Impartiality??? how does it work???

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Looking for your opinions on how impartiality works???

I mean do yo have to be a fence sitter to be truly impartial??? is there any such thing??? I mean as we make decisions about everything we look at or hear or assess everyday???

So how can you be truly impartial???

nikki xxx

 

[narkymare]

in a proffessional sense - you cant - you just have to act it xxx

 

[Shysmum]

According to Bernard Gert, "A is impartial in respect R with regard to group G if and only if A's actions in respect R are not influenced at all by which member(s) of G benefit or are harmed by these actions." (Gert 1995, p.104).

Impartiality does not require, however, that individuals be treated equally under all circumstances. People or groups should be treated differently if they merit different treatment according to external and objective morality. For example, most legal systems seek to treat murderers differently than innocent persons. This is not a result of partiality, however, because it appeals to an external, objective standard -- the law -- rather than bias or prejudice.

Thus, what impartiality requires is not that everyone receive equal treatment, but rather that everyone be treated as an equal (Dworkin 1977, p. 227).

[edit] Morally admirable partiality
Philosophers disagree as to whether or not it is possible for partiality to be morally admirable in some circumstances. "Partialists" believe partiality may be admirable in certain situations, such as loyalty to spouse, family, and country as against others. "Impartialists" believe that such loyalties are not morally admirable, but instead all people should be treated equally regardless of one's relation to them. A third view holds that impartiality is only necessary when an individual acts in a certain capacity, such as that of a judge, an umpire, or a public official. Under this view, impartiality is not a universal moral imperative.

For a consideration of the various external standards according to which decisions may be judged, see objective morality


erm - does this help sm x

 

[tallyho!]

It does actually - so.... you can't be impartial in the conversation you have about you and other person, but you can be if the conversation is about something else that does not concern you or the other person.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

I just dont get how you can be impartial when you are surrounded my friends or people you know and be expected to pass judgement on a situation???

How would that work??

Nikki xxx