Ethical universalism is a concept in which the ethical implications of an action applies universally to anyone, regardless of circumstance. To summarize, the end justifies the means.
Examples of pseudo-universally wrong actions: murder, rape, torture
Examples of pseudo-universally good actions: charity, sacrifice, altruism
There is no specific date of its
foundation, but the principal
has existed in similar forms in
ancient societies. Perhaps the
most clear-cut modern
examples are humanitarian
groups.Immanuel Kant
For ethical universalism to apply to anything, a system which determines the implications of an act must be defined. Since no two beings can share identical life experience, and therefore beliefs, there is no way to define a universal set of morals. Circumstance must be also considered as there are moral beliefs which may directly conflict with another.
Hitler’s rationalization
for his actions was
that the end justified
the means.
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