The Ethicist column was initiated by the New York Times in 1999. I don’t recall when I first became aware of it, but having become aware of it, I was eager to read the opinions expressed in it. Unfortunately, either the first, or nearly the first, question that was posed to the ethicist which I came across caused me to put the paper down and never again bother with the column. The question asked whether it was ethical to drive an SUV. What in hell had that to do with ethics?*
*
I once asked an ethicist what in his view was the difference between ethics and morals. He said he saw no difference. I didn’t engage further with him, but clearly he was wrong.** Consider the following scenarios:
A—A college professor is sleeping with a student in his class. To me, that is certainly unethical, because the romantic relationship can (and most likely will) influence the grading of the student’s work, which the professor is responsible for evaluating fairly on its merits.
B—A college professor is sleeping with a student who is not in his class. To me, there is no ethical issue here, as there is no power issue in this case. To some, this scenario may, however, be immoral. But I won’t bother to engage with that.
C—A college professor is sleeping with a student in his class. The student happens to be his wife, who is taking the course because her husband is the only faculty member in the state who offers a course in Paleosomethingorother. Would you care to make an ethical issue out of that?
*
Although I don’t bother to read the Times’ Ethicist column, I can’t help coming across the questions when reading the paper. Two recent questions have confirmed my choice not to follow the column:
1—Is It OK to Leave the U.S. if the Wrong Candidate Becomes President?
2—I’m a Queer Man Who Had a Fling With Another Guy. Should His Girlfriend Be Told?
For the first issue: How can it be an ethical issue if one feels the need to leave one’s country?*** How did the United States get populated—except by people leaving their homelands, for manifold reasons, including economic, religious, and, yes, political reasons. I can conceive of an ethical issue if one is barred from leaving one’s country, but not the reverse.****
As far as the second issue goes, why even ask the question? Unless you are determined to wreck someone’s life, keep shtum. The unethical nature of the question is lit up in neon lights.
*
The greatest ethical test of my life occurred around 3&1/2 to 4 decades ago. I helped out at my tennis club, teaching a few classes to mostly little kids. One day I was asked by Gilda, the manager, if I could take over a class the next day that the pro, Doug, would be unable to conduct as he was going out of town. The class consisted of four high school girls (some of whom may have been on their school’s tennis team). At the end of the hour, two of the girls approached me with a request: would I take over the class permanently? I was flattered by the request and would have loved to teach them. But without hesitation, I turned them down. I was doing the tennis teaching basically for fun, but this was Doug’s livelihood. How could I take away a source of his income? The girls and I parted with regrets, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
***
* I can see an ethical issue arising in the following totally unlikely scenario:
On an island with few petroleum resources, everybody drives a Mini. One day the ferry docks and a ganzer macher drives off the boat in a Hummer. That unfair use of the limited resources raises an ethical question.
** From https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/morals\
Ethics vs Morals: Is there a difference?
Ethics and morals are both used in the plural and are often regarded as synonyms, but there is some distinction in how they are used.
Morals often describes one's particular values concerning what is right and what is wrong:
“It would go against my morals to help you cheat on the test.”
. . .
While ethics can refer broadly to moral principles, one often sees it applied to questions of correct behavior within a relatively narrow area of activity:
“Our class had a debate over the ethics of genetic testing.”
. . .
In addition, morals usually connotes an element of subjective preference, while ethics tends to suggest aspects of universal fairness and the question of whether or not an action is responsible.
*** Unless one is leaving one's pets and one's children behind. Then there might be an ethical issue.
**** In Candide, Voltaire subtly satirizes (by contrast) the actions of European governments, when Candide, in El Dorado, asks the King for permission to leave the country:
“I have not the right to detain strangers. It is a tyranny which neither our manners nor our laws permit. All men are free. Go when you wish.”
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/19942/19942-h/19942-h.htm#Page_80 [Page 87]
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