Legal Definitions - ethical absolutism

Ethical Absolutism, also known as moral absolutism, is the philosophical belief that certain actions are inherently right or wrong, universally and without exception. This perspective holds that moral principles are objective, unchanging, and apply to everyone, everywhere, regardless of cultural differences, specific circumstances, or potential consequences. For an ethical absolutist, the morality of an action is determined by whether it conforms to these fixed moral rules, not by its outcome or the situation in which it occurs.

• Example 1: Prohibition Against Torture

  A nation's legal code explicitly states that torture is always wrong, under any circumstances, even when interrogating suspected terrorists who might possess information crucial to preventing a major attack. The law makes no allowances for exceptions based on the severity of the threat or the potential benefits of obtaining information.

  This demonstrates ethical absolutism because it establishes an unyielding moral rule against torture. The prohibition is not contingent on the potential positive outcomes (like preventing a larger disaster) or the specific context; it is considered inherently wrong, universally and without exception.

• Example 2: Business Honesty in Reporting

  A company's CEO insists that all financial reports must always present the absolute truth, even if revealing negative financial performance could lead to a significant drop in stock price or investor confidence. The CEO believes that manipulating or "spinning" data, even slightly, is fundamentally dishonest and therefore unacceptable, regardless of the potential business benefits of doing so.

  This illustrates ethical absolutism because the CEO adheres to an absolute moral principle of honesty in reporting. The truth is considered a non-negotiable value, regardless of the potentially adverse business consequences, reflecting a belief that honesty is always the correct action.

• Example 3: Universal Ban on Lying

  A person holds the conviction that lying is always morally wrong, no matter the situation. Even if telling a small lie could prevent someone from being hurt emotionally or could achieve a greater good, they believe that the act of lying itself is inherently unethical and should never be done.

  This reflects ethical absolutism because the individual operates under a fixed moral rule that lying is inherently wrong, regardless of the potential positive outcomes or the specific circumstances. The principle of truth-telling is held as an absolute, unchanging moral command.