To what extent Ethics can be evil?

[Vnsyu]

[Anonymous]

Its an oxymoron.

The entire point of the subject of ethics is to avoid 'evil'.

There are situations in which someone could believe they were doing something ethical which viewed from another perspective was evil and how you define it depends on your perspective but there is no perspective from which something is both ethical and evil, by definition if something were evil it would cease to be ethical.

For example the classic trolley problem, the is a carriage on a track moving towards a set of points controlled by a lever, you have the option to throw the lever and divert the carriage, if you dont do anything 5 will die if you do 1 will die. What do you do?

Most people will tell you that you should throw the switch, saving more lives is considered better.

But then you have the patient problem which is essentially the same thing, you are a doctor and there are 6 patients in the waiting room, 5 are terminal and one has a minor and very treatable condition, however the healthy person is also a potential organ donor, by killing him and harvesting his parts the other 5 can be saved. In this scenario taking the life of the one to save the 5 is not justifiable.

Any of these options can be considered to be ethical or evil but not at the same time.

[caring__1]

I wouldn't view ethics as evil, but people can legitimize evil actions and claim they are ethical. This is common with religious fanatics. If you want to delve deeper into the challenges of ethics, stream the TV series "The Good Place." If you're not able to watch it, read the book written by the creator of the series: https://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Perfect-Correct-Question/dp/1982159316/ref=asc_df_1982159316/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=583729555083&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=18082225095372423867&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9031761&hvtargid=pla-1636223219940&psc=1

[Guy13]

Ethics are mostly personal so the scope of the question is huge. Are you talking about an Absolute Ethic?

[OddBeMe]

I guess the Judge Dredd effect. Being absolutist in ethics and not allowing for exigent circumstances.