A Question of Ethics

I haven't had much of an opportunity to post lately. I've been developing some ideas and questions emerging from some of the recent titles and discussions. I felt it was time to start addressing them and I'd love some input to build on some of these ideas.

Many of the questions that keep emerging in my mind are concerned with ethical theory. What is ethics and what determines ethical behavior? Are their different standards associated with measuring ethical behavior or is there a universal standard all should be held accountable. Who and how is it measured? How does the world around us affect our ethical behavior?

Ethics is described as "the discipline dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation" (www.merriam-webster.com). Who sets the standard to measure good and bad? Is it a matter of individual perspective? Or is there a global truth that all should follow?  John C. Maxwell suggests in  "There's No Such Thing As Business Ethics" that there is only one set of ethics. Ethics cannot be divided into categories that are measured by subjective terms (i.e. Business Ethics, Religious Ethics, Moral Ethics). There is one standard for ethical behavior that has been passed down across religious and cultural barriers. The golden rule is taught in many cultures and religions as the way to achieve ethical behavior. "Do unto others as you would have them do to you". It seems simple enough. But does it always offer the same effect? 

Theologians and Christian apologists would argue that ethics come directly from God. Many of the films we have reviewed have characterized deeply religious peoples. It might be easy to imagine that the choices they made were based on their understanding of what their god would deem as ethical behavior. But what about those atheistic characters. Where do they draw their source of inspiration? And atheist might argue that it comes from within. A basic need or desire to do what is just (an unrecognized god perhaps?-- just a thought). 

Anyway-- I digress. The point is, many of the characters in these films had to make tough decisions. Their decisions might aid one group while adding pain and suffering to another. How were they guided and which characters were motivated by what they believed to be ethical behavior? In the next couple of posts I hope to dig into this a bit deeper in preparation for some final thoughts. I would love some feedback and additional thoughts on the subject to develop these ideas.