Which approach to

ethical thinking do you believe you take

most often and why?
Rebekah Garvin
June 25, 2014
UF 300
As the paper "A Framework for Thinking Ethically" by the Markkula Center for applied Ethics
indicates, ethics is a discussion of " how ought we to act." I am 'ethically' unable to claim that I
default to using a pagan framework for "determining what standards of behavior" I live by.
I'm disgusted with the huge assumption that is made by this article. Mainly, it assumes that we
haven't already been told how we are to act. Why is it the assumption of the University that we
haven't already been given a code by which to live? This article and the basis for all ethics study
assumes that there is no absolute truth and we must go in search of it everywhere except where it
has existed for nearly seven millennia. In order to nd some sense of stability without Yahovah
humans reject his framework and have decided to explore, theorize and attempt to become their own
god and make their own framework by developing their own commandments they've termed as
'ethics.' Since no one person or god is in charge of these "commandments" it is no surprise that no
one can agree on which ethics are the right ones. I suppose if one has no god this is the best
strategy and framework with which to try to answer the question "how am I to act?" But I am of a
demographic that doesn't have to wrestle with this question. I believe that the best way for me to
know "how ought I to act" is to listen to the One who designed, built and gave life to me and to the
rest of humanity. That said, I can identify with several points in the 5 ethical standards because they
originally are found in the Torah. Such as:
The Rights Approach says: "This approach starts from the belief that humans have a dignity
based on their human nature per se or on their ability to choose freely what they do with their
lives." (This is a teaching in the Torah that says we were created with free will, the dignity of
causality and that ultimately Yahovah will respect our freedom to decide for or against him.)
The Common Good Approach says: "This approach suggests that the interlocking
relationships of society are the basis of ethical reasoning and that respect and compassion for
all others-especially the vulnerable-are requirements of such reasoning." (This is a teaching in
the Torah that says we are to take care of the widows, the orphans and the poor.)

The Virtue Approach says: "Honesty, courage, compassion, generosity, tolerance, love,
delity, integrity, fairness, self-control, and prudence are all examples of virtues." (These are
virtues that are mentioned by name, commanded and valued in the Torah.)
Yahovah wrote the basis for all of our ethical standards rst. No one can claim to have come up with
brand new thoughts on good ways to treat our neighbors; no one can claim those thoughts as being
originally their own, because Papa already wrote them on stone a long time ago (Ex. 1924). Credit
should go to the original writer. I am trying to do that.
My go-to approach to discovering "how ought I to act" is to know and internalize what is already
written in the Torah (the Hebrew word for "instructions") by the Great One. And no one is allowed to
add to or take away from those instructions. It is my job as a Melchizedek priest to live by Torah
standards that are modeled for Israel by Rabbi Yahshua and etched into my very being by the
Ruach. This for me, my framework for "ethical thinking."