Importance of ethics?
It is not clear what is meant here by 'the assumption of
ethics.' What may be meant is assuming what is generally referred
to as "the moral point of view." Discussion about assuming the
moral point of view is commonplace in many modern ethical
discussions. It is indispensable when discussing ethical theories
that are nonrealist, noncognitivist, or both nonrealist and
noncognitivist. It is because of the popularity of these theories
that talk about the moral point of view is common. It's not clear
what "the moral point of view" means. Typically, it stands opposed
to ethical egoism. An ethical egoist is attached to self-interested
prudentialism. An ethical egoist thinks of himself as having one
and only one basic obligation, namely, to promote what is best for
himself. An ethical egoist could care less about what is good for
others. By way of contrast, adopting the moral point of view takes
what is good for others into account. It is a disinterested
position, not a self-interested position. Should an individual
(like you or me) adopt the moral point of view? What is the
justification for adopting a position that might sacrifice what is
best for me in favor of what is best for others? This is an
important question. When we are deciding what to think, say, or do,
how should we decide? What considerations are relevant? How we
answer may have a great impact on the quality of our lives. That's
the importance of the issue concerning whether or not to adopt the
moral point of view.
