I have decided to use this medium to apply ethics to current events and scenarios. It will be something of an op-ed piece but I don't know anyone else who writes op-eds quite like this. I realize however that most people are unfamiliar with moral theories. This is unfortunate both because I will be referencing them often in future articles but even more so because it is these moral theories that govern your everyday actions. All people subscribe to a moral theory (or code) that they use to make moral decisions. Most people rely on several and this leads to inconsistencies and confusion. It also leads to conflict. When two people (or nations) are using different moral theories their actions, which they both believe to be justified can and often do oppose one another. It is even more problematic when neither side understands its own moral theory, and so does not know why they make the choices they make or why they feel the way they do. Subconsciously using multiple moral theories can lead to internal conflict as well, not to mention headaches. So with that in mind I will start a series of articles explaining the most popular moral theories. This is a huge subject and could get complicated but I will try to keep it as simple as possible. There are theories based on actions, that is to say it only matters what you do. There are theories of consequence; they say it only matters what happens because of what you do. There are theories of obedience, and theories of intention, where what matters most is what you intended to happen. Have I lost you yet? Good, just a little more. Ethics is without a doubt a broad subject but it is also very exciting once you begin to understand how it works. This is philosophy applied to the real world! And I intend to apply it on a massive scale. Ethics is what must be used to answer the most pressing questions of our time. Questions like, "was the war in Iraq justified?" "Can any war ever be justified?" "Should illegal immigrants be allowed to stay?" "Should the rich pay more taxes than the poor?" "Is gun ownership a right or a privilege?" "Should anyone have a gun at all?" "Should same sex marriage be permitted?" These are just a sampling of the questions I hope to answer in a detailed and logical way in future articles. So now that you,ve read through this you might as well check back often to read my most recent articles. I mean it! ---Joseph W. Kraft II

About the Author

Joseph Kraft is The Under Age Thinker. Visit his web site at http://www.underagethinker.com