Ethics is the philosophical discipline that reflects on morality and character (see LTBG Part III). See also Jeffrey Wattles The Golden Rule (Oxford University Press.
Here are Introduction to Ethics notes on books by Aristotle, Kant, Mill, and feminist Nel Noddings.
An applied ethics topic of particular interest is connected with philosophy of science and philosophy of religion is discussed in Gender in The Urantia Book . . . and in a short document that I used in class. In the gospel-truth section of this website is a discussion of options regarding proclaiming the fatherhood of God.
In order to do ethics, we need to sharpen our understanding of the general character of actions and situations.
The Urantia Book speaks very often of virtues—courage, self-mastery, cosmic stamina, enlightened honesty. A virtue names a type of response in a certain type of situation. We might define courage, in general, as a response of persevering in the right course of action despite pain or danger. But we can define specific types of courage by observing different types of situation where courage is called for. We see varieties of courage in Paper 139 on the apostles. For example, Peter “was a brave soldier when facing a frontal attack, but he was a fear-cringing coward when surprised with an assault from the rear.”
In order to reflect on the meaning of an action, we need to consider it in general terms. We pay attention not only to this unique person in this unique situation and the nuances of feeling that take great skill to express (to whatever extent one can describe it). We are not simply in this situation, we are in this type of situation. We are not simply doing this, we are doing this type of act. And we are not simply motivated by a certain indescribable feeling, but we have a motivation of a certain type, for example (to simplify the options) self-centered, dutiful, or loving.
4:4.9 (59.5) The consciousness of a victorious human life on earth is born of that creature faith which dares to challenge each recurring episode of existence when confronted with the awful spectacle of human limitations, by the unfailing declaration: Even if I cannot do this, there lives in me one who can and will do it, a part of the Father-Absolute of the universe of universes. And that is “the victory which overcomes the world, even your faith.”
When we are confronted with the awful spectacle of human limitations, the episodes are not simply unique happenings; the episodes are recurring. They come up again and again.
We are not simply motivated by this or that Whenever we act, we have a motive. If we reflect and express that motive, we can formulate it as a general rule of the (1) kind of action that we commit ourselves to take in (2) this type of situation—for (3) this type of reason. Suppose we give a donation to a person in order to repair our mood, feeling uncomfortable in the presence of someone representing an organization that is working to meet a serious need. This is not a moral maxim, since we could maintain a comfortable mood by avoiding contact with such persons.
