What is meant by the term "ethical horizon" and Why do we need to expand it?

Question

This question is in context with the famous thought of the English philosopher- Davis Hume.

He said, "Market expansion makes us aware of others' lives and thus, expands our ethical horizon."

The quote is quite self explanatory but, I won't mind if all you wonderful people shed some more light upon it. :-)

David Hume* Sorry for the typo.

Answer 1

I have not read David Hume. But I base my answer from the books of Indian Saints... Naam Dev, Guru Nanak, Gyaneshwar, Eknath, Kabir, etc... so maybe this is not the answer that you want.

The horizon recedes before us as we progress. Although we may try, we can never fully realize our ideals. The frustration we feel can immobilize us. We are prompted to choose instead an easier direction: usefulness, pleasure, and self-advancement.

Man is motivated by self interest. The more self-interested one is the less ethical he or she will be. The more self interest, the more fragmented man will be (as opposed to Unity)

But when making decisions, no one stands outside a social and cultural world. Each of us judges human reality according to a set of adopted and adapted moral criteria based on nationality, education, social class, professional occupation, and religious affiliation. … Thus, individuals are conditioned to the behaviour, values and norms of a given society, their capacity to understand and to appreciate that which is different from their own culture is limited

Ethics depends on our interests and values---as well as those of others---in the process of deciding and doing. It is based on perceptive thought, analytical and intuitive reasoning, and prudential judgment. Ethics is choosing well and wisely for the good of self and others.

But we do not re-create or update the ethical wheel in every new situation. We systematize our ethical insights and store them for our ready reference…. (Imagine the chaos if we determined to do everything differently every day of our lives)…. But this makes our idea of right or wrong as subjective and incomplete…. For established law does not afford an efficient answer to every moral quandary, precisely because new situations oblige us to imagine and enact new moral laws

Thus theological ethics takes place in the context of the individual's and the community's relationship with God. We try to find some permanent and stable point of reference. Yet, there are many religions. It is easy to choose between good and bad but the choice becomes difficult when we have to select between two goods. And by eliminating other religions, we bring about fragmentation

We could widen our ethical horizon if we work towards UNITY rather than FRAGMENTATION. Perfection can never be achieved, until we trust in some Absolute Standard, some Transcendent Reality… There are various senses in which a whole is more than all its parts together. A mere list of elements does not refer to the relations obtained between different elements; or a mere list of cities, mountains and rivers cannot serve as a description or map of a country. We must have knowledge of how things are related to each other.

We are called to see, to judge, and to act in a way that connects our sense of right or wrong to every dimension of our lives. … To humans, animals, insects… to encompass EVERY part of creation and the cosmos…. by creating a space for imagination and interaction with new norms... Men must learn to escape their own narrow, personal perspectives…. We cannot fool ourselves into thinking we have understood everything---that we have arrived at clear and perfect knowledge of ourselves, our world, and our God. The enduring practice of war----is a brute reminder that we still have much to learn and difficult choices to make.

The vastly expanding horizons requires a vastly extending sensitivity and capacity to understand and adapt
.

Answer 2

What David Hume means is that we necessarily have a certain restricted scope of perspective and we can expand that in the ethical by taking in more. For example, our ethical horizon may take in only our family and friends but then when we pass a begger on the street and fel for change in our pockets we expand our horizon to include this stranger. The ultimate open ethical horizon could be equated with compassionate equanimity in Buddhism where we love and ethically care for all without discrimination or favouratism. For a modern view of this read Paul Ricoeur, an excellent philosopher.
Now-you seem interested in science and physics, can you answer some of my questions there as i keep getting silly ones and i'll try answer your philosophy questions.

Answer 3

Well, Batman...
and may I say it is and honor to speak with you so up close and personal,
I have never read Davis Hume -that I recall-
but I feel a bit uncomfortable about expanding ethical horizons.

I once confronted a coworker with the answer to one of his questions: why do I work the way I do and treat people I deal with the way I do with this statement:
"It is only ethical, moral and professional!"

He looked me in the eye and responded,
Who cares about ethics, morality or professionalism? I kiss *** and that's why I
will get the job you should get and you won't go any where.
I was shocked at the time- I was stunned.

Sadly, it turned out to work the way he predicted.

If pushing the ethic's code to the horizon and further is the way to get ahead and play the game, I guess I am out of the game.

Kissing butt is a rather demeaning way of life, to my way of thinking and home training.

You can't always get what you want, but sometimes what you think you want isn't good for your health or happiness.

We build one civilization on top of another, we burn the achievements of one culture and enshrine another...............................we loose so much knowledge and beauty to establish ourselves as number one.

The phrase: "expanding our ethical horizons" just makes me shudder...it feels and sounds like: "how much can I get away with?"

Sincerely,
Lil

Answer 4

I'm not sure I've heard of a philosopher named Davis Hume. Is he somehow related to David Hume?

With regards to your question, Mr. Batman, I think expanding ones ethical horizon means learning more about ethics aside from those that you hear from Albert or in the churches of Gotham City if you have tried going there. There are so many different perspectives on what is moral or immoral/ethical or unethical out there. There so many different standards out there, aside from those of Gotham City, in judging what is right or wrong. There are other cities out there aside from Gotham and you have to learn and understand their ethical principles and beliefs before making judgments. There so many things we have to take into consideration before saying that an act is good or bad. The farther and the wider you ethical horizon is, the better you can make more concrete findings or logical decision whether an act is ethical or unethical.

Answer 5

I separate the music from the individual making it, to a large degree. There are a lot of rock stars who are jerks, that's part of rock and roll. I think the n-word is reprehensible, and it shows something deep about the character of the user. However, I wouldn't blacklist an artist from my playlist for having been known to utter it once. Especially since Costello is British, where the word is not native. There have been racist musicians, and homophobic ones, and ignorant ones. Often the worst offenders are also not very good musicians, so no dilemma comes up. But "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin On'" is my favorite song among guys who married 13-year-old cousins, and there are many other great songs by people who are reprehensible characters in real life. I have no problem with listening to Phil Spector records, or even Charles Manson's albums. They're good or interesting music. I think both belong in prison. But those are the men, not the music. I'm not gonna hang posters of them on my wall, or send them autograph requests or anything. But "Be My Baby" belongs to me and anyone else who loves it, not to Phil Spector. Music is music. I approach it on those terms.

Answer 6

I encountered this and didn't even know it. I have embraced a freethinking lifestyle, without religion.

A religious acquaintance of mine asked me how I know if what I do is "good" or "bad"? I told her I put a lot of thought into it, and try to predict if the outcome will be what I want, or not.

She asked again, but "good" or "bad"? She simply could not "expand her ethical horizon" to include my actions.

Bible practictioners are always making the same choices. Is it ok to break one of the 10 commandments this time? Is it ok to commit one of the 7 deadly sins, just this once? Yet, when they do it, they are being "bad" and they can't help it.

When I make those choices, I am deliberating the possible outcomes, and taking action to lead to the one I want. My "ethical horizon" is stretched clear out to "do no harm", and "take personal responsibility for my choices".

Answer 7

Expansion of our economy into other countries will force people in countries like ours to realize how other people have to live in less developed countries order to survive which is, by the way, nothing like we live in the U.S.
That expansion will force us to take a look at our lives of excess and think about what we should be doing for the world, not just ourselves thus expanding our "ethical horizon".

Answer 8

In simple words "Being in the moment". Times have changed, we get allot more information about other in need now. Our ethical horizon is the things we would like to change in this world and strive to change. In the bigger larger form. I would like to talk to that person on the other side of the world who is in despair. But I am not there, I am here talking to you! Very interesting! I just answered of the top of my head, Hope I'm in the ballpark.

Answer 9

Batman,
Hello I came across your question and thought it would be delightful to answer.

From what I know and have heard and researched on David Hume, I believe his point of view was that if you are open to other cultures and ways that your business won't stay small. But that if you stay within a certain group of people weather based an race, religion, or culture, you will always stay within that group and not expanding. But if you are open to marketing outside of your set group you will find that your business will flourish. Once you have opened yourself to one person in a new group, he will then sell you to others in his set group, with end results of you marketing to all.

Through meeting with the other groups of people you learn about them, their culture and how they live there lives. Expansion leads to learning about others and what they do and in turn they learn about you.

Now with most things I might have taken is quote to far. As my English professor would say, I think to much about it, but I rather think to much than to little. Thank you for the opportunity.
~The Invisible Woman~

Answer 10

holy horizons batman!, I don't know who the heck David Hume is but I will make it a point to look him up and order one of his books off the internet, I am currently reading Kant's philosophy so Hume will be next on my list, as far as expanding your horizon's, I think he is referring to keeping an open heart and an open mind, these are required activities for those who seek to gain knowledge,understanding and use their critical thinking skills to make effective decisions and have successful working and personal relationships, otherwise we severely limit not only our world but any hope of understanding what is going on in it.