New model of ethics and morality

Faith & Science Conversation
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A new model of ethics and morality has recently been announced, as schematically outlined in the diagram immediately below. This new system radically expands upon Aristotle’s Theory of the Mean: retaining his basic format of the “virtues” interposed between the vices of defect and the vices of excess, while introducing the entirely new category of “hyperviolence” for providing an even sense of symmetry. This enhanced system is further organized around the additional concept of the “neutrality” status: replacing Aristotle’s “mean” virtues as the new core-nucleus of the system.

    • VICES OF EXCESS
      (Excessive Virtue)

  • MAJOR VIRTUES
    (Virtuous Mode)

O NEUTRALITY STATUS

  • VICES OF DEFECT
    (Absence of virtue)

    • HYPERVIOLENCE
      (Excessive Defect)

The key insight behind this innovation arises as a direct consequence of the fledgling field of Communications Theory, borrowing the crucial concept of the metaperspective, a higher-order perspective upon the viewpoint held by another: schematically defined as “this is how I see you-seeing me.” Extending this paradigm one level gives way to the meta-metaperspective: formally defined as “this is how I see you-seeing me-seeing you.” Indeed, there does not appear to be any conceptual barrier limiting the degree to which reflection can serve as a basis for itself, ultimately extending to a 10th-order level of meta-abstraction. The higher virtues and values collectively build as subsets within this hierarchy of metaperspectives, each more abstract listing building upon that which it supersedes.
Take, for example, the cardinal virtues (prudence-justice-temperance-fortitude), the theological virtues (faith-hope-charity-decency), and the classical Greek values (beauty-truth-goodness-wisdom). Each of these traditional ethical groupings is further subdivided into a complex of four subordinate terms, allowing for precise point-for-point stacking within the hierarchy of metaperspectives. When additional groupings of ethical terms are further added to the mix, the complete ten level hierarchy of metaperspectives emerges in full detail, partially reproduced in the table below:

GLORY------PRUDENCE
PROVIDENCE–FAITH
GRACE-------BEAUTY
TRANQUILITY-ECSTASY

HONOR-------JUSTICE
LIBERTY------HOPE
FREE WILL—TRUTH
EQUALITY----BLISS

DIGNITY–TEMPERANCE
CIVILITY—CHARITY
MAGNANIMITY-GOODNESS
LOVE--------JOY

INTEGRITY–FORTITUDE
AUSTERITY–DECENCY
EQUANIMITY–WISDOM
PEACE------HARMONY

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