Ethics and Philosophy in a Finite World

Hey everyone, this is a post I’ve been thinking about for a while now.

Edit to include TLDR: We have basic needs to EXIST physically like food / water / shelter. The disconnect between that and our mental / social / emotional needs are inside unless we put in the effort to share and learn. Whereas you can tell if someone is starving or freezing. Without the fear of death we prioritized existing over living. When tangible took the wheel we started to forget about the soul. For us to be ethical we need to feed both. Here when life is finite sometimes we have to pick and whose which to feed. This is a test because above they don’t have the physical fears we share. They learn more about this through us because we have to face what they don’t. A time limit. Our ethics and moral compass must account for both.

—

For some background, I’ve always been fascinated by psychology, sociology, and the ways in which people come to be who they are. This led me to trying to rationalize or understand (without excusing it) bad behavior in others (often without recognizing the larger patterns at play) . Before this shift in understanding with my 'awakening', I considered myself a moral absurdist. Justice for all has always been a lynchpin but with my upbringing I did not expect anything special to come of my existence. Just here to eat, poop, and procreate if the time is right. I still hold some of those beliefs, but I’ve come to see there is a method behind the madness. That with what we know our guidelines are very dependent on eventually dying. But I digress...

I studied politics, language, and culture in college, which included philosophy courses where I began to see how many so-called "virtues" were actually established by those in power. These so-called virtues often didn’t align with what most of us might consider truly virtuous. Naturally many of these virtues were established by the thoughts and wants of a certain demographic and gender.

Now, I want to dive into some philosophical and ethical topics, specifically how they apply in both finite and infinite life contexts. In this, a lot of ethical guidelines get redefined, and this is where things start to feel a little jarring, especially when we try to apply them to a world where infinity isn’t just a concept, but something that could radically change our understanding of morality.

I’ve categorized some key theories and approaches into three groups: Societal Good, Personal Good, and Fear-Based Intentions. I want to share these so you can review what aligns with you personally as well as what seems to connect to what we have learned here as a group.

Societal Good: The 'Greater' Good

This is focused on the collective well-being, whether through intention or outcome. Fear-based ethics often arise here, especially when hierarchical structures misuse power to control societal norms. But societal good, at its best, works toward creating a fairer, more just world. Here’s how different theories frame that:

• Contractualism: Morality is built upon mutual agreements that ensure fairness and benefit for all in society (think of it like a "social contract").

• Care Ethics: Prioritizes the well-being of others, especially in close relationships, emphasizing empathy and care.

• Pragmatism: Morality is flexible and should focus on real-world consequences rather than strict rules.

• Social Contract Theory: We agree to follow certain moral rules for the greater good, even if they don’t always align with self-interest.

• Deep Ecology and Biocentrism: These frameworks elevate the importance of nature and non-human life, arguing that ecosystems and other species deserve moral consideration.

• Utilitarianism: Morality is about producing the greatest good for the greatest number.

• Deontology: The focus is on duty and adhering to moral rules, no matter the outcomes.

• Relativism: Morality is shaped by culture and personal experience—what’s right or wrong varies across societies and individuals.

• Virtue Ethics: Morality is about cultivating virtuous traits that allow us to flourish.

• Egoism: Self-interest dictates morality, and actions are considered moral if they benefit the self.

• Feminist Ethics: Focuses on justice, gender dynamics, and the experiences of marginalized groups.

Personal Good: Individual Flourishing

These ethical systems focus on individual well-being and personal decisions. They prioritize personal growth and freedom in ways that don’t necessarily align with society’s norms:

• Existential Ethics: Emphasizes personal freedom, responsibility, and the need to find meaning in life.

• Hedonism: Seeks to maximize personal pleasure or happiness.

• Intuition-based Ethics: Believes we have an innate moral sense guiding us toward ethical decisions.

• Anthropocentrism: A human-centered perspective, where human interests are prioritized above other species.

• Natural Rights: Every individual has inherent rights that should be respected.

Fear-Based: Rules Imposed by Higher Powers

These frameworks are often rooted in power dynamics and are imposed by authority figures or systems:

• Divine Command: Morality comes from a divine source, and humans follow rules based on divine authority.

• Duty-based Ethics: The focus is on fulfilling one’s duties, regardless of consequences.

• Finite vs Infinite Existence: In a finite world, every action carries weight, and power imbalances must be acknowledged. But in an infinite world, the consequences of actions may seem less permanent, allowing for more freedom to experiment with what is morally acceptable.

Infinite vs. Finite Existence

In an infinite existence, consciousness continues, and pain or hardship might not seem as “permanent” as we perceive it in a finite life. Much easier to rationalize the greater good over the individual when there is a true common goal. In a finite existence, every moment counts more, and actions have immediate consequences. Power is abused more often 'in the name of progress'. The tension between these two realms raises questions about morality and suffering. We might not need to justify harmful actions in the same way in an infinite world, as the potential for growth and learning never ends. But in a finite world, we need to be more careful about how our actions affect others, since they can have lasting consequences.

As Above

• In an infinite world, we are knowingly ourselves and the sum of our parts. With that, we can see that pain and hardship are needed at times on the personal and communal level so that our own understanding and actions can be 'better', but also to then be applied to the finite realms. Infinite existence helps see the balance but also gives the freedom to do what a finite place, like earth, would consider to be inhumane, unfair, maybe even cruel. The same rules cannot be applied, as infinity gives room for infinite growth. Communal guidelines are easier to establish because there is a direct connection.

• Actions such as cloning, testing, infliction of pain and other 'negative' feelings are not as all consuming, and can be seen as ways to improve and learn since consciousness continues and we don't fear spending the time we have feeling like crap. It is easier to take on discomfort when you know for sure it isn't 'forever'

• A single source of 'fact' gives the ability for individual perception, but no fear of propaganda and brainwashing (brain is squeaky clean)

• Sensations (I assume) are not all encompassing and are more like gathering information (like dropping mentos into a bottle of soda) to study the reaction and make things better the next time around

So Below

• In a finite world, we are essentially lab rats (to ourselves an those above). We live every day seeing what works and what doesn't, with millions of factors and unintended consequences (as well as intended). Actions inflicted have much more weight because we are trapped in our own reality built by the perception of those who (likely) were abusing their power in some sense. We strive for growth as society and individuals, but to do that we need to follow social contracts - but those who decide that don't get to power by being kind, loving, and open minded (my thoughts you hear and you begin to fear, that your card will get pulled if you interfere).

• Knowledge and growth cannot always be transferred down the line, due to biases (conscious and unconscious) of record preservation and as always the abuse of power of those in charge. We lack communal understanding of events due to perception being relative.

• Folks can abuse their desire for 'greater good' when that good may only be great to the few. People look at what is making them suffer or a group they are personally associated with in some way. This lack of understanding of the 'other' creates a hierarchy that should not exist and results in pain and suffering and negative energy being put out into the ether (a big example I think of is medical testing - lack of care for animals deemed less sentient or important, and also things like medication testing being done only on men for side effects, as well as thinks like assuming a colposcopy doesn't hurt when its doing a hole punching the cervix, ow).

  
  

Final Thoughts

Balancing personal and communal good can be tough, especially when our own discomfort or suffering influences how we view the world. Ethical systems offer frameworks, but ultimately, we must balance these ideals against real-world consequences. Open communication and shared understanding are essential for finding ways to navigate this balance. The growth of self should go hand in hand with the growth of the whole. The whole is a sum of its parts. Don't forget yourself but don't forget your neighbor.

....gonna add a qualifier to that last sentence and say maybe ignore them if they base their life on the oppression and hatred of others. Maybe send them a book on moral philosophy :)

There is a good chance this was jumbled and made no sense. Sorry if that's the case.