On Nov 29, 2009, at 5:32 PM, Adil Godrej wrote:
Okay, I see what you are getting at. Point well taken. Although I think that killing is more about morals that ethics. Otherwise we'd never be able to defend against attacks against our selves. If a farmer commits suicide so that the government will be shamed into helping his starving family, did he just do something unethical because he didn't reject suicide? This isn't a made-up example, but what has happened with a lot of farmers in some states in India recently. Failed monsoons are the main reason for the starving families.
My computer says "ethics" is "a set of moral principles." How do you want to hold them distinct?
My reading of the farmer suicide in India was that these farmers thought they were out of options and therefore killed themselves. The problem with their action was that it was based on an incorrect assessment of their situation -- put simply "where there is life there is hope." There were ethical means to achieve their goals. Did these farmers not know of Gandhi? It also created an even worse situation for the families they left behind. A very bad result.
Now, was your victory over this issue an ethical or moral one? :)
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