Overview: In this section of material, consideration will be given to the background and processes which underpin Discrimination and Imposition. Within the following there is a comparison / contrast of the influence of ethics and morals. If you have not read the comparison in a previous blog, it would be well to do so at this time.
The material covered will be in terms of Background Word, Attitude Words, and Expression Words (the actions that one takes based upon background and attitude).
BACKGROUND WORDS
As in any behavior, be it words or actions, there are antecedent processes which precede and give foundation to those things. It is not different with words and actions with improperly discriminate and/or impose upon another.
We begin with a quick look at the very basic elements that begin to set the stage for these actions. This first section on Background Words is further divided into Unchangeable and Changeable. That is there are some things over which one has no control and thus one cannot change those things. They are Unchangeable. On the other hand, there are those things over which one had control and thus they are Changeable. There is an additional category which is a combination of both.
The Unchangeable is the category that contains those elements which a person cannot control or change.
Included are such things as one is born with to include race, gender, genetic qualities, etc. Then too there are those processes over which one has no control such as aging, illness, or injury.
The Combination category contains the Comprehendable which is the category that contains those thing of which one become aware of with aging.
The infant without a great deal of choice gradually becomes aware of the world beyond his mother. Thus in the infant years there is a low realization and low control over what to do with that realization. As the child progresses through the various stages to adulthood there is more and more realization and control.
Though one may have a high "intuitive" and thus realize on a spiritual-intuitive, social-intuitive, rational-intuitive, or some other intuitive level, there yet remains the matter of one's choice. That is with realization comes the responsibility for making choices as to what one accepts and incorporates into his paradigms of life. At this point the question of whether one makes those choices based on ethics or morals enters the decision making processes.
The Changeable category contains a two section breakout. Included is Ethnicity and Culture.
Another way of looking at Ethnicity is that of identity. The ethnic situation into which one is born is by no means ever unchangeable. It may so in the early years when one is dependent upon family and/or sub-culture but with maturity comes the power to choose one's ethnic proclivities. So as life progresses one's ethnicity is a matter of choosing what particular religious, racial, social, or national group one chooses for their identity. It may include customs, language, idioms, mores, racial views, social views, and other elements of a social group to which one belongs or with which one wishes to identify.
The other element in the changeable category is that of Culture. Again this category is in the control of the individual as they in the course of life make choices as to which thoughts to think, words and word combinations to use in communication, what actions are acceptable, what customs to observe, what beliefs to hold, what values to embrace and live out, and what social institutions to enter.
An overall principle to keep inmind is that as a person matures, is educated, and matures the awareness of these things becomes greater and with increasing awareness comes the opportunity to make choices and those choices are the basis of change. Attendant to that point is that as one matriculates through those processes, one becomes more and more responsible for the choices made. Thus the importance of an ethical framework.
THE CORRECT OR INCORRECT ATTITUDES, WHY?
Now return to the question, by what values does one judge an attitude and attendant action to be correct or incorrect? Consider the following chart and look to the central column. There are two types of correct attitudes. One is correct positive attitudes, that correctness is then based upon a value.
The choice one has to make is which item in the right column is foundational to the establishment of the value? The second question one must ask is how durable is that foundation? As you by now, assuming you have at the very least perused previous submissions that the only durable foundation for a value is found in ethics.
ATTITUDE WORDS
It is at this level that we encounter words which indicate attitudes. When those attitudes of the heart are based upon faulty information, less complete information, wrong information, and/or incorrect values it leaves one in very precarious position as we shall later see.
What then are the attitudes of the heart which one must carefully keep consistent with right ethical values? Remember, emotionally laden thoughts become emotionally laden attitudes. Those attitudes then become expressed in the words one speaks and the actions one takes. Those words spoken are not only heard by others if verbalized but also whether verbal or non-verbal act to keep one in those thought processes.
It is therefore crucial that ethical standards be the banks within which those processes flow. As well it is crucial that those same ethics function within those processes. In other words, there must be an ethical underpinning, an ethical restraint, and an ethical content in the processes associated with attitudes.
Remembering the question, What determines the standard for correct or incorrect? consider three words germane to the attitudes under study. Also keep clearly in mind that these words are changeable and throughout one's life they do change! Hopefully the change will always be guided by and toward an ethical foundation and process.
Conviction: A firm belief held as proven. Conviction can be rational but often there is emotion involved.
Ethical convictions are those convictions held based upon ethical truth. Though they may be out of syn with the surrounding culture, sub-culture, and social situation, etc. they are those things that have stood the tests of universality, objectiveness, and transcendency and thus are considered to be durable. These are those truths which are found to be revealed in the writings of Moses and elucidated throughout the remainder of Judeo-Christian Scriptures.
Moral convictions are those convictions held based upon one's understanding of the mores of the particular culture, sub-culture, and social situation, etc. These are those things that may be but do not have to be held to be universal, objective, or transcendent. This position holds that truth is not durable but ever in flux since social mores are always in flux. It is the kind of truth that flexes with the addition of change.
What divides the two positions is found in the question, Just what assumptions or presuppositions does one bring to the discussion? The implications of that question will be seen in some of the discussion that follows. Another area of concern would be the validity of the information that one takes to be true. As well there could be a question of the completeness of such information of which one is in possession.
Bias: A bent or inclination to a direction of thinking. Again there is a rational content but bias may contain more and greater emotional content.
The previous development of Ethical convictions versus Moral convictions would also apply here except that since this is a great deal less firm than a conviction, those things when applied to bias serve to guide as one processes and moves forward toward conviction.
Here again there is a dividing line. Those beliefs and attitude--those biases that are being held and processed based upon ethics, would be more durable than those biases that are held and processed based upon morals. Thus they would share some of the characteristics of and some of the durability of an ethical conviction.
Prejudice: A premature and preconceived attitude or opinion usually negative based upon wrong assumptions, false information, or before all information is collected. Since there tends to be less rational involvement, prejudices tend to possess a high emotional content.
Note that prejudice as is being discussed here is not possible if viewed from an ethical position. That is to say that ethical truth deals a death blow to the whole notion of prejudice! Not so moral truth. Take for example the racial discrimination that was so prevalent in the 50s and 60s. In particular take the South. Such prejudice was correct according to the mores of that time and culture. However, such was and continues to be ethically wrong and those of strong ethical character have always considered it to be so.
Should one have a prejudice that survives the ethical process it would then at the very least move that prejudice to being a bias. As one processes bias based upon ethical truth then that which survives the process moves to become an ethical conviction.
Discrimination: Any action that hinders equal access equal access to economic resources, educational systems, and/or leisure opportunities.
Each person every day makes decisions and those decisions call upon the decision-maker to make choices. Most of those choices are rooted in some kind of discrimination. The problem comes when such discrimination is based upon the unchangeable elements of one's life. For example if one makes choices about another based upon that person's race, skin color, gender, or some other physical quality that is out of that person's span of control such discrimination is not acceptable.
On the other hand, if one makes choices that discriminate based upon an ethical position then, if you accept that ethical standards are durable and apply equally to all, such a decision though it discriminates and hardly be labeled, "discrimination."
That being the case discrimination founded upon universal objective ethical truth is a discrimination that is based upon truth and as long as it is applied equally and fairly in reality cannot be labelled discrimination. However, should that same ethical truth be applied unfairly, applied based not upon behavior but according to race and gender, etc., such application would be discrimination.
The real problem for the moralist is using mores as the basis for discrimination. This is so because of the non-universality of mores and thus the difficulty in objectivity. Another problem in what has been termed reverse discrimination, that is making choices in favor of one person based upon that persons unchangeable elements, when such a choice excludes others. Again, such may be morally correct but in fact is ethically wrong.
Imposition: Any word or action that thrusts one's will, opinion, etc. upon another without invitation to do so.
The question must be asked, what is the basis of one's assuming a right or even a responsibility to impose upon another. For example, if one does so for ethical reason such as requiring honesty in the work place, such an imposition would be based upon durable truth. However, that same imposition upon moral grounds could in fact create difficulties.
To this point consideration has been given to the basis and process that lead to discrimination and imposition. From the diagram below, one can see that when the foundation and actions involved in these processes are based upon a foundation of ethical truth, there is a validity of such actions as result. At times the term durable truth has been included in the discussion.
Also included in the discussion has been those trues which are based upon cultural or societal mores. Since such can be unique to the social situation and has not stood the test of time, these values are much less likely to survive over the long-term. As well, since ethical truth transcends the uncertainties of man's existence, such truth if properly understood, embraced, and practiced can provide a certain sense of confidence and hope in the uncertain moral environment of today's moral confusion.
Conviction: A firm belief held as proven. Conviction can be rational but often there is emotion involved.
Ethical convictions are those convictions held based upon ethical truth. Though they may be out of syn with the surrounding culture, sub-culture, and social situation, etc. they are those things that have stood the tests of universality, objectiveness, and transcendency and thus are considered to be durable. These are those truths which are found to be revealed in the writings of Moses and elucidated throughout the remainder of Judeo-Christian Scriptures.
Moral convictions are those convictions held based upon one's understanding of the mores of the particular culture, sub-culture, and social situation, etc. These are those things that may be but do not have to be held to be universal, objective, or transcendent. This position holds that truth is not durable but ever in flux since social mores are always in flux. It is the kind of truth that flexes with the addition of change.
What divides the two positions is found in the question, Just what assumptions or presuppositions does one bring to the discussion? The implications of that question will be seen in some of the discussion that follows. Another area of concern would be the validity of the information that one takes to be true. As well there could be a question of the completeness of such information of which one is in possession.
Bias: A bent or inclination to a direction of thinking. Again there is a rational content but bias may contain more and greater emotional content.
The previous development of Ethical convictions versus Moral convictions would also apply here except that since this is a great deal less firm than a conviction, those things when applied to bias serve to guide as one processes and moves forward toward conviction.
Here again there is a dividing line. Those beliefs and attitude--those biases that are being held and processed based upon ethics, would be more durable than those biases that are held and processed based upon morals. Thus they would share some of the characteristics of and some of the durability of an ethical conviction.
Prejudice: A premature and preconceived attitude or opinion usually negative based upon wrong assumptions, false information, or before all information is collected. Since there tends to be less rational involvement, prejudices tend to possess a high emotional content.
Note that prejudice as is being discussed here is not possible if viewed from an ethical position. That is to say that ethical truth deals a death blow to the whole notion of prejudice! Not so moral truth. Take for example the racial discrimination that was so prevalent in the 50s and 60s. In particular take the South. Such prejudice was correct according to the mores of that time and culture. However, such was and continues to be ethically wrong and those of strong ethical character have always considered it to be so.
Should one have a prejudice that survives the ethical process it would then at the very least move that prejudice to being a bias. As one processes bias based upon ethical truth then that which survives the process moves to become an ethical conviction.
EXPRESSION WORDS
While the outcome of unethical conviction, bias, and prejudice may be expressed in words, thus the title, the reality is that these things can be expressed in behaviors. Consider the following.
Discrimination: Any action that hinders equal access equal access to economic resources, educational systems, and/or leisure opportunities.
Each person every day makes decisions and those decisions call upon the decision-maker to make choices. Most of those choices are rooted in some kind of discrimination. The problem comes when such discrimination is based upon the unchangeable elements of one's life. For example if one makes choices about another based upon that person's race, skin color, gender, or some other physical quality that is out of that person's span of control such discrimination is not acceptable.
On the other hand, if one makes choices that discriminate based upon an ethical position then, if you accept that ethical standards are durable and apply equally to all, such a decision though it discriminates and hardly be labeled, "discrimination."
That being the case discrimination founded upon universal objective ethical truth is a discrimination that is based upon truth and as long as it is applied equally and fairly in reality cannot be labelled discrimination. However, should that same ethical truth be applied unfairly, applied based not upon behavior but according to race and gender, etc., such application would be discrimination.
The real problem for the moralist is using mores as the basis for discrimination. This is so because of the non-universality of mores and thus the difficulty in objectivity. Another problem in what has been termed reverse discrimination, that is making choices in favor of one person based upon that persons unchangeable elements, when such a choice excludes others. Again, such may be morally correct but in fact is ethically wrong.
Imposition: Any word or action that thrusts one's will, opinion, etc. upon another without invitation to do so.
The question must be asked, what is the basis of one's assuming a right or even a responsibility to impose upon another. For example, if one does so for ethical reason such as requiring honesty in the work place, such an imposition would be based upon durable truth. However, that same imposition upon moral grounds could in fact create difficulties.
THE PROCESS
To this point consideration has been given to the basis and process that lead to discrimination and imposition. From the diagram below, one can see that when the foundation and actions involved in these processes are based upon a foundation of ethical truth, there is a validity of such actions as result. At times the term durable truth has been included in the discussion.
Also included in the discussion has been those trues which are based upon cultural or societal mores. Since such can be unique to the social situation and has not stood the test of time, these values are much less likely to survive over the long-term. As well, since ethical truth transcends the uncertainties of man's existence, such truth if properly understood, embraced, and practiced can provide a certain sense of confidence and hope in the uncertain moral environment of today's moral confusion.
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