are ethics man-made or „given“ to us by god, the watchmaker or the universe?
replyEugenics rejects the idea that all are created equal. Equality is supported by both Judeo-Christian theology and secular enlightenment philosophy.
replyI can think of little modern philosophy more regressive than the idea that a self-appointed superior can determine that another is inferior to the point that they (or their offspring) should be culled from existence. Eugenics and racism have been intertwined since the beginning and with a modern twist continue to target vulnerable populations.
For the most part they come out of emotions that evolution found useful for procreation (love, fear, anger), then extrapolated to people living in small groups, then to larger societies after the invention of agriculture via the "iterated prisoners dilemma".
replyI think that in this context it's more useful to pose the question in there other direction: which moral systems declare that the slave trade and the disenfranchisement of persons on the basis of skin colour is not ok?
replyEthics is a field of study. I know some on this site loathe the humanities, but those same often don’t mind using language, psychology, and sociology to make a buck.
reply"Ethics" is subjective, there is no such thing as an objective ethics (unless you are religious).
replyThis is why thought experiments like the Trolley problems don't have a simple answer.. and they get even more complex with variations of the thought experiment.
I agree ethics can be subjective, so much so that there is more than one model of ethics.
replyHowever, please tell me which model of ethics supports eugenics. Is it Utilitarian, Rights, Fairness, Common Good, or Virtue?
Since it's subjective, you can just make up your own model supporting eugenics, and it'll be just as valid as any other model.
replybut it may not be accepted or viewed as moral by others
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