Ethical Vows (ACE):

The following vows serve as foundational axioms for our ethical commitments (detailed in the following section).

Acceptance: I vow to develop and practice acceptance.

The Ataraxist view of acceptance is derived from the concept of unconditional acceptance used in rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT). Unconditional self-acceptance (USA) and unconditional other acceptance (UOA) means accepting oneself and others as flawed and fallible, but deserving of respect, love and kindness; unconditional life acceptance (ULA) means accepting that life is complicated, messy, and imperfect.

In life there are things which we can influence and things which we cannot. By fostering a mindset of acceptance toward the unchangeable we learn to direct our attention toward constructively engaging with what can be influenced. By doing so we are able to turn emotional thinking (automatic thinking that is based on our emotions) responses like anxiety and fear into rational responses like caution or preparation. Directing our attention away from that which is outside our control and toward what is rational and actionable fosters equanimity.

Unconditional acceptance does not mean that we have to like or agree with the way things are, rather it means that we understand that there are many things which we cannot change or cannot currently change. Unconditional acceptance ensures that our expectations conform with reality, and it keeps us present-focused (since we cannot change the past and we can only influence the future to varying degrees). Unconditional acceptance also allows us to be more understanding—and therefore more compassionate and forgiving (see Compassion below).

Compassion: I vow to cultivate unconditional and universal compassion and to stand in unconditional solidarity with all sentient beings.

I will strive to see that all sentient beings essentially want the same things that I do, and to have compassion for all of them regardless of how different they appear, or how much I disagree with their beliefs or actions. I will regard the basic needs and desires (see the sentiocentric principle #2) of others as being just as important as my own. I will strive to have compassion for myself as well, and learn from regrets—rather than shame or guilt-trip myself for them.

Ethical commitment: I vow to act according to the commitments of Ataraxist ethics, to the best of my ability. I vow to live authentically (in accordance with my well-thought-out beliefs and values) and courageously.

Ataraxist Ethics

Ataraxist ethics follow from our core principles. Ethical matters are often extremely complex. Highly inflexible or dogmatic systems of ethics prove to be unhelpful when one tries to apply them to the complexity and situational relativity of various moral dilemmas. Because of this fact, Ataraxist ethics are not highly systematized—that is, they are not formulated into a rigid moral theory; rather, we voluntarily strive to uphold several ethical commitments that are based on our core principles. These commitments are highly inspired by, and somewhat adapted from W.D. Ross’ prima facie duty ethics. The Ataraxist commitments are:

1) Non-maleficence — striving to not cause suffering, to not inflict unnecessary harm on any sentient being. (Note: This commitment should take precedence in most situations.)

2) Rational Integrity – To engage with the world through reason, logical analysis, and critical discourse. This includes grounding our beliefs in the best available evidence, remaining open to revising our views in light of new information, and using rational reflection to guide ethical and practical decision-making. Rational integrity also entails a commitment to ongoing self-examination and self-improvement (remembering the classical virtues of moderation, courage, justice, and wisdom may help guide our self-improvement).

3) Active and unconditional compassion — to do what is in our power to alleviate and prevent the involuntary suffering of all sentient beings, to protect them from unnecessary harm, and to practice solidarity. This commitment could be summarized as loving-kindness.

4) Justice — to strive for maximally fair and free relations, on the individual and societal level. To work toward a society that is based on Ataraxist core principles and ethical commitments. 

5) Beneficence — to promote the happiness, wellbeing, actualization, and flourishing of all sentient beings.

6) Fidelity — loyalty to and solidarity with those with whom you have a relational or ethical connection; acknowledging the importance of maintaining trust, supporting shared values, and upholding the well-being and interests of individuals, communities, and causes you hold dear. Fidelity also includes a commitment to honor commitments, promises, and responsibilities to the best of your ability.

7) Reparation — seeking to rectify one’s previous ethical mistakes in whatever way is possible and prudent.

The following acronym, CALMER (or CALMERR), may help you to remember these ethical commitments:

• Compassion (Active/Unconditional Compassion)

• Allegiance (Fidelity)

• Liberation (Justice)

• Minimize harm (Non-maleficence)

• Elevation (Beneficence)

• Reparation and Rational Integrity

Ethical Decision Making

In a situation that requires ethical decision making, we must do our best to intuit which commitment should be our highest priority in the particular situation at-hand, or we must choose the path that is most in line with these commitments — perhaps by preferring the course of action which maximizes the commitments upheld, or the course which compromises the fewest of these commitments. In the case of a situation where there is a conflict between a particular commitment and the commitments of non-maleficence or active compassion, we recommend deferring to the latter two as a general rule (for example, we hold that it is more important to prevent / alleviate suffering, than it is to increase happiness). However, each situation must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis using reason (a logical analysis of evidence) and/or our ethical intuition.

The negative or Confucian formulation of the golden rule (“Do not treat others in ways that you would not like to be treated”) offers an elegant heuristic for implementing the first commitment, as does the positive formulation (“Treat others as you would like others to treat you”) for the second, third, and fourth.

Final notes on ethics: utilitarian decision procedures present a way to arrive at ethical decisions in extreme cases, however, we find many problems with using a utilitarian calculus as a general approach to ethical matters. In cases where there is a conflict between the Ataraxist commitments, a negative utilitarian calculus might be helpful as a way to determine the best course of action.

With regard to Justice: we are in agreement with the position of John Stuart Mill’s harm principle, which asserts that the only valid reason for restricting one’s freedom is to prevent (serious) harm to others.

All of the Ataraxist ethical commitments should be taken to apply to oneself as well, and we must always attempt to balance our self-interest, and the interests of those closest to us, with our commitment to help others. Where this balance lies will depend on a number of highly variable and personal factors. We must always consider that we cannot do much to help others until our own essential needs our met—for this reason, we must give first priority to our own essential needs (see Maslow’s hierarchy of needs).