Page 53 - The Ethics of ASEAN

CHAPTER
4

Practical Ethics in a Diverse

ASEAN

SEAN does have an ethic of diversity. The different cultures, religions, and political
systems of ASEAN would simply be a mosaic of national preferences if there were
Ano ethics bonds creating a foundation of agreement through ASEAN declarations
and institutions as well as consensus on new issues.
On the other hand, the virtue ethics of each nation as well as other ethical foundations
such as culture and religion create a great deal of disagreement. This principle of diversity
is what allows ASEAN institutions to work as a forum for discussing issues and reaching
common agreement before taking action. Practical ethics is about taking action on
the basis of an ethical decision. This may be individual or collective. In a highly diverse
multinational community, practical ethics is difficult when each nation preserves its
autonomy and there is no basis for sharing resources and capabilities. At the very time we
held the first ECAAR dialogue, ASEAN faced two major tests of its practical ethics.
In January 2021, ASEAN countries experienced the first wave of the Covid-19
epidemic at it reached more than 15,000 cases daily. By August ASEAN would record more
than 38,000 deaths in a two-week period at the peak of contagion. How should ASEAN
coordinate decisions during the pandemic? Who should receive vaccines and who would
be left out?
At bottom, would the national ethics restrict more effective results-based ethical
decisions for the region?

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