No Humanity Shortcuts

They were asking what is the least they could do and still be right, what could they avoid and still say they were good.  It is the wrong question.  There is no quantification, no shaving of the standard. It is asking how much can I dilute humanity and it still be there. Humanity is not what you limit but what you fulfill.  We are ethical because it completes us, and completion is the aim.  It is the filling out of our nature as human people.  To act in a reasonable and good way in each situation is no more than faithfulness to who we are.  That is what ought to motivate our response.  Not questions of what can be gotten away with, and less what will I get in reward.  It is a limitation on our value as people to act in anticipation or in response to pre-payment.  It is unworthy of who we are.