general ethical theory derived from one of my common thought patterns:
If something is morally questionable: 1. Allow yourself to be philosophically paralyzed; don’t do it. 2. Allow yourself to be philosophically paralyzed; don’t prevent other people from doing it.
In other words, never make any decisions because everything is too complicated: always commit to not committing to anything. Lacking the right answer doesn’t mean having the right answer, which means that you can’t rationally universalize personal norms (which ironically implies that me adopting this ethical theory precludes me from touting it as “correct” in the first place). Cue all the problems with relative morality or whatever, but I’m not saying that everybody should just do whatever they want all the time. This theory is meant to govern situations a standard code of ethics leaves ambiguous, whatever those rules may be.
For example, my choice to start treatment with a prescription drug that has the potential to change the way I think about things and maybe even some of my personality traits is most definitely a dubious moral decision. The circumstance is complex and multi-faceted; because there isn’t really a “right” answer, I can’t determine that a change of status quo would be an ethically correct decision and I shouldn’t do anything.
I didn’t say this theory was practical. Notice how well it jives with the only philosophical principle I espouse, that there are no absolutes. Actually, we can boil this new theory down to say “there are no absolutes, so avoid making impossible decisions”: it’s really just an extension of the same thought. I’m not intellectually capable enough to come up with more than one overly simple and impractical philosophical principle.
(I’m going to look back on this after I’ve taken an ethics class eventually and find my stupidity hilarious probably).
THIS. THIS. THIS A THOUSAND TIMES THIS. FOREVER AND ALWAYS THIS.
I swear to fuck we are the same goddamn human being. I feel myself thinking intensely familiar thoughts, along intensely familiar pathways of my mind. Reading about your interiority accesses the well-worn in me.
