Re: [Fis] The Identity of Ethics and Integrity

Dear Gordana,

I very much agree with your that dialogue is the main issue in ethics and... morals today. Both levels are intertwinned but are not identical. At the pragmatic (political) level we need a dialogue in order to come
to "minima moralia." This is particular important in the Internet but also in other fields. I call the dialogue at the *scientific* level intercultural information ethics.
If you understand German take a look at this paper: http://www.capurro.de/parrhesia.html
where I recall Nietzsche's insight that the next age will be an age of "comparison" before we come to *universal* results. In other words, our commitment at the level of reflection should be, I believe, a patient (!) (long term) work of looking at the *surface* of existing moral systems, their differences (!) and inconsistencies prima facie similarities... If we go too fast in or striving for a (global information) ethics it is like first imaging that the earth is a smooth polished sphere as seen from very far away but as soon as you come near to it, you start considering the *real* state of the surface. This can be done at the micro-level.
Take, as an example, the intercultural discussions (Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Western...) on the concept of privacy as discussed in the journal Ethics & IT (2005) Vol. 7
http://www.springer.com/east/home/philosophy?SGWID=5-40385-70-35553605-0&referer=www.springeronline.com&referer=www.springeronline.com

The International Center for Information Ethics (ICIE) http://icie.zkm.de
will publish soon a book about intercultural and ethical views of the Internet.

kind regards

Rafael

Prof. Dr. Rafael Capurro
Hochschule der Medien (HdM) University of Applied Sciences, Wolframstr. 32, 70191 Stuttgart, Germany
Private: Redtenbacherstr. 9, 76133 Karlsruhe, Germany
E-Mail: rafael@capurro.de; capurro@hdm-stuttgart.de
Voice Stuttgart: + 49 - 711 - 25706 - 182
Voice private: + 49 - 721 - 98 22 9 - 22 (Fax: -21)
Homepage: www.capurro.de
Homepage ICIE: http://icie.zkm.de
Homepage IRIE: http://www.i-r-i-e.net
  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Gordana Dodig-Crnkovic
  Cc: fis@listas.unizar.es
  Sent: Friday, May 12, 2006 8:07 AM
  Subject: Re: [Fis] The Identity of Ethics and Integrity

  "At the very best, your definition/inference holds only when singular societal value sets are the criteria for judgment. A general attachment of 'integrity' with morals is improper." James Rose

  Here I think we have an important distinction that is good to make having in mind the rapid process of globalization that is going on. It is also relevant for Alex's remarks.

  It seems to me that one of the central issues right now is that of a dialogue. There are importantly different ethical points of view within different societies. There are different judgments dependent on how you set your values/priorities. To me, the most reasonable way to solve such problems is a dialogue. One way or the other human rules of the game are negotiated. I agree with Steven that it is important to find common denominators. If you want a dialogue between different value systems (and what would be the alternative?) it is good to start from what can be identified as common.

  Lawrence Hinman for example identifies the three most fundamental ethical principles as:
  1. Value human life (not killing the members of your group)
  2. Taking care of children
  3. Trust (that establishes the stable rules for the system)

  Naturally the central question is whom you experience as a member of your group - humanity or your best friends.

  Back to the need of defining (global) ethics, one might say that one thing happens here, as often in the history of philosophy - philosophy is progressing by leaving parts of its territories to the science. It seems to me good at this stage to make scientific all that may be made scientific, but not more than that (paraphrasing Einstein's advice to make simple all the may be simplified, but not more than that). Part of ethical judgment may be built into expert systems. Simulations may help to predict the consequences of different ethical positions. (Here the practical action - what can be done and how - is on focus).

  The question of integrity that appears on many different scales - integrity of a state related to other states, integrity of a group among other groups, integrity of an individual in relation to other individuals, groups, etc. What would be the value of those different integrities? The answer is emerging as a result of interaction/dialogue on different levels, and we hopefully are contributing to it.

  I like Michael's view:
  "The word "health" comes from the same root in language as the word "wholeness". Psychological health comes from integration, and an essential part of this is the process of remembering, i.e., bringing the memory objects into an integrated structure of mind. "

  It is a very general idea, and it can be applied in different value systems and at different levels of granularity.

  Best,
  Gordana Dodig Crnkovic
  http://www.idt.mdh.se/personal/gdc/

  James N Rose wrote:
I would like to challenge this as a category error.
Integrity does not have to be linked with ethics
or morals.

A cannibal who remains true to his/her collective's
code of behavior and eats other people is outside
the coda of other society's "ethics or morals",
but has 'integrity' within his/her social order.

At the very best, your defnition/inference holds
only when singular societal value sets are
the criteria for judgement. A general attachment
of 'integrity' with morals is improper.

James Rose
 

"Michael Leyton (by way of Pedro Marijuan )" wrote:
  So it is by refusing to remember, that the
non-integrated person, i.e., the person without integrity,
becomes an unethical person.

best
Michael Leyton

    
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Received on Fri May 12 09:39:47 2006