GLOSSARY
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Arthur M. Jackson
Copyright 2001, 2003, 2006
Below are terms important to science of ethics. Some are included because they are not in common use, some are special words coined specifically for science of ethics, others are common words, but have special meanings here not necessarily equivalent to how they are used elsewhere. If you find other words you feel should be added to this glossary please contact me: Arthur Jackson
ALTRUISM: Altruism and selfishness are considered to be equivalent terms in science of ethics. They both are interpreted to mean acting in one’s long-term best interest.
A PLACE FOR KIDS (APFK) : Residential Group Homes set up to take care of orphans, as well as unwanted and abused children. Functions so as to fulfill the Tenth Way of Wisdom: Ensure that every child is provided a loving, nurturing environment, and all the things necessary to become an enlightened person.
CENTER FOR THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF WISDOM (CPAW): Organization to develop, clarify, and apply the findings of science of ethics.
CENTER FOR THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF WISDOM NEWS GROUP (CPAW-NG) : Works to ensure that the activities and analysis of the news essential to science of ethics would be available in every community.
CHAOS THEORY: Mathematical theory that the universe is deterministic, but that it is only predictable within narrow limits of space and time due to the uncertainty of measurements of relevant initial conditions.
CENTER FOR MASTERING LIVING (CFML) : Organization providing activities aimed at helping interested persons master any barrier keeping them from becoming an enlightened person.
CHOICES ARE US (CAU) : Organization established to help individuals achieve the Fifth Way of Wisdom: Strive to make the best choices possible.
COMPUTER CONNECTION, THE: Organization utilizing computers to help individuals connect with those who share relevant interests.
CTRES (Computer Tutor, Recorder, and Expert Systems) : A specially configured portable computer designed to help an individual become and remain an enlightened person.
CORPORATION FOR UNIVERSAL EMPLOYMENT (CUE) : Organization to provide a way for each person to transform their labor into wealth.
EIGHTH WAY OF WISDOM: Help and be helped by other people.
ELEVENTH WAY OF WISDOM: Make of your life a spiritual quest. Work to become an Enlightened Person.
EMERGENCY SERVICES CENTER (ESC) : Facilities open at all times; always ready to help anyone who comes.
ENLIGHTENED COMMUNITY: Formerly called Good, Moral, or Wise Community. One that promotes the belief and implements the idea that human beings are the source of meaning and value and that the individual person must be the focus for society’s ultimate concern.
ENLIGHTENED PERSON: Formerly called Good, Moral, or Wise Person. Someone who has achieved the closest approximation currently possible of a sustainable belief that their life has meaning.
FEELING THAT ONE'S LIFE HAS MEANING (FLIHM): An emotion-state based on beliefs. Is defined as existing when a person who is able to end their life does not do so for the wrong reasons; i.e., due to irrational beliefs.
FIFTH WAY OF WISDOM: Strive to make the best choices possible.
FIRST WAY OF WISDOM: Recognize that human beings are the ultimate reference system.
FOURTH WAY OF WISDOM: Recognize that all knowledge rests on faith/beliefs and must always be open to questioning.
FUZZY LOGIC: Area of mathematics dealing with Aristotle’s “excluded middle.” Yes/no logic pertains only to the world of mathematics. Fuzzy logic pertains to the real world humans live in.
GENE-BASED STABILITY: Condition that exists when the members of a species live in a stable state in their ecological niche due to their successful genetic adaptation. The normal state of all species except human beings.
“GOOD LIFE”: exists when an individual has achieved a sustainable belief that their life has meaning, i.e., sustainable “happiness.”*
*“HAPPINESS” : A first order approximation to that area of human feelings science of ethics examines as part of a feeling that one’s life has meaning.
HEALTH CARE CLINIC (HCC) : Organization that supports existing health care clinics so as to help members achieve the Sixth Way of Wisdom: Know and endeavor to improve yourself; work to be physically and psychologically healthy.
HOMO SAPIENS SAPIENS: Refers to the immediate predecessor of Modern Humans. They evolved some 100,000 to 200,000 years ago out of Homo sapiens and were a transitional stage to Modern Humans. Modern Humans evolved, between 30,000 to 60,000 years ago as evidenced by the rapid transformation of tools and living patterns. I propose that modern language with all its elements had at that point finally come together and language lies at the core of these changes.
HUMAN BEINGS ARE THE ULTIMATE REFERENCE SYSTEM (HBAURS): Human beings themselves are the source of meaning and value, and this meaning and value derives from their existence as a biological species with unique characteristics.
“I,” OR SELF: Neither unitary, nor permanent. Result of one’s organic being, experiences, and the immediate circumstances in which one is functioning.
KNOWLEDGE: information, data, understanding, prediction. Permits an individual to manipulate and use the forces, attributes, and patterns of the natural world – utilizing what is known.
KNOWLEDGE BANK, THE: Organization acting as a primary resource to store and make available all information, data, ideas, etc. It would be a central resource for the Computer Connection, which might possibly provide the motivating energy to establish it.
LAMARCKIAN EVOLUTION: Jean Baptiste Pierre Antoine de Monet de Lamarck [more commonly, Jean-Baptiste Lamarck] (1744-1829) suggested a mechanism for organic evolution prior to Charles Darwin's "evolution by natural selection." He proposed the theory that characteristics acquired by habits, use, disuse, or adaptations to changes in environment may be passed directly to progeny. Of course this can't work for genes, but it works for memes.
MEANING OF LIFE: For any organism it is to perpetuate their species -- “eat,” reproduce, die. For human beings because they have symbolic language, this is a feeling-state based on beliefs.
MEME: Term coined by Richard Dawkins in his book, THE SELFISH GENE (1976) to contrast with genes. It applies to ideas, thought-patterns, actions, fashions, etc. that replicate themselves within a culture and are passed from mind to mind possibly over many generations and to many cultures. Dawkins defines the meme as a unit of intellectual or cultural information that survives long enough to be recognized as such, and which can be passed from person to person.
MEME-BASED STABILITY: The goal towards which Modern Humans have been moving since losing gene-based stability. A state in which each individual would develop their full positive potential, and thereby live the best life possible while also contributing toward maintaining and developing the species.
MODERN HUMANS: Discussed by Steven Mithen in “THE PREHISTORY OF THE MIND: The Cognitive Origins of Art and Science.” [Thames and Hudson, New York, 1996.] Modern Humans replaced Homo sapiens sapiens and appeared over a period of time from 30,000 to 60,000 years ago. Includes all current human beings.
“NATURALISTIC FALLACY:” English philosopher G. E. Moore’s term for any efforts attempting to get an “ought” from an “is.” Considered to be an specious concept by science of ethics.
NEW IDEAS, REVOLUTIONARY INSIGHTS, AND/OR UNIQUE ANSWERS INSTITUTE (NIRIUA-I) : An organization working to provide a channel so anyone can transmit ideas (memes) -- in so far as they have merit -- into society in a usable, or at least understandable form.
NINTH WAY OF WISDOM: Work to increase knowledge and all creative and artistic endeavors. Adopt an inspiring life goal.
ORGANIZATION FOR THE PROTECTION OF LABOR: Group set up to help employees be as productive as possible while developing their humanity.
ORGANIZATION TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF HUMAN LIFE (OEQHL) : Its goal would be to make sure that the frontiers of scientific discovery are being pushed in all areas of science to ensure that knowledge and understanding are developing as rapidly as desirable.
REALITY AS THE OBJECTIVE REFERENCE SYSTEM (RAORS) : Hypothesis that reality actually exists and can be studied, but must always be interpreted in terms of the knowledge and understanding of the day.
RADIO LINK, THE: A communication device (such as a micro-radio) which the possessor could use in case of need.
REGIONAL PLANNING AND COORDINATING INSTITUTIONS: Organization to deal with issues related to society's growth and development so that changes are not introduced until they have been adequately studied and it appears that their long-term benefits will outweigh the long-term harmful effects.
REQUIREMENT FOR CONSISTENCY: To be cogent any ethical System must be comprehensive in scope, clearly stated, and internally consistent.
REQUIREMENT FOR OBJECTIVITY: To be cogent the premises of any ethical System must be based on falsifiable concepts that are independently discoverable and available to all persons.
REQUIREMENT FOR UNIVERSALITY: To be cogent any ethical System must be of value to and able to be followed by all of humanity.
SCIENCE: Science of Ethics defines science as the search for congruency.
SCIENCE OF ETHICS: A theory-based, empirical, experiment-driven effort to provide help in making moral choices; i.e., those choices that are in one’s long-term best interest.
SCHOOL, THE: Would provide, in so far as conditions permitted, all the resources to help students work toward their own perfection and for the perfection of society as made possible by science of ethics.
SCIENCE OF RELIGION: Earlier name for science of ethics.
SECOND WAY OF WISDOM: Endeavor to maintain and develop the human species. Support efforts to develop Enlightened Communities.
SEVENTH WAY OF WISDOM: Develop and adopt a perceptual framework in which pain does not prevent the achievement of a sustainable belief that your life has meaning.
SIXTH WAY OF WISDOM: Know and struggle to improve yourself; work to be physically and psychologically healthy.
SELFISHNESS: Altruism and selfishness are considered to be equivalent terms in science of ethics. They both are interpreted to mean acting in one’s long-term best interest.
SUSTAINABLE BELIEF THAT ONE'S LIFE HAS MEANING: State that exists when one’s beliefs are congruent with reality, or are able to be changed in order to maintain congruency as new knowledge is achieved.
SUSTAINABLE “HAPPINESS”: A first order approximation to defining those beliefs that aid each person in developing their full positive potential.
SYSTEM: A cogent ethical system.
TENTH WAY OF WISDOM: Support efforts to ensure that every child is provided a loving, nurturing environment and all the things necessary to become an Enlightened Person.
THE COMPUTER CONNECTION: Organization utilizing computers to help individuals connect with those who share relevant interests, needs, or values.
THE RADIO LINK: A communication device (such as a micro-radio) which the possessor could use in case of need.
THE SCHOOL: Would provide, in so far as conditions permitted, all the resources to help students work toward their own perfection and for the perfection of society as made possible by science of ethics.
THE KNOWLEDGE BANK: Organization acting as a primary resource to store and make available all information, data, ideas, etc. It would be a central resource for the Computer Connection, which might possibly provide the motivating energy to establish it.
THIRD WAY OF WISDOM: Strive to make the best choices possible.
“TRIBAL” PROPENSITIES:Current drives such as: dominance/ submission, us vs. them, territoriality, adolescent brain restructuring, hope, etc. These drives are interpreted as coming out of those instincts that allowed early humans to successfully fill their hunter-gatherer niche.
TRUTH: Ultimate reality, or objective reality. Not achievable by human beings even though both science and folk religions often propose or imply that it can be achieved.
Utopia: A social environment in which one is free to work for change. And those involved would be seeking to improve circumstances for human living. Based on the idea that any conflict between what is best for the individual and what is best for society exists because of erroneous beliefs. In such circumstances relevant beliefs must be studied until it is determined what is the actual source of the conflict so it can be corrected.
WAYS OF WISDOM: Those beliefs and actions necessary to achieve a sustainable belief that one’s life has meaning. Below is the current best formulation of these Ways:
1. Recognize that human beings are the ultimate reference system.
2. Endeavor to maintain and develop the human species. Support efforts to develop Enlightened Communities.
3. Seek to understand. Pursue Wisdom.
4. Recognize that all knowledge rests on faith/beliefs and must always be open to questioning.
5. Strive to make the best choices possible.
6. Know and struggle to improve yourself; work to be physically and psychologically healthy.
7. Develop and adopt a perceptual framework in which pain does not prevent the achievement of a sustainable belief that your life has meaning.
8. Help and be helped by other people.
9. Work to increase knowledge and all creative and artistic endeavors. Adopt an inspiring life goal.
10. Support efforts to ensure that every child is provided a loving, nurturing environment and all the things necessary to become an Enlightened Person.
11. Make of your life a spiritual quest. Work to become an Enlightened Person.
WISDOM: That aspect of Knowledge which when applied to one’s life increases the probability that they will achieve a sustainable belief that their life has meaning.
WISDOM GROUP: Organization set up to help participants apply the ideas of science of ethics to their own lives.
“WISDOM” POTENTIAL: The capability the human species achieved with the evolution of modern language to refocus its “tribal” propensities in ways allowing meme-based stability.
WISE COMMUNITY: Earlier term used for what is now called an enlightened community.
WISE PERSON: Earlier term used for what is now called an enlightened person.
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