Finally, beihical is not the same as doing “whatever society accepts.” In any society, most people accept standards that are, in fact, ethical. But standards of behavior in society deviate from what is ethical. Aire society bee ethically corrupt. Nazi Germany is a good example of a morally corrupt society.
Moreover, if beihical were doing “whatever society accepts”, then to find out what is ethical, one would have to find out what society accepts. To decide what I should think about abortion, for example, I would have to take a survey of Ameri society and then firm my beliefs to whatever society accepts. But no one ever tries to decide ahical issue by doing a survey. Further, the lack of social sus on many issues makes it impossible to equate ethics with whatever society accepts. Some people accept abortion but many others do not. If beihical were doing whatever society accepts, one would have to find an agreement on issues which does not, in fact, exist.
What, then, is ethics? Ethics is two things. First, ethics refers to well-fouandards ht and wrong that prescribe what humans ought to do, usually in terms hts, obligations, bes to society, fairness, or specific virtues. Ethics, for example, refers to tho standards that impo the reasonable obligations to refrain from rape, stealing, murder, assault, slander, and fraud. Ethical standards also include tho that enjoin virtues of hoy, passion, and loyalty. Ahical standards include standards relating thts, such as the right to life, the right to freedom from injury, and the right to privacy. Such standards are adequate standards of ethics becau they are supported by sistent and well-founded reasons.
Finally, beihical is not the same as doing “whatever society accepts.” In any society, most people accept standards that are, in fact, ethical. But standards of behavior in society deviate from what is ethical. Aire society bee ethically corrupt. Nazi Germany is a good example of a morally corrupt society.
Moreover, if beihical were doing “whatever society accepts”, then to find out what is ethical, one would have to find out what society accepts. To decide what I should think about abortion, for example, I would have to take a survey of Ameri society and then firm my beliefs to whatever society accepts. But no one ever tries to decide ahical issue by doing a survey. Further, the lack of social sus on many issues makes it impossible to equate ethics with whatever society accepts. Some people accept abortion but many others do not. If beihical were doing whatever society accepts, one would have to find an agreement on issues which does not, in fact, exist.