The question of the ethical life is arguably one of the most
compelling, and urgent, questions of our time. As Peter Singer,
among others, has pointed out, almost 10 million children die each
year due to poverty, some of whom would not die if the amount of
aid that we now offer increases significantly. As Singer has also
pointed out, the exploitation of human beings and other animals is
a major ethical and practical concern. There can be little
reasonable doubt that pain and suffering abound, in the world
today, due to many causes such as poverty, disease, environmental
degradation and destruction and anthropocentrism among others, just
as there can be little reasonable doubt that some of the pain and
suffering is preventable.So, what does it mean to live ethically
today? Does it mean taking the point of view of the universe, as
Sidgwick put it, memorably, rather than a narrow anthropocentric or
speciesist view? Does it mean living in accordance with duties or
obligations, or in light of recognised virtues, or with the
minimisation of pain and suffering primarily in mind? Does it
entail a consideration of the interests of other species and a
rejection of the principle of the sanctity of human life? Does it
mean not eating animals when other healthy alternatives are
available, especially when those animals have been treated in ways
that are inconsistent with their interests, whatever they may be?
Does it mean taking active steps to reduce poverty on our part on a
day to day basis? Is ethics exhausted in some sense today?And if we
could reach some consensus on these questions, what difference
would the ethical life make? Some argue that speciesism and the
exploitation of human beings and other animals might diminish; that
pain and suffering, especially gratuitous pain and suffering, would
decrease, or at the very least, not increase; or that we will
become more aware of the limitations of things such as "the
traditional ethic of the sanctity of life", as Singer calls it.
Some argue that the ethical life is closely related to a life of
relationships, reflection and deliberation, all of which deepen our
understanding and enrich us personally. Others argue that the
ethical life is closely related to our search for a meaningful life
- that the ethical life can help us to find meaning in a world in
which "meaning", defined broadly, can seem elusive, enigmatic or
unsubstantial. These and related issues and questions are explored
in this collection, which illustrates the relevance, vitality and
dynamism of ethics today.
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