Ethical Theories Discussion Board

Picking Up The Pace: All students are to either:
(a) pick one of the 4 questions below, respond (CREATE A POST) to it, significantly, lead that discussion (with all who COMMENT on it), and respond to all who do, or
(b) respond to two of the others' COMMENTS (and continue to respond to them, having a directed discussion).
Once the 4 questions have their own POSTS started, the rest of you must use/respond to those threads instead of adding new ones.
The Questions: pick only one:
1. Briefly summarize the families of values and traditional ethical theories Anthony Weston discusses. Which family of values or theory makes the most sense to you, which the least, and why?
2. Briefly summarize the ethical theories Manning & Stroud discuss. Which strikes you as the most sensible, and why?
3. Briefly summarize Taylor's arguments about the different forms of relativism and how they interrelate. Do you agree? Why?
4. The UN Declaration on Human Rights asserts that we have a variety of rights, but what is the status of a moral right (is it objective, subjective, relative)? What do you think rights have to do with what Nussbaum focuses on, i.e., capabilities? Why? (Bonus question: What about animal's capabilities and rights?)

Is a grounding in ethical theory important for global ethics?

I think it is intuitive that a grounding in general ethical theory is helpful for purproses of bringing the most informed perspectives to the Gobal Ethics table. For instance, it seems wise that students should be able to master the basic concepts and distinctions of ethics, such as the descriptive/prescriptive/metaethical distinction, the difference between rights, goods, and values, and the differences in general theoretical approaches, such as utilitarian, Kantian, or virtue ethics, to name but a few, in order for them to be optimally conversant in the global discourses on matters of conflicts between these various and other related conceptions. However, it is also possible that what I will call "virgin intuitions" - intuitions not shaped by centuries of ethical discourse - might bring to the table novel considerations that are best dealt with on their own terms. By analogy, it is said that traditional or classical training in art or music might hinder creativity. And we need to encourage novel perspectives when it comes to tackling global issues. Perhaps the whole tradition of prior ethical discourse is best viewed tentatively. What do you think?