With regards to ethics, I believe we truly feel happiest when we are acting and behaving in ways that will enhance our endurance and the endurance of our children. This does not suggest we experience best whenever we act selfishly, because I really believe there is a common spiritual dimension (also part of the metaphysics of the world) helping to make all living creatures feel connected. Therefore , we are unable to feel really happy unless of course we are acting in ways that promote the health and abundance of all of life on the whole. As individuals with a designed conscience, all of us cannot dismiss our own unethical actions; they will always influence our own well-being in one way or another (less restful sleep, mental or perhaps emotional disorders, difficulty learning, lack of accomplishment, low self-esteem, etc . ).
Dominant Worldview in America Today: My Perception
I believe the dominant worldview in America is definitely axiology-based and influenced greatly by modern technology and the press. In the old days ahead of mass media, everyone was more likely to develop values based on universal truths of many advantages and magnificence, simply because they weren’t exposed to numerous alternatives. Today’s focus on succinct, pithy, material possessions and status symbols potential clients many individuals to feel shed; life is worthless at heart for everybody who is out of touch with their interconnectivity with others plus the need to act in ways that are mutually-beneficial for all those.
I believe the majority of people in America are not interested in metaphysics or the beginning or characteristics of actuality. We are so busy and caught up inside our own very small little nook of the universe that we observe no explanation to look beyond it. Most people, particularly in today’s struggling economy, need to focus their particular energy about getting through your day, making ends meet, and taking care of family. This prospects people to take a lazy method of philosophy, possibly following taking after the actions of parents or perhaps latching onto a belief system more in tune with their chosen way of life.
As I mentioned earlier, this may lead to the great man weakness of subjectivity and bias. So far as epistemology among Americans, many people tend to consider they are target and their morals are justified and depending on factual know-how; but this cannot be authentic since morals vary thus widely. This kind of variance in beliefs about religion, spiritual techniques, the meaning of life, God, good versus evil, ideals, ethics, morality, and appearances should clue people into the reality of reality – that while we may all imagine different things, cheerful people around the globe are happy intended for similar factors, and these kinds of reasons are related to general, unchanging moral principles of goodness and beauty. Therefore , we are wrong to believe that “we happen to be right” (our beliefs will be justified) and “they happen to be wrong” (their beliefs are certainly not justified). All of us are wrong when it comes to the details, nevertheless we are all correct when it comes to the fundamental principles of living very well and joyfully. We are not able to find this kind of joy from an axiological view having a material target; we must settle back in touch with each of our metaphysical, spiritual essence to be able to truly live.
References
Archie, L., Archie, J. G. (2004). Browsing for Philosophical Inquiry: A short Introduction to Philosophical Thinking. beliefs. lander. edu.
Lowe, E. (1998). The Possibility of Metaphysics: Substance, Identity, and Time. Oxford: Clarendon.
Steup, M. (2010). Epistemology. Recovered 01-26, 2011, from the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2010 Edition): http://plato.stanford.edu/cgi-bin/encyclopedia/archinfo.cgi?entry=epistemology