Slide 1

Ethics and Complexity Exploring the relationship…

Prof Lucas D. Introna…..………………… Lancaster University……..…………

l.introna@lancaster.ac.uk..

Slide 2

Agenda

IntroductionWhy ethics?

Ethics and (Complexity) ScienceComplexity and Ethics

Traditional approach to the problem of ethicsRethinking the complexity of the ethical problem

So what / what now

Slide 3

Why ethics?

• The question of Ethics emerges as the problem of the significant Other

• My actions affect the Other in a more or less significant way

• The ethical problem is often framed as conflicting / competing needs, rights, values, etc. of all significant Others implicated in my actions

• Ethics always implies some sacrifice (who bares the burden?)

• Ethics is how I conduct myself relative to these implicated significant Others

Slide 4

Why ethics?

Simultaneity of Self and Other

Slide 5

Who are significant Others?

• Who or what is morally significant?– God / transcendent being– Self– Humans– Animals– Nature / The environment– Machines– Things

Ego-centric Anthropocentric Bio-centric Ecocentric …

>> Hierarchy?

Slide 6

Ethics and (Complexity) Science

• Fact / value distinction– Epistemology / ethics

• Science is a social practise…

• Science ought to concern itself with the implications of its theories…

Slide 7

Ethics and (Complexity) Science

Isabelle Stengers

Slide 8

Traditional approach to ethics

• Human actions might have undesirable consequences for significant Others (justice, rights, values)

• Human in acting cause these consequences (cause / effect relationship)

• Because humans have autonomous agency (based on free will) they have moral responsibility

• How do we discharge our moral responsibility?• Rational problem solving (calculative rationality)• Reaching closure / equilibrium (justification)

Slide 9

Western ethical theory

ActMotiveReason

Consequences(significant Others)

Deontological theory

Consequentionalist theoryEthical Egoism

UtilitarianismHedonism

Ethics of DutyRights and JusticeEthics of Care

Slide 10

Complexity and Ethics

• Complexity theory’s critique of traditional approach: – Linear relationships (cause / effect)– Ahistorical nature of model (linear temporality)– Assumption of original causes (free will / autonomy)– Assumption of closure / boundedness

• Multiple feedback loops and second-order network effects (simultaneity of the local and the global)

• Already situated (compromised) nature of action (simultaneity of past / present / future)

• Agency is diffused and distributed (simultaneity intentional and the unintended)

• There is no ‘outside’ (simultaneity of self, other and all others)

Slide 11

Complexity and Ethics

ComplexEthics

Simultaneity of:

* Other and All Others

* Local and global

* Past and future

* Intended and unintended

Ethics cannot be solved (…and that is what makes it serious)

Slide 12

Levinas’ Ethics

Ethics: being disturbed; taking up our ethical obligations in everyday life…

Self Other

All Other Others

ETHICS

JUSTICE

Slide 13

Derrida’s Aporia

• Suspension of the law (fresh judgement)

• Undecidability

• Urgency (needed now)

Slide 14

Virtue ethics as a complex ethics

What is virtue?

• Strength of character • Is the outcome of practice (habit / disposition)• Involving both feeling and action• Seeks to find the mean between excess and

deficiency relative to us

Slide 15

Virtue ethics

Seeks the mean between excess and deficiency relative to us

Deficiency Virtue Excess

Cowardness Courage Foolhardiness

Stingy Generosity Wasteful

Self-loathing Humility Arrogance

Deceit Honesty Confessional

? Loyalty ?

Slide 16

Virtue ethics as a complex ethics

Why virtue ethics?

• Emphasis on character development (becoming)

(good character right actions)

• Emphasis on practice (habit / disposition)

• Morality becomes something I always do

• Encourages reflexivity…

Slide 17

Virtue ethics

Seeks to maintain the simultaneity…

Virtue

Other Care (fulness) All Others

Past Reflexivity Future

Local Mindfullness Global

Intended Open to reconsideration

Unintended

Slide 18

So what?

• Ethics needs complexity to keep it serious

• Ethics is not something we can avoid (and scientists

of human beings)

• Ethics cannot be solved (it is an ongoing obligation)

• Finding ways to deal with simultaneity is an ongoing

ethical burden

• Ethics is a ongoing practice