Category Archives: Ethics

Right things

What is right for me is not necessarily right for thee – an everyday story of moral dilemmas One of my guilty pleasures – well, one that I am happy to share with the world – is that I am … Continue reading

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Transparent or opaque?

(featured image via Dall-E 3) Transparency, especially related to people’s incomes, may not be as desirable as we think Relativity is widely associated with Albert Einstein (even though many people have, at best, only a vague idea of what the … Continue reading

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Reputation for plagiarism

Plagiarism is certainly worthy of disdain when it constitutes actual theft – collecting payment that the original creator would have received – but why do we also tend to take a dim view of instances of plagiarism where there is … Continue reading

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The ethics of voluntary economic transactions

<featured image: Ron Lach/Pexels> Can voluntary transactions raise ethical questions? Yes, they can! It has just gone midnight and you are walking home from the station, down a dark and deserted street. Suddenly, a figure jumps in front of you … Continue reading

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Beyond costs and benefits

We often act like economic beings, weighing up the pros and cons of options looking for the one with the best overall net benefit. But sometimes we don’t, and then we may find ourselves on thin ice. Here is a … Continue reading

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Talking ‘bout my reputation

Reputation serves an important purpose in a society in which we rely on the cooperation and goodwill of others. Our desire to enhance or preserve it will guide our behaviour, but that doesn’t mean we can expect everyone to behave … Continue reading

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The moral paradox of intrinsic motivation

Featured image: Pexels Intrinsic motivation is somewhat mysterious: why would we do something effortful or costly, without reward? What would happen if you did nothing at all? If you did not eat or drink, you would soon succumb to malnutrition … Continue reading

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Abstract and concrete morals

(featured image: Philipp Roth/Flickr CC BY NC ND 2.0) Whether they concern us personally in a concrete manner, or are more general and abstract, our morals should – pretty much by definition – be the same. But are they? One … Continue reading

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Ulterior motivation

(featured image: Ulrike Mai/Pixabay) We often weigh up intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, but can that be taken too far? What motivates us to do something? Many people spend a fair portion of their time working for an income. Provided the … Continue reading

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Everyday ethics

featured image: Antonio Trogu/Flickr CC BY NC ND 2.0 Military commanders, law and policy makers, medical staff and judges, they can all expect to face tough ethical challenges. But it is not because our actions, as ordinary folk, are often … Continue reading

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