2 Matching Annotations
  1. Jan 2025
    1. One final note we’d like to make here is that, as we said before, we can use ethics frameworks as tools to help us see into situations. But just because we use an ethics framework to look at a situation doesn’t mean that we will come out with a morally good conclusion. This is perhaps most obvious with something like nihilism, which rejects the very existence of a morally good conclusion. But we can also see this with other frameworks, such as egoism, which we (the authors) believe often gives morally wrong results, or with consequentialist/utilitarianist reasoning reasoning, which has been challenged at many points in history (e.g., A Modest Proposal [b102] from 1729, the character Ivan arguing with his brother [b103] in Brothers Karamazov [b104] fromn 1880, and the two articles Effective Altruism Is Pushing a Dangerous Brand of ‘AI Safety’ [b105] [archived here] and Effective altruism’s most controversial idea [b106] from 2022). Still, we hope that in using different frameworks (even ones you often disagree with) you are able to understand situations better and with more nuance.

      I found the discussion on Virtue Ethics particularly compelling as it relates to the formation of personal character through consistent virtuous actions. It's intriguing to consider how these principles apply to social media behavior, where one's character is often curated and presented in a manner that may not always reflect one's true self.

    2. Act with unforced actions in harmony with the natural cycles of the universe. Trying to force something to happen will likely backfire. Rejects Confucian focus on ceremonies/rituals. Prefers spontaneity and play. Like how water (soft and yielding), can, over time, cut through rock.

      The summary of Taoism in the ethical frameworks section brings a refreshing contrast to the more rigid structures seen in other ethics such as Deontology or Natural Rights. However, I believe it could be further enriched by exploring the concept of 'Wu Wei' more deeply. 'Wu Wei', or effortless action, is not merely about spontaneity but is a profound philosophical stance on minimizing one's intentional interference in the natural world, which can result in a form of ethical living that is in harmony with the environment.