Dialogues - Ethics Flashcards
Buddhism on cloning and genetic engineering (karma)
- no divine creator that GE offends –> no soul that is made in God’s image
- no reproductive/creation implications so theologically allowed
- karma of clone not the same as host –> twins differ karmically even if genes are identical
- karma is not deterministic: does not cause cloning; contemplating causes of cloning –> parable of the poison arrow
- Buddha: clone is not enlightened –> enlightenment is spiritual not genetic
different buddhist views on GE projects
- germ line therapy: changing structure of reproductive cells, illegal in UK –> designer babies go against ahimsa, right action but PGD can promote ahimsa (keown)
- saviour sibling: dana –> destruction of other embryos proves problematic, psychological harm of sibling is living
- somatic cell therapy: genetic therapy that eradicates genetic diseases –> positive karma increases as dukkha decreased = karuna
- however genetic diseases/eg research may be seen as a part of a persons rebirth –> suffering due to disease leads to development of virtues on the way to nirvana
- crops and plants: creates food and nutrition for communities –> karuna and metta but negative impact on ecosystem with mass farming eg (excess use of land)
Buddhist ideas on conscience
- ‘the notion of conscience as an internal organ is not found outside Christianity’ Chryssides
- B did not consider origin of morality so conscience not needed
- focus on skilful actions
- no DCT /God so irrelevant —> against theological conscience
- B is not a God, cannot be punished by not following
- ‘ intention it’s important in actions’
- ‘the role of conscience is performed by mindfulness…aware of ones actions and motives
- soka gakai, conscience must lead to ultimate value for humans —> accessing tathagarta garba = conscience
- remorse and repentance encourages attachment
evidence that buddhism is/not character based
- sunyata and anicca: no individual in buddhism, so no individual character
- understanding ultimate truth is goal, not about improving yourself
- VE is conventional
- arhat: T –> ‘selfish path’
but
- engaged buddhism: is the interdependence of monastic and laity
- middle way and golden mean
- community and bodhisattvas in M
- eudaimonia and nirvana
- life as narrative and rebirth
- virtues and merit making
- secular VE and no god in B
- generosity as a virtue and perfect giving in B
- intellectual virtues and dalai lama and science
Buddhism and free will
- soft determinism: dependent origination and sunyata
- karma: prior causes and rebirth
- actions are due to conditions that are separate
- ehipassiko and parable of raft: free to leave buddhas teachings
- achieving nirvana is escaping conditioned existence
- buddhas rejects that we are determined as that will lead to inaction
Ethics on homosexuality and transgender rights
situation ethics
- rejection of legalism of religions that limit sexual expression
- 4 presup: relativism and personalism
- 6fp: love justifies the means
- teleological –> most loving outcome
bentham
- greatest happiness for the greatest number
- maximise pleasure
- majority over minority
kant
- people as ends not as means: freedom of expression
- universalisability: maxim should allow consensual, loving relationships
- duty: have a duty to respect ones decisions
- autonomy: freedom to choose, responsibility to be honest about being trans
NML
- reproduce, same sex relationships, do not produce children
- disrupt order in society
- worship god in biblical quotes
- scripture and research
- apparent good is relationship but real good is fellowship with God
Virtue Ethics
- eudaimonia: can flourish and be yourself
- community and friendship
- moral virtue: courage to be gay/transition
- episteme: gender reaffirming surgery
