Slide 1 Ethics and Complexity Exploring the relationship… Prof Lucas D....
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Transcript of Slide 1 Ethics and Complexity Exploring the relationship… Prof Lucas D....
Slide 1
Ethics and Complexity Exploring the relationship…
Prof Lucas D. Introna…..………………… Lancaster University……..…………
Slide 2
Agenda
IntroductionWhy ethics?
Ethics and (Complexity) ScienceComplexity and Ethics
Traditional approach to the problem of ethicsRethinking the complexity of the ethical problem
So what / what now
Slide 3
Why ethics?
• The question of Ethics emerges as the problem of the significant Other
• My actions affect the Other in a more or less significant way
• The ethical problem is often framed as conflicting / competing needs, rights, values, etc. of all significant Others implicated in my actions
• Ethics always implies some sacrifice (who bares the burden?)
• Ethics is how I conduct myself relative to these implicated significant Others
Slide 4
Why ethics?
Simultaneity of Self and Other
Slide 5
Who are significant Others?
• Who or what is morally significant?– God / transcendent being– Self– Humans– Animals– Nature / The environment– Machines– Things
Ego-centric Anthropocentric Bio-centric Ecocentric …
>> Hierarchy?
Slide 6
Ethics and (Complexity) Science
• Fact / value distinction– Epistemology / ethics
• Science is a social practise…
• Science ought to concern itself with the implications of its theories…
Slide 7
Ethics and (Complexity) Science
Isabelle Stengers
Slide 8
Traditional approach to ethics
• Human actions might have undesirable consequences for significant Others (justice, rights, values)
• Human in acting cause these consequences (cause / effect relationship)
• Because humans have autonomous agency (based on free will) they have moral responsibility
• How do we discharge our moral responsibility?• Rational problem solving (calculative rationality)• Reaching closure / equilibrium (justification)
Slide 9
Western ethical theory
ActMotiveReason
Consequences(significant Others)
Deontological theory
Consequentionalist theoryEthical Egoism
UtilitarianismHedonism
Ethics of DutyRights and JusticeEthics of Care
Slide 10
Complexity and Ethics
• Complexity theory’s critique of traditional approach: – Linear relationships (cause / effect)– Ahistorical nature of model (linear temporality)– Assumption of original causes (free will / autonomy)– Assumption of closure / boundedness
• Multiple feedback loops and second-order network effects (simultaneity of the local and the global)
• Already situated (compromised) nature of action (simultaneity of past / present / future)
• Agency is diffused and distributed (simultaneity intentional and the unintended)
• There is no ‘outside’ (simultaneity of self, other and all others)
Slide 11
Complexity and Ethics
ComplexEthics
Simultaneity of:
* Other and All Others
* Local and global
* Past and future
* Intended and unintended
Ethics cannot be solved (…and that is what makes it serious)
Slide 12
Levinas’ Ethics
Ethics: being disturbed; taking up our ethical obligations in everyday life…
Self Other
All Other Others
ETHICS
JUSTICE
Slide 13
Derrida’s Aporia
• Suspension of the law (fresh judgement)
• Undecidability
• Urgency (needed now)
Slide 14
Virtue ethics as a complex ethics
What is virtue?
• Strength of character • Is the outcome of practice (habit / disposition)• Involving both feeling and action• Seeks to find the mean between excess and
deficiency relative to us
Slide 15
Virtue ethics
Seeks the mean between excess and deficiency relative to us
Deficiency Virtue Excess
Cowardness Courage Foolhardiness
Stingy Generosity Wasteful
Self-loathing Humility Arrogance
Deceit Honesty Confessional
? Loyalty ?
Slide 16
Virtue ethics as a complex ethics
Why virtue ethics?
• Emphasis on character development (becoming)
(good character right actions)
• Emphasis on practice (habit / disposition)
• Morality becomes something I always do
• Encourages reflexivity…
Slide 17
Virtue ethics
Seeks to maintain the simultaneity…
Virtue
Other Care (fulness) All Others
Past Reflexivity Future
Local Mindfullness Global
Intended Open to reconsideration
Unintended
Slide 18
So what?
• Ethics needs complexity to keep it serious
• Ethics is not something we can avoid (and scientists
of human beings)
• Ethics cannot be solved (it is an ongoing obligation)
• Finding ways to deal with simultaneity is an ongoing
ethical burden
• Ethics is a ongoing practice