Comparative Ethics
Comparative ethics, also known as descriptive ethics, is a philosophical field dedicated to exploring the similarities and differences in ethical principles across various societies, religions, and groups. This branch of ethics seeks to analyze moral codes, often focusing on the role of religion in shaping these codes. Given that religions significantly influence moral frameworks, comparative ethics frequently delves into comparative religious ethics, although this area can be complex due to the sensitive nature of moral discussions and the risk of misclassification.
Comparative ethics also extends to the examination of laws and constitutions in different countries, particularly regarding human rights and the rights of marginalized groups. While a relatively new and smaller field, its importance has grown with increasing global interconnectedness, raising critical questions about the validity and ethics of comparing moral systems. The field often intersects with metaethics, which considers the nature of ethics itself, prompting debates about the appropriateness and feasibility of comparing moral codes across cultures.
Despite its challenges, such as the risk of oversimplification and cultural bias, studying comparative ethics can yield valuable insights into one's own cultural norms and reveal diverse moral perspectives. Ultimately, it aims not to establish a hierarchy of moral codes but to foster a deeper understanding of varied ethical landscapes.
Comparative Ethics
Comparative ethics, which is sometimes called descriptive ethics, is a field of study that examines similarities and differences between the ethical principles of different societies, religions, and groups of people. The study of comparative ethics is a branch of philosophy that aims to determine the best moral principles and to discover more about the world’s various religions and moral codes.
Often, comparative ethics compares different moral codes. Since religions play such an important part in developing moral codes for various groups, comparative ethics often focuses on comparing different religions. Many comparative ethicists focus on comparative religious ethics. Because of the sensitive nature of discussing the moral codes related to the religion and the inherent classification that can occur when comparing two different things, comparative religious ethics can be a difficult subject to study and discuss.
Comparative ethics can also compare laws and constitutions of different countries to help people understand the differences and similarities between the laws and the moral codes of these different places. When comparing the rights and laws of various countries, philosophers often look at human rights issues and the rights that women and minorities have in different places.
Comparative ethics is, in relative terms, a small branch of ethical study. This is in part because comparative ethics raises difficult questions about how people can, and why they should, compare different sets of moral principles. Another reason that the field of study is somewhat small is that it is a relatively new subject. The need to compare different religions and moral structures became more necessary as the world became ever more interconnected. Before, the East and West were mostly separate because of the large physical distance, and many areas had set religions or moral standards. As technology advances, distance is not as much of a dividing factor as it once was.
Metaethics and Comparative Ethics
Metaethics is one of the three main branches of ethics: applied ethics, normative ethics, and metaethics. Applied ethics is the branch of ethics that examines actions that humans take and whether those actions are right or wrong. Normative ethics tries to determine the best way for people to live. Metaethics is the study of the nature of ethics, and it examines ideas about ethics and moral reasoning. Metaethics helps philosophers and others make judgments about how to study ethics.
Philosophers often consider comparative ethics in terms of metaethics because of the nature of comparing different cultures and religions. Some philosophers question whether it is right to compare the morality of one religion with the morality of another. Others have questioned whether it is even possible to make comparisons between one society's moral code and another society's.
Although the metaethics discussion about comparative ethics will continue, enough philosophers have agreed that different moral codes and religions can be compared that the branch of comparative ethics is thriving. However, the metaethics discussion about comparing different cultures and religions has helped to change the field of comparative ethics. Current models of comparative ethics often do not identify one religion or moral code as being superior to others. Instead, many studies in comparative ethics are meant to help people better understand the religions or codes being studied. Some people who study comparative ethics also categorize the world's different religions and moral codes into groups, helping to get a better understanding.
Drawbacks and Benefits of Comparative Ethics
Studying comparative ethics can be a difficult task. One potential problem faced by comparative ethicists is that they have to be sure they do not use ideas of a few great thinkers to generalize an entire group or culture. For example, philosopher Immanuel Kant is one of the most famous philosophers of the 1700s, but it would be wrong to assume all the Europeans in the 1700s shared Kant's moral philosophy. Similarly, comparative ethicists have to make sure they do not allow their own beliefs to cloud their opinions of others. For example, the Western philosophy of the self is different from the Eastern philosophy of the self; therefore, Western philosophers have to make sure their own ideas about the self do not cloud their judgment of Eastern ideas.
Another potential problem of comparing two different moral codes is that one group may not really have a moral code. Since having a moral a code and not having one are two different things, it might not be possible to compare the morality of those two groups. Furthermore, people's desire to make comparisons could lead to their oversimplifying beliefs so they are easier to compare.
Although studying comparative ethics has its challenges, it also has a number of potential benefits. One benefit of studying comparative ethics is identifying themes in one's own culture or tradition that are not dominant but are still important. By studying other groups with different mores and rules, people can identify different moral themes and judgments.
Bibliography
"Comparative Ethics, Rights and Development." Center for Global Development and Sustainability. The Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University. Web. 21 July 2015. http://heller.brandeis.edu/gds/social-exclusion/ethics.html
"Comparative Religious Ethics Group." American Academy of Religion. American Academy of Religion. Web. 17 July 2015. https://papers.aarweb.org/content/comparative-religious-ethics-group
Hansen, Chad. "The Normative Impact of Comparative Ethics: Human Rights." Philosophy Department. The University of Hong Kong. 28 Oct. 1996. Web. 17 July 2015. http://www.philosophy.hku.hk/ch/Normative%20imps.htm
Stalnaker, Aaron. "Judging Others: History, Ethics, and the Purposes of Comparison." Journal of Religious Ethics 36 (2008): 425–444. Web. 24 July 2015. http://indiana.edu/~relstud/assets/docs/Stalnaker‗judging‗others.pdf
Wong, David. "Comparative Ethics." Encyclopedia of Ethics. Ed. Lawrence C. Becker and Charlotte B. Becker. New York: Routledge, 2001. Print.