An Ethic of Freedom

Abstract

The dissertation argues that what is moral is to act in accordance with one's prior interest in choice; knowledge of that prior interest instructs one (and especially all choosers) to help provide the pre-conditions of choice for all other persons in the world and the conditions of choice for all members of one's cultural group. The pre-conditions include adequate micro-nutrition, stimulation and nurture, education, sleep, macro-nutrition, and overall health, as well as an absence of stress, violence, and other things that may harm or de-capacitate the neural processes of choice. The conditions include factors such as choice in movement, speech, and affiliation, as well as truthful cultural representations, laws that protect bodily integrity, prevent arbitrary search and seizure, and ensure economic security.