Ethics Redux! Universally Preferable Behaviour Revisited...

Some important clarifications about Universally Preferable Behavior, my core theory of ethics.

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Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• ethics
• virtue
• freedomain
• anarchism
• libertarian
• philosophy
• morality
• Universally
• Preferable
• Behavior

[shlockofgod]

@anonymouse27 "why does it then follow that one then OUGHT TO use this theory to govern one's behavior or thinking?"

UPB is optional. The fact that truth is universally preferable to falsehood means you ought to do it. You're not forced to.

"Simply because it is logically self-consistent?"

Not at all.

"You don't get to do that without a preference."

You're telling people what they should not do. You're already accepting that truth is universally preferable to falsehood.

[anonymouse27]

Here we go again... Just because one can contrive a logically self-consistent theory that may even, in some instances, apply to some, or even a majority of situations in one's current "reality", why does it then follow that one then OUGHT TO use this theory to govern one's behavior or thinking? Simply because it is logically self-consistent? Methinks not. You don't get to do that without a preference. Which is fine. But it's personal and not universal and objective!

[rangaman94]

What does UPB say in the debate of active and passive euthanasia. Is it not universally preferable to humanely kill someone that is in miserable pain and who asks to die, or does UPB's intolerance of initiating violence forbid this killing? It's for my ethics course and I'm still an amateur at UPB, so any takers?

[Kan2209]

Morals.. If you piss off enough people, it's not good for you.

Conscience.

Logical inconsistencies don't go well with the brain for some. One feels bad because one has to keep up lies and remember lies to get away with it, and in the end one realizes it's a lot more stress free to remain truthful than lie, and getting caught of lying harms the individuals emotions and credibility. Lie too much, and it's not good for you.

You can justify any action to yourself if youre skilled enough.

[AntiPsychopath]

What a complicated and redundant way to express the human spirit.....i am perplexed

[schismatized]

@stefbot lol

[VoltairineCleyre]

You can assert that UPBs exist, but the practicality of your making such an assertion has no bearing on their actual existence and offers no clear evidence for or against it in and of itself.

I'm happy to accept that UPBs may be applicable to some situations and inapplicable to others, but none of this has any bearing on the assertion that UPB theory cannot be denied without asserting a UPB, which is simply false.

[Kawlinz]

I didn't say to act as if UPB exists, let me clarify.

If it is practical for me to assert that UPBs exist *for my argument that UPBs exist*, then why can I not just assert that UPBs exist as a fact?

As well, if assertions of UPB are impractical in a given situation, it should follow that one should not try to apply a UPB to that situation.

[VoltairineCleyre]

The conditions for acceptable evidence are varied and change depending on the circumstance. "Conditionally accepted" simply means that the theory may be cast off when conditions change (i.e. evidence is undermined or replaced).

You definitely can assert that it is practical to act as though UPBs exist, but this does not demonstrate their existence. Further, someone could make a counter-claim that assertions of UPB are impractical in a given situation without asserting a UPB in the process.

[Kawlinz]

If "theories should be well grounded in evidence before being conditionally accepted", what is the condition that we should accept evidence?

If practicality is sufficient, then why can I not say that it is practical for me to assert that UPBs exist?