Universally Preferable Behaviour: A Rational Proof of Secular Ethics (UPB)

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• published: 09 Sep 2013
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For thousands of years, humanity has attempted to enforce ethics through supernatural and secular punishments; this rabid aggression has been both necessary and ridiculous. It has been necessary because a rational proof of secular ethics has never been achieved; it has been ridiculous because it is impossible to imagine any scientific or mathematical argument being advanced in such a hysterical and violent manner. "Ethics" has been one of the great government programs of history; since kings and priests ruled mankind, only those philosophers who served their interests tended to get promoted to prominence, rather than imprisoned, poisoned or burned. Thus, over 2,500 years since its inception, the discipline of ethics remains largely subjectivist, relativist and cultural -- and was not only unable to restrain, but may have played a part in promoting the horrors, wars and genocides of the 20th century, the bloodiest hundred years of history of our species. Stefan Molyneux has written "Universally Preferable Behavior: A Rational Proof of Secular Ethics," which presents radical and rational arguments for a nonreligious, non-statist, entirely secular set ethical standards which validate the nonaggression principle - thou shalt not initiate force against thy fellow human-- and the fundamental logic for respecting property rights. Rigorous, analytical and challenging, "Universally Preferable Behavior" provides a solid foundation for secular ethics. Armed with the arguments in "Universally Preferable Behavior," you can both know the truth and will the good. Download the PDF, audiobook or text for free: http://www.fdrurl.com/upbdownload 1:17 Forward 10:19 Ground Rules 17:02 A Modest Suggestion... 19:07 Introduction 22:21 The "Null Zone" 26:44 The Casualties 30:01 "Middle Truths" 34:58 "Middle Truths" and Exploitation 41:22 Effective Parasitism 43:46 Part 1: Theory: A Framework for Ethics 46:35 Objective Truth 49:45 Truth and Objective Reality 51:41 Accuracy and Consistency 55:06 The Existence of "Truth" 56:26 Empiricism verses Rationality 57:52 Internal Consistency 1:01:26 Ethics 1:04:09 The Discipline of Theoretical Ethics 1:08:48 Self-Defeating Arguments 1:11:19 Preferences 1:13:13 Preferences and Existence 1:15:12 Preferences and Arguments 1:16:13 Preferences and Universality 1:18:42 Arguments and Universality 1:26:11 Universally Preferable Behavior 1:28:53 UPB and Validity 1:37:35 UPB: Five Proofs 1:59:12 UPB: Ethics or Aesthetics 2:01:19 Irrationality 2:02:04 Lying 2:03:16 Murder 2:03:33 Requirements for Ethics 2:05:29 Choice 2:07:06 Avoidance 2:10:39 Ethics, Aesthetics and Avoidability 2:14:04 Initiation 2:16:30 The Non-Aggression Principle (NAP) 2:19:52 Lifeboat Scenarios 2:21:45 Gray Areas 2:23:32 Shades of Gray 2:25:24 Universality Exceptions 2:27:58 The Purpose - and the Dangers 2:29:22 The Beast 2:32:49 Propaganda 2:37:55 Part 2: Application: Ethical Categories 2:38:29 The Seven Categories 2:41:13 Virtue and it's Opposite 2:42:39 What is Missing 2:43:52 The First Test: Rape 2:44:34 1. The Good 2:48:17 The Coma Test 2:50:41 Capacity 2:51:55 2. Aesthetically Positive 2:56:14 3. Personally Positive 2:58:55 4. Morally Neutral 2:59:09 5. Personally Negative 3:00:02 6. Aesthetically Negative 3:01:56 7. Evil 3:05:09 Whew! 3:06:36 The Second Test: Murder 3:12:45 Self Defense? 3:13:09 The Third Test: Theft 3:19:22 Property and UPB 3:22:27 The Gray Areas 3:25:50 Property as Universality 3:29:48 Testing "Theft" 3:36:05 The Fourth Test: Fraud 3:41:20 The Fifth Test: Lying 3:44:49 More Challenging Tests of UPB 3:46:19 Self-Defense 3:52:03 Child Raising 4:00:25 "Don't Eat Fish" 4:04:13 Animal Rights 4:07:58 Part 3: Practice: The Value of UPB 4:09:19 The "Null Zone" Revisited 4:12:33 Bigotry 4:15:23 Next Stop: the "Alternate Universe" 4:18:54 Existence verses Non-Existence 4:23:12 The "Alternate Universe" in Human Society 4:24:33 UPB in Action 4:27:43 Government 4:31:11 Opinions and Reality 4:33:25 Government as Voluntarism 4:35:14 The Gun in the Room 4:38:26 Policemen 4:43:46 Practicality 4:49:52 The Necessity of the State? 5:03:42 Governments as Religion 5:07:57 Taxation 5:11:57 Government, Religion and UPB 5:15:12 Religion and UPB 5:16:46 UPB and "The Majority" 5:18:57 Majority Rule 5:20:18 Additional Proofs 5:20:29 The Free-Market Economy 5:21:47 The Scientific Method 5:22:37 Public Education 5:24:02 Parallels 5:28:11 Solutions 5:31:24 The Future 5:33:08 Conclusions 5:42:49 Appendix: UPB in a Nutshell 5:44:20 Appendix: Moral Categories 5:44:31 Appendix: Every UPB Debate I've Ever Had 5:45:45 Closing Freedomain Radio is 100% funded by viewers like you. Please support the show by signing up for a monthly subscription or making a one time donation at: http://www.fdrurl.com/donate Get more from Stefan Molyneux and Freedomain Radio including books, podcasts and other info at: http://www.freedomainradio.com