The Life Principles
The following article summarizes the four levels of ethics in the book, Healing the Culture: A Commonsense Philosophy of Happiness, Freedom, and the Life Issues (by Robert J. Spitzer, S.J., Ph.D.). This book provides the curriculum upon which our mission and activities are based.
Ethics
by Marie Harkins and Camille Pauley
You may have noticed that in today's society, tolerance is regarded as the "highest virtue." The idea is preached everywhere - on university campuses, in workplaces, through the media - and is reinforced by the rather unconvincing explanation: "Well, what's right for you is right for you; and what's right for me is right for me." Many people reject the belief that there are objective principles by which we can judge right and wrong. Of course, we do make judgments about what is right and wrong every day. If we didn't, we would find ourselves in the midst of utter chaos - with no foundation on which to base our own actions, much less the laws that govern our societies. (If you have not yet read the first article on the four levels of happiness, please click here.)
If we are living for a Level 1 and 2 meaning in life, our system of ethics (our idea of what is right and wrong) will be determined by our feelings (Level 1) and by how we can get ahead (Level 2). In other words, whatever works best for me, optimizes my pleasure, and gives me an advantage in the comparison game, will be considered "ethical."
Generally, people living for Level 1/2 goals will at least recognize the validity of the Silver Rule, which counsels, "Do not do unto others as you would not have them do unto you." Or, "Do no harm." However, from a Level 1 or Level 2 view of happiness and purpose in life, it can get a bit tricky to uphold even this minimalist notion of ethics. If I am living for physical pleasure or the comparative advantage, then I will likely do anything to attain these goals. This drive to achieve and to gain material goods at all costs makes it difficult not to hurt anyone else along the way. Similarly, a Level 1/2 understanding of ethics makes it difficult to understand any reason for virtue, which makes it impossible to love virtue, and thus difficult to attain virtuous habits and to recognize unchanging, universal principles. Ethics, then, becomes not only a waste of time, but disadvantageous.
Levels 3 and 4 encompass a much broader view of ethics. To the foundation of the Silver Rule, the Level 3/4 person adds the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." This maxim demands more than simply the avoidance of harm; it demands gift of self, contribution, respect, compassion, sacrifice, commitment, forgiveness, courage, and love. It demands putting someone else's needs ahead of my own. If I have a Level 3 understanding of happiness, I know that my life has a higher purpose: love, contribution, and faith. In order to attain that purpose, I can see the value of cultivating virtue. In fact, I grow to love virtue. This love of virtue, in turn, inspires me to seek to live according to certain rules of ethical conduct, such as respect for life, liberty, property, honesty, and justice.
Level 4, because it is built on faith, takes this understanding of ethics one step further. If I believe in God, and I believe in His perfect love for humankind, then it is only logical for me to believe that He made each of us to love Him in return. Similarly, if God made us to love Him, we would expect Him to reveal a path by which we are best led to love Him, and to assist us in walking it. This He does through revelation (Scripture and tradition) and through interior direction and peace. In Level 4, then, we are given help in acquiring virtue: revelation, conscience, and grace. And through that grace, we are led to love virtue for the sake of loving Him.
Naturally, this love inspires us to seek His will and to serve Him accordingly. Again our path to love, and to the God who is Love, is found in surrender, in trusting God enough to say: "Thy will be done." From Level 3/4 we are led to view ethics as a response to universal principles rather than as a relativistic tolerance of "anything goes."
© Copyright 2005 Healing the Culture. All rights reserved. Marie Harkins is past Director of Administration for Healing the Culture and currently contributes to special projects. Camille Pauley is the co-founder and President of Healing the Culture.
The preceding article summarizes the four levels of love in the book, Healing the Culture: A Commonsense Philosophy of Happiness, Freedom, and the Life Issues (by Robert J. Spitzer, S.J., Ph.D.). This book provides the curriculum upon which our mission and activities are based.
Donate to our ministry, today!