A COMPARISON OF MINIMAL ETHICS AND ASPIRATIONAL ETHICS
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Think of a Traffic Light  --

                                                              RED            -----     harm / help    -- acts have consequences

                                                             GOLD          -----     golden rule fairness --  people have rights

                                                            GREEN        -----      the inner side -- blameworthiness
                                                                                                                              to more positive virtues
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                 MIMIMAL ETHICS                                         ASPIRATIONAL ETHICS
                       as looking to                                                       as seeking to cultivate

                   STANDARDS OF                                   Fuller CONDITIONS for C.A.R.E.=
                MINIMAL DECENCY                         COLLABORATIVE AND RESPECTFUL
                    for our common life.                                                 EXISTENCE

        Duty ethics usually expressed in                     Aspirational ethics usually expressed in
        negative -- i.e. Don’t do A, B, C, etc.                     ways of coming to life more fully.

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            The RED of blood-harm                                         The RED of heart --
                                                                                                of beneficent and
        Actions have consequences.                             compassionate actions done --
                                                                                 in the light of deepening understanding
        Do not cause harm to yourself, others                      of the nature of community --
        and the conditions for communal life.                 the human and more than human community.
 

        The GOLD of caution                                         The GOLD of golden care for others
                                                                                       and for their own conditions for growth
            Persons (and perhaps other beings)                 in the light of deepening understanding
                       have rights                                                         of the nature of persons
                                                                                        (or perhaps the inner worth of all beings)

               Golden Rule Fairness =                                          Golden Rule Compassion =
                (in negative form)                                                    (in more positive form)
        Do not do to others what you                               Realize how we arise  from a common origin
    would not want them to do to you.                                       and are intertwined in a common life

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        GREEN of responsibility in terms of                       GREEN of responsibility in terms
                    blameworthiness                                         of ability to choose one’s  response

            Responsibility in this sense is                             To realize that there are always at least
        a function of knowing and willing.                                     two ways to relate to anything:
                                                                                                    a small-minded way and
                                                                                                     a large-minded way.

        Responsibility in this sense is                                   Responsibility in this sense is
                diminished                                                the increasing ability to choose one's response.
    by ignorance and deception                                     Developing the virtues -- think of the
        (against knowledge --                                                 five wonderful mindfulness trainings
            the "informed" aspect
                  of  informed consent)
                                                                                    See my shortened form in the
                       and                                                    "Gross vice -- virtue -- subtle vice"
                                                                                                            format
    by force or threat of force                                This is a process of becoming more
        (against freedom --                                             awake and alert to who we are and
            the "consent" aspect                                     who others are and how to come tol
            in informed consent)                                       live life more fully in collaborative ways

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