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Abstract
A note on the Ethicality of Human actions with reference to Ecologic Crisis and Moral Progress
- M.N. Sinha
Ecologic exists results from degeneration of ecosystem due to man's inconsiderate thinking and living Moral progress is a function of behaviour, arising, on the one hand, from continuous introspection and reappraisal and, on the other, from critical analyses of changing social realities This is progressively achieved in course of life span during attainment of fitness and its quality which expresses the results of the interplay between organisms and environment.
Human actions are always purposive. They are open to judgement or evaluation. The ethicality involved in human actions pertaining to ecosystem can also be viewed with respect to their rightness or wrongness on three possible levels :
(1) The person/persons might be clear about the standard/standards of conduct and actions to be performed rightly are sharply defined and understood. They are done according to reason behind them according to some guiding principles. In this case ethicality of such actions performed 5 proved as they conform to and are in harmony with the standard/norm.
(ii) The person/persons might not be clear about the standards of behaviour (what is right or syrong, about what constitutes virtue in human action) and without knowing the norm, one performs the action/actions. Actions performed here are behind. They are thus beyond evaluation, justification Or decision regarding their ethicality.
(in) Persons might be clear about the norm of conduct but do not hesitate violating it in performance of their actions. At times put pleas for such violations.
In the light of these three positions, actions creating ecological imbalance and consequently causing degradation of ethical environmental can be judged. Viewed in the light of the first, the persons performing their actions according to norm of behaviour do not create ecological crisis, do protect ecological balance, display individual as well as social responsibilities and contribute to the moral progress. Their actions, therefore, are normal, rational, desirable and value-neutral. Evaluated in the light of the second, the person's actions can be said to be blind, actuated by involuntary impulses, affected by unreason, and therefore, a-moral. The third position, inturn, is important and relevant with reference to the present problem i.e. the ethicality of human actions involved in ecologic crisis and moral progress. When the person in his attitude, motivation and even in wrong justification of one's actions with respect to one's share in degradation of ethical environment causes abrasion fand destruction of ecosystem, negates its maintenance, and ultimately impedes moral progress, such action of the person can be judged as underirable, individually and socially irresponsible, ethically not permissible and, therefore, immoral. These actions do not help the evolutionary path and thus are not ethically good nor virtuous. They partake in retardation and, therefore, are evil acts
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