CanWeHaveaConversationAbout‘Ethics’?

AnIntroduction

ByAbrahamChiasson

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Canwehaveaconversationabout‘ethics’?

ByAbrahamChiassoni

(Thefollowingisprovidedasanintroductiontoanunderstandingofethicsasdriven

bytheenergiesanddynamicsofourhumanpotentialitiesand,givingrisetowhatwe

describeasethicaldynamics.1)

Iguessmostofuswouldsay‘yes’totheabovequestion,somewouldfocusonethics

inthecontextoftheirreligiousvaluesandtheirroleinshapingtheprinciplesand

normsguidingtheirbehaviours,otherswouldfocusonthevaluesthatbindthem

togetherascitizensofacountryor,ofaspecificcommunitysay,auniversityorofa

governmentinstitution.Othersstill,mightdiscusshowethicshaveimpactedtheir

relationshipqualitiesandcommitmentsand,asresult,haveshapedasexamples,

theirmarriagesandthelifeoftheirfamilies.

Forthemostpart,ethics,traditionallyunderstood,makeforinterestingand

valuableconversationsamongsimilarlymindedindividualse.g.,thosewhosharea

commonreligiousfaithor,whohavechosenaspecificlineofwork,saythemedical

professionorgovernmentservice;nonetheless,ourcontemporary‘ethical’

challengeshavelittletodowithsimilarlymindedindividualsorinstitutionsbut

rather,howtocreatean‘ethical’conversation–synergy-amongdiversely

motivatedindividualsandinstitutions(and,wecouldalsosaysocieties).

1Thefulltextoftheapproach:‘TowardsaMoreOpen,SharedandResponsibleEthicalWorld–A

FrameworkforUnderstandingandTransformingEthicalDynamics’,alongwithPPSpresentationsfor

eachofitschapterscanbefoundat:ethicaldynamics.wordpress.com–theauthorcanbereachedat:

abraham.chiasson@gmail.com

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Asexamples,thoughweareoftentoldthat‘religious’beliefsandattendantvalues

or,simplythe‘goldenrule’,underpinmanycorporateorpoliticalbehaviours,we

haveallcometounderstandthatcorporateandpoliticalvalues–forgoodorbad-

aredrivenbytheneedforsurvivalinahighlycompetitiveandcutthroatworldwith

oftenlittlepalpableevidenceforthewelfareofotherindividualsandinstitutions.

Morechallengingforusinourcontemporarywesternworldarethosewhoseethics

areincontradictionwiththeethicsthatbind(forgoodandbad)oursocieties

together.

Toaddresssomeofthesechallenges,somehavegonebacktoAristotleandhave

arguedfortheroleofvirtuesinshapingandguidingone’scharacterhopingthatthe

‘right’virtuese.g.,honesty,courageandthelike,wouldbringabouttheright

behavioursinjustaboutanycircumstance.And,thoughwehavepreachedvirtue

ethicsinourschoolsanduniversitiesandcontinuetodosointhehopethatthey

mayshapesuchbehavioursand,forsome,mostlikelyhavehadthedesired

outcome,thinkofthosewhoenrolinthemilitaryorinsome‘humanitarian’pursuit,

virtueethicsdolittletohelpusunderstandanddealwithasexamples,those

religiousdoctrinesorpoliticalideologiescompetingtocontrolthefutureofour

world,betheythosethatweagreewithorotherwise.

Insummary,notwithstandingoursuccessesovertimetoaddresstheissues

embeddedinour‘humancondition’,aneffectiveconversationaboutethicsnow

demandsamorecomprehensiveapproach,onecapableofbringingtogetherallour

capabilitiesasaspeciesinallthatwedofromthemundanetobuildingasustainable

world.

Inthefollowing,wewillbrieflyexaminesomeoftheelementsthatshouldhelpus

understandtheethicswehave:thebasisforananalyticalframeworkand,theethics

thatmightserveusbetter:thebasisforatransformationalframework.

So,whatwouldbethebasisforsuchanapproach?

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First,onewouldhavetoacknowledgethatwearedealingwitha‘dynamic’

phenomenonwhereeverythingwedohasanethicaldimension,simplyputour

actionsandaccomplishmentsareareflectionofourvalues,principlesandnorms

and,importantly,ourrelationshipqualitiesandcommitments–the‘operational’

basisforourethics.Soletusnot‘kid’ourselves,walkingdownthestreethasan

ethicaldimensione.g.,dowegreet–acknowledge-ornotourfellowhumanbeings.

Insummary,ethicsareour‘humanway’ofbeinginsynergywiththeforcesthat

gaveusourabilitytobringaboutourhumanworldhoweverdysfunctionale.g.,wars

andtyranny,thatthismayhaveappearedatdifferentpointsofourhumanhistory.

While‘god’forsome,prophetsforothersor‘wise’individualse.g.,Buddhaand

Confucius,havegivenusinsightsintohowwecanbeinsynergywiththose‘cosmic’

forcesthatsustainourexistenceintheuniverse,nottomentionphilosopherse.g.,

Aristotle,whohavetoiledonsuchissuesprettymuchsincethebeginningofour

existenceasa‘conscious’species,forusthechallengeremains:howdowegrow–

makerelevant-suchknowledgeandintuitionsor,forsome,godgivenwisdom,via

ourethicalactionsandconversations,moreso,howdowecontinuethe

‘transcendent’journeyofthosewiseindividualsinourcontemporaryworld.

Asastartingpointforthisjourney,thefirstplacetolookwouldseemtobewhatI

liketodescribeasour‘corehumanpotentialities’,thosepotentialities–basically

structuringenergies–specifictoourspeciesthathavedrivenourcognitiveorother

potentialitiese.g.,socialandpolitical,thathavemadeuswhoweare.These

potentialities,specifictoourspeciescouldbeidentifiedas:‘consciousness,

consciouswill,asenseofself,personalidentity,asenseofvisionand,hope’.

Whynotart,religionandscienceasexamples?Granted,theyareallprofoundly

humanpotentialities,sowhynot‘corehumanpotentialities’?Quitesimply,these

potentialities,whichIdescribeascognitivepotentialities,arestructured–driven-

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byourcorehumanpotentialities;simplyput,theyexisttogivelifeandsubstanceto

ourcorehumanpotentialities.Asexamples,wewouldbehardputtohavea

‘meaningful’senseofvisionwithoutthecontributionofart,religionandscience;or

forthatmatter,ourconsciousnesswouldberathersteriletosaytheleastifnotfor

thesecognitivepotentialities.Nonetheless,itisourpotentialforconsciousnessand

visionthatspursourvitalcognitivepotentialitiesandnottheotherwayaround.

Still,somewouldprobablyliketostarttheconversationwithreligioni.e.,whathas

givenmanyinitsinstitutionalformtheirstructuredsenseofbelongingtothe

universealongwiththosebeliefs,valuesandethicsmostconducivetorespecting

andbenefittingfromsuchabelongingand,hereinliesatrap;whileinstitutional

religionsandotherformsofspiritualityhavemadesuchacontribution,theyhave

madeitonthebasisoftheneeds–aspirations–ofourcorehumanpotentialities,

thoseembeddedinourhumannatureatapointintimee.g.,ourneed–potential–

forvisionandhope.

Whilesomeofthebeliefs,valuesandethicsassociatedwithinstitutionalreligions

willsurelyresistthetestoftime,ourcorehumanpotentialitieswillcontinueviaas

examples,ourcognitivepotentialitiesforart,philosophyandscience,toseekouta

moresatisfyingsenseofbelongingtotheuniverseviamoresophisticatedbeliefs,

valuesandethics.Obviously,thisargumentwillnotconvincethosewhobelievein

thecontraryaswecanwitnessinourcontemporary‘religious’conflicts.

Insummary,havingaconversationaboutethicsisabouthavingaconversation

aboutwhoweareandwhowehopetobecomeonthebasisofourcorehuman

potentialitiese.g.,whatarethosevalues,principlesandnormsand,relationship

commitmentsandqualitiesinourlifethatwillfosterthegrowthofourhuman

potentialitiessuchasforconsciousnesse.g.,understandingtheconnectionsbetween

myemotions/feelingsandtheworldthatIinhabit;consciouswille.g.,having

controloverwhathappenstome;asenseofselfe.g.,understandingwhat’s

importanttome;personalidentitye.g.,whoIamasasocialbeingandwhoIwantto

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become;‘vision’ortheinnersenseofbeautythatspursmetobringaboutamore

satisfyingworld;and,hopeor,whatgivesmetheenergytoaddressmydaily

strugglesandtocontinuemyjourney.

Howwouldthisapproach‘work’?

Ourhumanworldlikethatofnaturetakesplaceinaworldofcompetition–inits

socialdimensionthiscouldbedescribedaspoliticsi.e.,whoseauthorityandpower

‘carriestheday’and,innature,whomanagestogettheresources–the‘flower’or

the‘weed’bythesideoftheroador,whooftheeagleorthefishlivesontosee

anotherday.

Inourworldasinnature,theresultsofsuchcompetitionaredependentonwhat

couldbedescribedas‘mediating’structurese.g.,authorityandpowerisusually

exercisedinaninstitutionalcontextsaythefamilyorbusinesswithbothhaving–

whenthingsare‘workingwell’–asetofacceptedrulesforitsexercise;onecanalso

seethatmediationtakesplaceonabroaderscalee.g.,thecommunity,countryor

planetviatheUNasanexample.Innature,mediationtakesplaceintheformof

contexte.g.,the‘flower’orthe‘weed’willbedependentonthequalitiesofthesoil

and,inthecaseoftheeagleorthefish,whowinsdependsprettymuchonthe

characteristicsoftherivergivinganadvantagetooneortheother.

Sinceweallhavethefeeling,atleastonsomeoccasions,thatwemakedecisionsthat

willaffectusandothers,weareprettymuchlikeformalinstitutions,amediating

structurelookingafterone’sinterestandimpactingonotherswithasetofrulesthat

wehaveeitherbeengivenor,insomecases,chosenforourselveswithrespectto

ourneeds,hopesanddreams.

Froman‘action’perspective,engaginginaconversationaboutethicsisabout

engaginginaconversationbetween‘mediating’structures,betweenindividuals,

betweenindividualsandinstitutions,betweeninstitutionsand,betweenindividuals,

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institutionsandthelargermediatingcontexte.g.,communityandsociety;the

resultsofsuchmediationbeingour‘human’world;morespecifically,whatwillhave

‘importanceorwhatwillbevalued’–whatcouldbedescribedinasocio-political

contextas‘authority’and,whowillhavethe‘power’orgiventhetoolstomakethis

realityhappen.

However,beforeaddressingtheworldofoursocio-politicalrelationships,andthe

socialgoodsandsocialqualitiesthatresultfromthismediation,let’slookatwhat

underliesandsupportsthismediation-what’sgoingonfromwhatwillbedescribed

asourspecificsocial/cognitivestructuresalongwiththeir‘cognitive’potentialities.

Ourcognitivearchitecture:social/cognitivestructuresandtheir‘cognitive’

potentialities-

Thoughourhumannaturecontainselementsofwhatcouldbeascribedtoplants

andanimalsandwhichareessentialtooursurvival,whatgiveslifetowhatwe

describedaboveasourcorehumanpotentialitiesistobefoundinour‘core’human

–socialandcognitive-structures–,thosestructuresthatunderpinallthatwedoas

asocialspeciesalongwiththeirembeddedpotentialitiesforbringingfortha

specificallyhuman–social–world.Ineffect,oursocialstructures(describedbelow)

existinasmuchastheyaretheexpressionoftheirembeddedcognitivepotentialities,

hencethereferencetosocialandcognitivestructures,thosethattogetherbring

aboutoursocialandcognitiveworld.

Lookingatthesituationholistically,onecansee(or,canchoosetosee)thatour

cognitivepotentialitiesfallwithin5coresocialstructures:1)thosecognitive

potentialitiesthatstemfromourhumannatureperse(ourcoresocialstructure)

withitscognitivepotentialitiesforsymbolism,behaviors,explanations,invention,

faith,reasonandtechnique;2)thosethatrelatetotheself(asasocialactor)e.g.,

cognitive(emotions,feelings)energies,embodiment,empathy,uniqueness,beliefs,

meaningandinformation;3)thosethatrelatetoourdomainsofactivitye.g.,social

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qualities,(behavioral)forms,stories,beauty,values,truthsandtheories;4)those

thatrelatetoourmediatingstructures–individuals,institutionsand‘society’–e.g.,

(their)universe,(senseof)order,ethos,aesthetics,ethics,ideologyandknowledge;

and,thosethatrelatetowhatcouldbedescribedasour‘collectivehumanpsyche’(as

aspecies)e.g.,symbols,rituals,myths,art,religion,philosophyandscience.

Obviously,onecandebatethechoiceofstructuresandwhatwasidentifiedastheir

cognitivepotentialities;ontheotherhand,onecannotdebatethatsuchfeaturesas

aesthetics,ethics,ideologyandknowledge,together,playaroleinourmediationsas

individuals,institutionsandsocietiesandresultin‘culturally’specificactionsand,

wecouldalsosay,insocialgoodsandqualitiesthatwe‘recognize’asmembersofan

institutionorsociety.Moreso,onecouldnotimaginehavingaconversationabout

ethicswithoutreferringtoourbeliefsasa‘self’,thestoriesandtruthsgivinglifeto

ourdomainsofactivities,tooursenseoforderor,moregenerally,totheteachings

of‘religion’thathaveaffectedoursenseof‘morality’.

Insummary,havingameaningfulconversationaboutethicsinvolveshavingwhat

couldbedescribedasa‘holistic’conversationwhereallofourcognitive

potentialitiesworktogethertohelpusunderstand‘whoweareandhopetobecome’

relativetoanygivenhumanchallenge.

Nonetheless,thisworkingtogetherofourcognitivepotentialitiestakesplaceaswe

mentionedpreviouslyinasocio-politicalcontextwhereindividuals,institutionsand

societiescompetefor‘authority’–whatisreflectiveoftheir‘real’ethicalaspirations

or,overarchingvaluesassomewouldsay–,and‘power’–forwhowillhavethe

wherewithaltoimplementcongruentactions-.Hereiswhatthisentails.

Ourstruggleforauthorityandpoweror,creatinga‘congruent’world-

Aswehavealllearnedtoacknowledge,ourcorehumanpotentialitiessayfor‘vision

andhope’nourishedbyourcognitivepotentialitiesasindividuals,haveusually

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broughtusincompetitionwithotherindividualsand,similarlyforinstitutionsand

societiesforwhatwedescribedaboveasauthorityandpower.Insuchacontext,

onemightask:howcanwemakethiscompetition‘generally’beneficialtoourgoal,

sayforfulfilmentandgrowthand,howcanadifferentunderstandingofethicsbe

helpfulinthisquest?

Asabackdroptoourdiscussion,wecanseethatourdomaincontributions,or

domaindecisionsforthatmatter,donothaveanequaleffect,someenhanceour

corehumanpotentialitiese.g.,forconsciousnessorasenseofvisionandhopeand,

othersdonotordosominimallyso,thatovertime,wecouldhypothesizethatthese

corehumanpotentialitieswillsignalonewayoranothertotheindividual,

institutionorsocietyand,tothespeciesasawhole,whatworksandwhatdoesn’t

workforusprettymuchlikeoursuccessesandfailuresasanindividualhelpus

distinguishwhat’srightandwhat’swrong.

Historically,the‘holders’ofsuchknowledgehavebeenassociatedwith,orhave

beengiventheroleof‘authority’,aswiththeeldersofthetribeorwithvalued

institutionssuchasthechurchoruniversitiesand,havebeengiventhemeans–

power-toexercisethisauthority;however,inourcontemporaryworld,wecannow

saythatauthorityandpowerisalsovestedinamultitudeofsocialactorsbethey

formalinstitutionsortheindividualholderofausefulexpertise,simplyput,toany

institutionorindividualperceivedascapableofcontributingtoourhuman

effectivenesswhateverthatmightbee.g.,atechnologycompanysuchasAppleor,a

medicaldoctordealingwithourhealthissues.

Now,probablymorethaneverwiththeadventofinformationandcommunication

technologies,wecanseethatauthorityisamatterofcompetitionand,thosewho

winintheauthority‘marketplace’,gettheresources–the‘power’,oftenexpressed

inmonetaryorpoliticalterms.Asanexample,forgoodorbad,corporationshave

increasinglyusurpedtheauthorityofgovernmentstoregulatetheminthenameof

their‘authority’intheworldof‘competitiveness’thusgivingthemthepowerto

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imposetheirauthorityorwhathasimportanceforthem.Wecouldalsosaythatour

institutionalframeworkasasociety,saytheplaceofthefamilyinourhierarchyof

institutions–itspower-,isareflectionofitsperceivedauthorityorcontributionin

ourhumanaffairs.

Insuchacontext,somecouldsay,letthecompetitioncontinueand‘maythebest

personwin’,andputtheirfaithinhumannaturetosortoutwhat’sbest.However,

historyhastaughtusthatlettingthe‘powerful’runwiththeballi.e.,whathas

‘authority’forthem,hasitsconsequences;wehavelearnedsometimesthe‘hard

way’thathumanhubrishastobechannelledforthebettermentofsocietyand,that

thequalityofthischannellingviaoursocietalgovernanceinstitutionsasan

example,willdetermineourfaithasaspecies:whathasauthorityforthepetroleum

companiesmaynotbebestforusall!

Withthesechallengesinmind,howdowefosterthekindofauthorityandpower

dynamicsthatwillgrowourcorehumanpotentialitiesasindividuals,institutions

andsocietiesandleadustomorefulfillinglives?Thoughreligiousdoctrinesand

politicalideologiese.g.,communism,capitalismanddemocracy,havebeen–andare

stillused–inourinstitutionalmediationstofulfilthisfunction,theircontributions

toourcollectivewell-beingareincreasinglybeingchallengedby‘hardfacts’e.g.,the

spreadinguseofterrorisminmanypartsoftheworldforpoliticalpower,our

biologicalecologywhichmanyconsiderbeonthebrinkofcollapseand,oursocial

ecology,evenin‘developed’countries,isbeingchallengedbyincreasinginequality

inbothopportunitiesforcontributionandreward.

So,whatdoesthismeanforourconversationonethics?

Asapointofdeparture,itwouldseemusefultoacknowledge,irrespectiveoftheir

contributiontohumanaccomplishment,thattheauthorityandpowerdynamics

sustainedbyourreligiousdoctrinesandpoliticalideologiesalikeand,ourmore

mundaneauthorityandpowerdynamics,aretheproductofourcognitive–species

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driven-potentialitiese.g.,theirrealitiesarebasedondomainstories–thinkthe

BibleortheKoran-orsenseofbeauty–thinkGodorthecreation–andtruths–

thinkdemocracy-.Simplyput,ourauthorityandpowerdynamicsareembeddedin,

butalsoinsynergywithourcognitivepotentialitiese.g.,changethestoryor

narrativeandyouchangetheauthorityandpowerdynamicsandviceversa.

In‘reallife’,authorityandpowerdynamicsarealsotheunderpinningsofoursocio-

politicallandscapeswheretheyultimatelydecideonmattersofsocialqualitiesand

socialgoods,thosethatwillgivethelandscapeitsrealities,moreso,thosesocial

qualitiesandsocialgoodsthatwillultimatelyservetomaintainagivensetof

authorityandpowerdynamics,thinkourcontemporaryaddictiontoautomobiles

or,morepositively,ourcapacitytofeedourselvesviasophisticatedagricultural

technologies.

Fromapractical‘relationship’perspective,wecanseethatauthorityandpower

dynamicsarealso,mostimportantly,the‘inyourface’expressionofthelandscape’s

ethicalrealitiesanddynamics,thosethateithercreatepositiveethicaltensions

whereindividualsandinstitutionscompetetobringaboutacollectivelyinspiring

visionorsetofoverarchingvaluessay,creatingamore‘just’societyforallor,where

ethicaltensionseasilybecomesourcesofethicalviolencewherevisionforsomeand

theiroverarchingvaluessupposethedominationofothersasinthecontextof

‘authoritarian’politicalregimesand,allthosesituationsinbetweensuchaswiththe

vastincomeandopportunityinequalitiesinourcorporatistsocieties.

Finally,aswehavepreviouslymentioned,wemustrecognizethatallofusas

individuals,institutionsandsocietiesare‘condemned’byourhumannatureto

competeforauthorityandpower,drivensometimesbyadesiretocontributeto

‘humangood’asinthecaseofacceptingpoliticalrefugeesand,atothertimes

seekingtomaximizeourownwell-beingirrespectiveofthedamagetootherse.g.,

our‘loveaffair’withtheautomobileorairplanetravel;simplyput,‘ethical’violence

isprettymuchinourhumannatureasFreudandothershavewelldescribed.

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Let’strytoaddresseachoftheaboveissuesastowhattheyimplyforour

conversationonethics.

Authorityandpowerdynamicsandourcognitivepotentialities-

Sinceauthorityandpowerdynamicshavetheiroriginsinourcognitive

potentialitiesi.e.,thosespecifictoourspecies,ourpointofdeparturefor

understandingand,eventually,transformingauthorityandpowerdynamics–what

wealsodescribedaboveas‘ethicaldynamics’–mustbeginwithasexamples,those

symbolssuchas‘money’thatbringaboutourindividual,institutionalorsocietal

universeandthehumanqualitiesthattheyinspireand,wecouldalsosayhowthose

qualitiese.g.,compassionorgreed,areembodiedintheritualse.g.,sharingthrough

altruisticbehaviourorstashingawayforpersonaluse,thatgiveasenseoforder

(goodorbad)tothisuniverse;and,wecanalsoseehowtheseritualswillgiverise

overtimetoourcollectivemyths,thosethatgiveoursocietyitscollectivespiritor

ethos,itselfservingtogiveusoursenseofaestheticse.g.,whatis‘beautiful’is

expensiveinthecaseofmoney,andtosummarizebriefly,ourethicsortheethical

valuesandprinciplesthatwilldriveourrelationships,theideologiesthatwillframe

ourcollectivethinkingand,thetheoriesthatwillbethebasisforourknowledge2.

Skippingthisunderstandingor,atleastanefforttodoso,saylimitingour

conversationtomattersofvaluesandhowtheyimpactonsuchandsuchreality,is

avoidingthesynergisticnatureofourcognitivepotentialities:eachdimensionofour

cognitiveworldisinadynamicrelationshiptotheother.Betterstill,aconversation

onethicsmusthavea‘structured’approachtounderstandingthesynergisticnature

ofourethicalreality.

Authorityandpower–ethical-dynamicsandsocialrealities-2-Onecouldalsobegintheanalysisbyseekingtounderstandtherealitiesembeddedinourethicalvaluesandprinciples.

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Aswementionedabove,authorityandpowerdynamicsor,ethicaldynamics,are

alwaysdrivenbyandinsynergywithagivensetofsocialqualitiese.g.,fairness,

securityandindividualfreedoms,andsocialgoodse.g.,food,educationandpublic

transit,andahostofothersocialqualitiesandgoods;however,wehavealso

mentionedthatsocialqualitiesandsocialgoodscanbe‘manipulated’tomaintaina

specificauthorityandpowerstructureor,specificethicaldynamics:socialqualities

suchasgreedthatemphasizeindividualwealthasopposetothecommongoodand,

socialgoodsthatemphasizeaparticulare.g.,corporatebasedconsumptionpattern,

bothtendtofosterthoseethicaldynamicsthatcouldbeassociatedwithunbridled

capitalism.

Therefore,sincesocialqualitiesandsocialgoodsarenot‘ethically’neutral,a

conversationonethicsshouldnormallyseekoutboththeirembedded‘social

relationship’valuesandprinciplese.g.,‘whowins–wholoses’butalso,howtheir

embeddedvaluesandprinciplese.g.,thosethatdrivesocialgoodssuchas

automobiles,impactonourcorehumanpotentialitiessayforourpersonalidentity

andsenseofvisionand,aswewillseelater,onourcoresocialpotentialitiese.g.,for

contributionandaccountabilityand,onwhatwillbedescribedasourinstitutional

dimensionse.g.,thoserelatedtooursenseoffamilyandnation,importantly,those

potentialitiesanddimensionsthatgivesocialrelevanceandmeaningtoour

individualorinstitutionalcontributions.

Authorityandpower-ethical–dynamics:theirimpactonoursocialpotentialitiesand

institutionaldimensions-

Attheoutset,wemustkeepinmindthatourauthorityandpower–ethical-

relationshipsinthebestofcircumstancesareprettymuchwhathaskeptourspecies

fromselfdestructionor,fromamorepositiveperspective,putitonapathof

increasingsophisticationinmultipleareasofendeavoure.g.,fromthepoliticaltothe

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scientific,withitsobvious‘upsanddowns’.Simplyput,theyareatthecoreofour

social,hencehuman,existence.

Sohowhaveweavoided–generally-thoseauthorityandpower–ethical-

relationships3thatgiveriseto,ordependonthecreationandmaintenanceof

‘ethical’violenceand,howhavewe,forexample,promotedthoserelationshipsthat

havegivenusasenseofaccomplishmentandgrowth?Betterstill,howdowecreate

amore‘constructive’ethicalsynergyamongthesocialactorsthatweareas

individuals,institutionsandsocieties.

Thisisatrickyquestionsince,aswementionedabove,‘ethical’violenceandhuman

relationshipsoftengohandinhandand,‘violence’canbeverymuchviewedasin

‘theeyeofthebeholder’;furthermore,littleprogressinhumanaffairsusually

happenswithoutsomemeasureof‘ethical’violenceforsome,thinktheautomobile

intheageofthehorseandbuggyforthosewhomadealivingtakingcareofthe

horses.

Togetagriponthischallenge,wemustgoonestepbeyondtheissuesthatwe

describedasrelatedtoauthorityandpowerorethicaldynamicsandtheir

connectionwithourcognitivepotentialitiesand,socialqualitiesandsocialgoods

and,addressmorespecificallytheirconnectionwithwhatwillbedescribedbelow

asourcoresocialpotentialities–thosepotentialities,likewhatwedescribedforour

corehumanpotentialities,thatmakeitpossible–giveustheimpetus-togrowa

‘human’socialcommunityviatheinstitutionaldimensionsi.e.,asindividuals,

institutionsandsocieties,thattheyhavespurredandthathavebecomethemyriad

channelsfortheirenactmentanddevelopment.

Forexample,authorityandpower-ethical–relationshipsdrivenbysuchsocial

qualities(orvalues)asfairness,securityandindividualfreedomsand,socialgoods3-Slaverybeingaprimeexampleofourhumanfailuretoavoidsuchviolencealongwiththe‘working’conditionsatthedawnoftheindustrialrevolution,amongotherexamples…

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suchaseducation,foodandtransportationandtheirembeddedvalues,willalsofind

theirrelevance(e.g.,beyondwhatwedescribedforourcorehumanpotentialities)

inasmuchastheycontributetogrowingourcore‘social’potentialitiesi.e.,those

relatedtoempathy,belonging,contribution,socialsynergy,accountabilityanda

sharedsenseofdestinyand,tothose‘institutional’dimensions(asindividuals,

institutionsorsocieties)thatpermitourdomainenactmentstobe‘productively’

connected–mediated-toalargersocialpurposei.e.,institutionaldimensions

relatedtoasenseoffamilyandcommunity,toaparticular‘professional’expertise

andcapacity,to‘production’whateverthatmaymeaninvariouscontexts,tothe

opportunityforparticipationinabroaderinstitutionallifesuchasincivilsociety

andthestateand,fromamoreuniversalperspective,theopportunityforsharingin

ourbroaderrealitiessuchaswithasenseofnationor‘people’and,ultimately,our

identificationwiththeplanet.

Simplyput,oursocialpotentialitiesasindividuals,institutionsorsocietiesprovide

thesocialenergyforourdomaincontributionsandtheirembeddedvalueswhileour

institutionaldimensionsprovidethesocialstructurefortheir‘inter’institutional

mediation–inthecreationofourworld.

Whilethechoiceoftheabovesocialpotentialitiesandinstitutionaldimensionscan

bedebated,oneaspectthatcan’tistheroleofethicaldynamicsintheconstruction

ofoursocialworldandtheneedforatransformationalframeworksufficiently

comprehensivetoofferhope,notonlytothoseindividuals,institutionsandsocieties

currentlyat‘thetopofthepyramid’orsharinginthedominantideologybut,

importantly,forthoseaspiringtoa‘betterworld’.

Fromapracticalviewpointthiswouldmeanthataconversationonethics,sayina

carcompanyorcomputerfirm,thatwouldfocussolelyontherelationshipbetween

theethics–values…-underpinningworkers’socialpotentialityforcontributionand

theirimpactonthecompany’sproductiondimensionwouldbebothalienatingto

workers–reducingthemprettymuchtoasimple‘instrumental’rolesuchasrobots

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–and,stiflingforthegrowthofthecompany,especiallyinourpostindustrial

economy.

Insummary,our‘human’socialpotentialitiesandinstitutionalmediating

dimensionsexist–havealife–ineachofusasindividualsandineachofour

institutionsandsocietiessincetheyderiveandareaconstructofthe‘human’mind,

permeatingallthatwedo;togetherwiththedynamicsofauthorityandpower-

ethicaldynamics-andresultantsocialrealities,theirultimateaimistogrowour

corehumanpotentialities,thosethatwedescribedas:consciousness,consciouswill,

asenseofself,personalidentityand,asenseofvisionandhopeforusall–as

individuals,institutionsand,morebroadly,associetiesandspecies.

Beyondourconversationaboutethics,whatdoesthismeanforallofus?

Ashumans,likeitornot,weliveaspartofanorganicwholei.e.,asaspecies

occupyingaspecificplaceandfunctioninabroaderuniversebeittheplanetfor

someortheuniverseperseforothers.Moreso,ourgrowthandsenseof

accomplishmentasanindividualisverymuchtiedtooureffectiveparticipationin

thisorganic–social–wholeeventhoughwemayhavetheillusionotherwise,think

ofsomeoneasoriginalasPicassowithout‘paintorcanvas’orwithoutthebenefit–

stimulation-oftherangeofartistswhoprecededhim.

Inthiscontext,whattheabovehasendeavouredtodescribeisthatethics,especially

understoodasbeingthebasisforethicaldynamics,arethenexuswherewhatwe

havedescribedasourhuman,cognitiveandsocialpotentialitiescometogetherto

bringaboutourhumanworld.

Asacorollary,tryingtodealwithourcontemporarychallenges,betheyatthelevel

oftheindividualstrugglingforanunderstandingoftheforcesshapinghisrealities

andmotivationsor,morebroadly,atthelevelofourplanet’scivilizationsstriving

forbothculturalcongruencyandparticipationinhumanemancipation,willrequire

thatweshedourcurrentunderstandingofethicsasmainlyintheworldofour

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societal,religiousorotherwise,values,principlesandnorms,andaddressethicsas

embeddedin–insynergy–withallourhumanpotentialities,sometimesdriving

andsometimesbeingdrivenbyourotherpotentialities.

iAbrahamChiassonisaformerexecutivewiththepublicserviceofCanadawithresponsibilitiesforexecutiveeducation,corporatedevelopment,servicequalityalongwithotherresponsibilitiesforstrategicplanningandpolicydevelopment.