Billy S.

asked • 09/22/20

why do we tend to be less dismissive of ethical principles, while we could be dismissive of individual subjective preferences?

Howard S.

tutor
A plethora of possible reasons for this practice come to mind. Let me mention just a few. If an ethical principle exists and has made it into books, group formation and more, people tend to feel in awe of it and think they have to respect it because it's in print and exists as an entity. Meanwhile, if an individual comes up with a succulent idea, it's still individual, so people care less. Jealousy comes to mind as another motive. Each of us wants to fashion or birth a magnificent new idea. When someone else gets there first, we don't like it. You will probably hear about many other possibilities re this question. This is just a tiny start. Hope it helps.
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10/01/20

Howard S.

tutor
Good luck finding more ideas.
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10/01/20

Howard S.

tutor
You TUTOR A plethora of possible reasons for this practice come to mind. Let me mention just a few. If an ethical principle exists and has made it into books, group formation and more, people tend to feel in awe of it and think they have to respect it because it's in print and exists as an entity. Meanwhile, if an individual comes up with a succulent idea, it's still individual, so people care less. Jealousy comes to mind as another motive. Each of us wants to fashion or birth a magnificent new idea. When someone else gets there first, we don't like it. You will probably hear about many other possibilities re this question. This is just a tiny start. Hope it helps.
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10/01/20

Howard S.

tutor
Hope this helps.
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10/01/20

Howard S.

tutor
You TUTOR A plethora of possible reasons for this practice come to mind. Let me mention just a few. If an ethical principle exists and has made it into books, group formation and more, people tend to feel in awe of it and think they have to respect it because it's in print and exists as an entity. Meanwhile, if an individual comes up with a succulent idea, it's still individual, so people care less. Jealousy comes to mind as another motive. Each of us wants to fashion or birth a magnificent new idea. When someone else gets there first, we don't like it. You will probably hear about many other possibilities re this question. This is just a tiny start. Hope it helps.
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10/01/20

1 Expert Answer

By:

Robert B. answered • 12/03/21

Tutor
New to Wyzant

Former Seminarian and Seminary Teacher

About this tutor ›
About this tutor ›

Because if ethics is just something we make up instead of something already existing that we can discover, WHY BOTHER?


Here is a very intelligent atheist who became a Catholic. She is excellent on that topic.

Leah Libresco discusses how her view of right and wrong led her away from atheism.


https://vimeo.com/132856878?embedded=true&source=video_title&owner=7972370

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