Ethical dilemma: Who should you believe? - Alex Worsnip
TED-Ed・2 minutes read
Despite evidence pointing towards your spouse's guilt in a murder case, philosophical views like evidentialism stress the importance of belief based on evidence while pragmatic ethics argue in favor of maintaining beliefs for practical reasons, leading to a moral dilemma in supporting your spouse's innocence.
Insights
- Evidentialism emphasizes forming beliefs solely based on evidence, even if it challenges personal relationships or emotions, highlighting the crucial role of well-informed beliefs in ethical decision-making.
- Pragmatism in the ethics of belief suggests that practical considerations, such as maintaining relationships, can influence belief formation, prompting reflection on the complexity of balancing personal connections with rational evaluation of evidence in moral dilemmas.
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Recent questions
How can belief be influenced by evidence?
Evidentialism suggests belief should be based on evidence.
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Summary
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Belief, Evidence, and Ethics in Murder Case
- The police arrive to arrest your spouse for murder, despite your disbelief due to their gentle nature. Evidence, like fingerprints on the murder weapon, points towards their guilt, leading to a philosophical dilemma on the ethics of belief.
- Evidentialism, a philosophical view, suggests that belief should be solely based on evidence, advocating for a neutral evaluation of evidence even if it incriminates your spouse, emphasizing the importance of well-informed beliefs for ethical actions.
- Pragmatism in the ethics of belief argues that practical considerations, like maintaining a loving relationship or supporting your spouse, can justify believing in their innocence even without strong evidence, raising questions on the control one has over their beliefs and the impact on relationships.
