Final answer:
Ethical obligations to think well encompass both personal and civic duties, influenced by philosophical perspectives on morality and responsibility.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question of whether our obligations to think well are to ourselves or to others is deep-rooted in philosophical and ethical inquiry. It can be understood through the lens of deontological ethics, which focuses on the morality of actions and duties rather than the consequences. The obligations you have to think well can be both personal, guiding how you conduct your own life, and civic, affecting how your actions contribute to the lives of others.
Philosophers like Mahatma Gandhi believed in the sacred duty to serve others, which included disobedience to a corrupt state in order to serve one's own integrity and the well-being of the people. This view echoes ideas of political obligations and personal responsibilities towards oneself and society. People often look back on their lives and evaluate them not in terms of possessions but in terms of how they treated others, suggesting that moral evaluations often transcend self-interest.
Philosopher W.D Ross identified several prima facie duties, which include fidelity, reparation, gratitude, non-maleficence, and the pursuit of the general good, indicating a framework for determining our duties. Some of these are obligations to oneself, such as self-improvement and maintaining one's health, while others pertain to our interactions with others, such as keeping promises and not causing harm.
Furthermore, contemporary ethical discussions also involve considering our duties towards the environment, recognizing that human self-interest is often tied to the well-being of our natural surroundings. These environmental ethics prompt us to contemplate our responsibilities in ensuring a healthy planet for ourselves and future generations.