Copyright Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies 2008 Ethics in Business and Medicine From Ape Ethics to Human Ethics James J. Hughes Ph.D. Executive

Copyright Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies 2008

Ethics in Business and MedicineFrom Ape Ethics to Human Ethics

James J. Hughes Ph.D.Executive Director, Institute for Ethics

and Emerging Technologies

Public Policy Studies, Trinity College, Hartford CT

[email protected]

What are Ethics?

Ideas of right and wrong, and “the good life”

Moral intuitions inherited from simian life

Shaped and filtered by modern religious and political ideas



Five Moral Intuitions

Harm/careFairness/reciprocityIngroup loyaltyRespect for authorityPurity/sanctity

JonathanHaidt

Dangerous Trolleys

Trolley 1: Five kids, one man, one switch to push

Trolley 2: Five kids, one (fat) man, one hard push


Cleanliness and MoralityMoral censure and

disgust are the same area of the brain

Washing one’s hands or even thinking about “clean” words reduces the severity of moral judgments

Baptism


Ape and Human Ethics


Apes Humans

Harm/care Care for other apes compassion, benevolence

Fairness Punish ape cheaters and freeloaders

honesty, egalitarianism, universalism

Ingroup loyalty Our apes come before other apes

racism, nationalism, nepotism, speciesism

Respect for authority

Obey the troop's dominance hierarchy

have faith, respect authority

Purity/sanctity Poo is bad yuck factor, incest, cannibalism, sex/gender codes

Ethics vs. Self/Group Interest

Ethics are functional for groups, not individuals

Ethics subordinate self-interest to collective interest

“Enlightened self-interest” & egoismsShame vs. guilt


Naturalistic Fallacy

The IS doesn’t tell us what SHOULD be

We each need to decide what ethics make the most sense for us

But science can illuminate why we feel that way


You cannot go against natureBecause when you do Go against natureIt's part of nature too


The Enlightenment


Principles of the Enlightenment

1. Autonomy of reason from faith and authority

2. Human perfectibility and social progress

3. Empirical optimism: sapere aude! (Dare to know)

4. Legitimacy of government based on free association

5. Tolerance of diversity, freedom of thought

6. Ethical universalism – beyond nationalism, racism, sexism

Enlightened vs. Pre-Enlightened


EnlightenedHarm/careFairness/reciprocity

Pre-EnlightenmentIngroup loyaltyRespect for

authorityPurity/sanctity

Professionalism vs. Capitalism

Professions develop codes of ethics to rationalize their unequal power and special privileges

Hippocratic oathCapitalism is based on

profit-makingBusiness ethics?


Physician Ethics


Harm/care Do no harm

Doctor-patient relationship

Fairness Universalist commitment to treat

Ingroup loyalty

Code of silence

Keeping medical secrets (HO)

Respect for authority

Veneration of teacher & tradition (HO)

Purity/sanctity Proscription on euthanasia and abortion (HO)

Autonomy, Respect for Diversity

New VirtuesRespect for diversity

& self-determination of others is a new, Enlightenment virtue

Liberte, fraternite, egalite

Georgetown mantra: autonomy, beneficence, justice



Ethics in Business


Harm/care Don't hurt your customers

Customer comes first

Fairness Meritocracy in hiring, promotion

Honesty in advertising

Ingroup loyalty Nepotistic, racist hiring

Old boys network

Respect for authority Chain of command

Purity/sanctity A ban on usury

Business Ethics? Society holds doctors

to a higher standard than businessmen

Neither have special ethics, only regular ethics

Capitalism, modernity and rationalism undermine all ethical codes

Ethics slowly encoded into law and regulation


Stages of Moral Development

Lawrence KohlbergDevelopmental Correlated with

higher education and exposure to Enlightenment thought

Conquering animal nature with reason



Human Enhancement?

Curing disabilitiesOptimum healthLonger lives Intelligence Emotional controlSpiritual goalsAesthetic expressionEnsuring the best lives for our kids

2008 Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies

Positive Psychology

Six Virtues/Character Wisdom and

Knowledge Courage Humanity Justice Temperance Transcendence

Martin Seligman Ph.D.

Jon Haidt Ph.D.

S + C + V = Happiness

Happiness

Health

2008 Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies

Personality Factors

Character Virtues

Potential Enhancers

Agreeableness Humanity, Compassion Oxytocin, Endorphins (PMS), Dilantin (aggression)

Conscientiousness Temperance & Self-discipline

ADD stimulants, testosterone, vasopressin, norepinephrine

Neuroticism Equanimity, Transcendence

SSRIs, cognitive behavioral therapy

Extraversion Courage, Diligence Modafanil, testosterone, coffee

Openness to experience

Wisdom & Knowledge

Transcendence

Methylphenidate, meditation,

psychedelics, MDMA

Future Moral Enhancement?

Testosterone and Markets

Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies

Documents

Copyright Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies 2008 Ethics in Business and Medicine From Ape Ethics to Human Ethics James J. Hughes Ph.D. Executive