Civic and Moral Ethics: Foundations of Human Dignity and Social Coexistence

Civic and Moral Ethics: Core Principles

Human Responsibility and Autonomy

Human beings are responsible for their freedom and actions. These are the requisites for the starting point of our civic and secular ethics, where the person is an end in itself and not merely an instrument. Their autonomy has, as moral constituent notes, dignity and liberty. Civic ethics is based on human rights, serving as a starting point for agreement on socially shared values for coexistence.

Kant's Categorical Imperative

To establish a discourse on ethics is to understand what happens to us, and thus we must always keep in mind the second formulation of Kant's categorical imperative: "Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, never merely as a means to an end, but always at the same time as an end."

Aristotle and the Political Animal

Aristotle claimed that whoever is apolitical is either a beast or a god, implying that all of us are concerned with our community. The concept of "man as a political animal" refers to a social being who lives in community and resolves conflicts according to laws within a city-state model. This organization fosters coexistence. Whether this organization serves to direct the government or not, it does not mean we are not required to decide and know how to govern ourselves. For Aristotle, politics as a practical science is not just about accurate knowledge, but about understanding that prudence is necessary. The rules to achieve virtue are:

• Moderation
• Right thought
• A sense of opportunity

The Role of Culture and Education

Sensitizing Society to Violence

At a social level, it is crucial to sensitize the population to the importance of addressing the problem of violence generators. This involves:

• Training professionals who work with individuals who suffer violence, such as personnel in health, justice, and police sectors.
• Implementing prevention strategies that teach people accustomed to conflict to accept that it only becomes a problem if not resolved peacefully, and to learn to resolve conflicts through non-violent means.

Education for Domestic Violence Prevention

Additionally, social recognition of women's contributions is essential. Education plays a fundamental role in preventing domestic violence. The home is the ideal place to learn to resolve conflicts of interest or opinion through dialogue.

Laws, Duty, and Human Dignity

Legal Equality and Gender Violence

The role of laws is paramount. The 1978 Spanish Constitution explicitly recognized legal equality between men and women. Punishments against gender violence have been strengthened as society has become more ethically aware of the problem's gravity.

The Imperative of Intervention

The concept of duty reaffirms the importance of not conforming to what happens. It demands intervention in situations that damage human dignity. Every time we ask ourselves, "What should I do?" (the basic question of ethics), we must recognize our common humanity, and that obliges us to keep the dignity of each person present.