Important Ethical Principles

The chief moral principles from which I reason are:

1. Kant's Categorical Imperative (second formulation): "So act as to treat humanity, whether in thine own person or in that of any other, in every case as an end withal, never as a means only."
2. Aristotle's Principle of Distributive Justice: distributive justice consists of treating equals equally and unequals unequally, but in proportion to their relevant differences.
3. A presumption of basic human equality.
4. Mill's Harm Principle: One's liberty is justifiably restricted by government to prevent direct harm to others.
5. A presumption that other species have intrinsic value.
6. It is impossible to have absolute certainty because knowledge cannot be complete.