Difference between revisions of "Bad-good axis"
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[[Category:Concepts]]The question of whether something is [[good or bad]] depends entirely upon the criteria by which one evaluates "goodness" (or "right") and "badness" (or "wrong"). The study of these criteria is called ethics; different systems of criteria are called [[moral system]]s. | [[Category:Concepts]]The question of whether something is [[good or bad]] depends entirely upon the criteria by which one evaluates "goodness" (or "right") and "badness" (or "wrong"). The study of these criteria is called ethics; different systems of criteria are called [[moral system]]s. | ||
| − | [[Issues]] can only be resolved by evaluation of the relative | + | [[Issues]] can only be resolved by evaluation of the relative [[good]]ness or [[bad]]ness – costs vs. benefits – of each of the alternatives, so that a decision can be reached which will bring the most net good (i.e. [total amount of good] minus [total amount of bad]). This ''process'' holds true regardless of how you measure or define goodness and badness, though obviously different [[moral system]]s will arrive at different answers because of different goodness/badness levels each system will assign to the expected outcomes of each possible decision. |
In practice, of course, there are uncertainties and multiple goals (or [[moral value]]s) which usually make it very difficult to come up with one final "net goodness" value for each possibility so that they can be objectively evaluated against each other. | In practice, of course, there are uncertainties and multiple goals (or [[moral value]]s) which usually make it very difficult to come up with one final "net goodness" value for each possibility so that they can be objectively evaluated against each other. | ||
Revision as of 19:44, 8 August 2006
The question of whether something is good or bad depends entirely upon the criteria by which one evaluates "goodness" (or "right") and "badness" (or "wrong"). The study of these criteria is called ethics; different systems of criteria are called moral systems.
Issues can only be resolved by evaluation of the relative goodness or badness – costs vs. benefits – of each of the alternatives, so that a decision can be reached which will bring the most net good (i.e. [total amount of good] minus [total amount of bad]). This process holds true regardless of how you measure or define goodness and badness, though obviously different moral systems will arrive at different answers because of different goodness/badness levels each system will assign to the expected outcomes of each possible decision.
In practice, of course, there are uncertainties and multiple goals (or moral values) which usually make it very difficult to come up with one final "net goodness" value for each possibility so that they can be objectively evaluated against each other.