Member-only story
How Do You Determine What is Right?
It might explain why we disagree so much.
Overview
- There are three general methods humans typically use to develop their ideological conception of ethics.
- These are based on Lawerence Kohlberg’s “Methods of Moral Reasoning” and the concepts of Deontology, Consequentialism, Utilitarianism, and Teleology.
- Using different methods will lead to vastly different outcomes — which is often why some people have irreconcilable disagreements.
- We need to know (1) what methods we use to understand the world and (2) the methods being used by opposing parties.
The distance between our culture’s propensity to vehemently argue and our culture’s ability to understand what is causing said argument is verging on the infinite.
From conflict mediation to the classical modes of reasoning we tend not to think very deeply about the essence of our perspective and how to effectively communicate it.
Yet, as a more foundational issue, we seem even less inclined to understand the cause of different arguments and how it shapes the way we disagree.
Contents:
- Why Do We Disagree
- Rule-Based Method
- Greatest Good Method
- Teleological Method
Why Do We Disagree?
Consider any number of hot button issues:
- Gun control.
- Human sexuality.
- Nation-state law enforcement.
- War.
- Economic policies.
- How to raise children.
- Whether or not you should introduce said children to St. Nicholas.
Seriously, the list is endless.
We are very good at talking about divergent perspectives — we are less proficient at understanding how we arrived at our conclusions.
How do you know what is right or what is good?
Elsewhere, I’ve covered various categories and approaches that help us formulate our arguments, but what determines the direction by which we…
