Beyond Fragmentation: Integrative Ethical Pluralism as a Response to the Practical Weaknesses and Theoretical Gaps in Western Ethical Philosophies

This thesis conducts a critical analysis of the practical weaknesses and theoretical gaps in Western ethical philosophies, specifically examining consequentialism, deontological ethics, and virtue ethics. Through systematic examination, it is demonstrated that these traditions, while offering valuable insights, contain significant limitations that hinder their application in complex moral situations. Consequentialism struggles with calculation difficulties and justice considerations; deontological ethics exhibits inflexibility and disregard for consequences; virtue ethics lacks clear action guidance and suffers from cultural relativity. Building upon this analysis, this thesis proposes Integrative Ethical Pluralism (IEP), a novel ethical framework that addresses these limitations by integrating multiple ethical dimensions through dynamic processes that are sensitive to context and developmental factors. IEP recognizes four fundamental dimensions of ethical consideration—consequential, deontological, aretaic, and relational—and provides mechanisms for their integration through reflective equilibrium, dimensional weighting, narrative coherence, and practical wisdom. Empirical evidence from moral psychology, cross-cultural studies, and neuroscience supports this integrative approach. The thesis concludes that IEP offers a more comprehensive and practically applicable ethical framework that maintains theoretical coherence while addressing the complexities of moral life in contemporary society.