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Vaniver comments on Two arguments for not thinking about ethics (too much) - Less Wrong Discussion

29 Post author: Kaj_Sotala 27 March 2014 02:15PM

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Comment author: blacktrance 27 March 2014 04:31:03PM *  4 points [-]

I can personally attest that thinking about ethics has significantly affected my life and has given me a lot of insight.

My personal experience of late has also been that thinking in terms of "what does utilitarianism dictate I should do" produces recommendations that feel like external obligations

This is a problem only if you assume that morality is external, as utilitarianism, Kantianism, and similar ethical systems are. If you take an internal approach to morality, as in contractarianism, virtue ethics, and egoism, this isn't a problem.

Comment author: Vaniver 27 March 2014 05:09:09PM 2 points [-]

If you take an internal approach to morality, as in contractarianism, virtue ethics, and egoism, this isn't a problem.

Indeed, and I think this is one of the stronger arguments for the internal approach to morality.

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