Start with flourishing for all. When more thought is needed, listen to Group Ethics, test the guidance as legal, moral, and fair, and clarify what is actually yours to control.

LISTEN NOW!

Listen to the column, or the research behind it.

Understanding Ethics Thread

Column 1 of 8 in the Understanding Ethics series.

Walking the journey of life.

Column Research

Stories: Science Philosophy Critical Thinking History Big Bang Metaphysics Evolution Biases Futurism Ancient History Ethics Reasoning

1 Essay + 6 Tidbits

1 Focus

Plus a bonus deep-dive article.

This Month:

— Ethics —

Group ethics guides. Personal morality chooses. Act with good intent. Weigh the result. Adjust.

Greetings!

This month’s column introduces the TST Ethical Roadmap, a moral system for every type of decision from the mundane to war. It starts with a very simple message: be a good person. That gets you through most of ethical life. When things get harder, embrace the normative direction of flourishing for all. When life hits hard, consult the roadmap: Group ethics guides. Personal morality chooses. Act with good intent. Weigh the result. Adjust.

–Michael Alan Prestwood

6 Research Tidbits

Wisdom Builder Crossroads

The research, stories, and questions that inform this issue.

1 Story »

Ethical Roadmap

New Look

Group ethics guides. Personal morality chooses. Act with good intent. Weigh the result. Adjust.

2 Quote »

“The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.”

William James
1902

You cannot control every thought that enters your mind, but you can learn to control which thoughts receive your attention. That ability gives you real power over stress.

3 Science »

Did morality evolve?

Morality has deep evolutionary roots. Cooperation, empathy, and even some of our more selfish impulses were shaped long before humans began writing ethical rules.

4Philosophy »

Is the Me Too movement consistent with TST Ethics?

Yes. The Me Too movement emphasizes that impact matters, results matter. And, awareness increases responsibility.

5Critical Thinking »

When should you stop following the crowd?

The crowd can carry wisdom, but agreement is not proof. Conformity bias can make group beliefs feel true, while confirmation bias helps keep them that way.

6History!

What did the Nuremberg Trials clarify about moral agents?

The Nuremberg Trials clarified a worldwide principle: following orders does not automatically erase personal responsibility.

Take the deep dive.

Linked Article

Philosophy

Paper

TST Philosophy of Ethics: The Ethical Roadmap

Ethics

Most decisions need only one guiding principle: act in a way that supports flourishing for all. When more care is required, let Group Ethics guide, let Personal Morality choose, act with good intent, weigh the real-world result, and adjust. Ethics is not finished until reality answers.

The Philosophy Website

THIS MONTH: Ethics.