’s good or immoral if it’s bad. If it was your lollipop Leon, would you consider it right if Lina ate it? But it’s okay that you steal Lina’s?

When someone says that one thing is moral, right to do - but still does something different themselves, we call it having double standards. But of course, you do what you think is right, Leon.