My question for this thread is who should set ethics? Who should establish "what is ethical and what is not"? Should it always be society as a whole to establish which direction is the right ethical direction with the decision based on observation of which direction the majority of society is moving? Or is "what is ethical and what is not" really not a matter of statistics but should be decided upon independent criteria and beyond simply observing the direction set by the general public?
If so then should the decision be based on what philosophers or other "thinkers" have set in the past and then carried on to the present and the future? In other words do ethical actions and behavior really change over the years? Or if they can and do change should what is ethical be based on how current philosophers look at current issues? What should be the role of religions to establish what is moral and what isn't? Are the religions and their members really the ones to define what is or is not ethical? Finally, should we disregard society, philosophers and religions and say that what is "good" and what is "bad" be defined only by those who are directly involved as actors or recipients in any activity or behavior? Should it be only the participants who set the ethical standards.
Who do you want to tell you what is ethical and what isn't? ..Maurice.
Graphic: Photograph taken by me today of the 405 Freeway in Southern California
