Zimbelman is, perhaps, the most optimistic of the three. They have ethics. Values do matter. The philosophers see ethics as a public rather than private affair. We're social beings, they say, and need to talk about ethical issues.
Ethics is central to a good life.
Typically, what generates moral concern is a question of social policy and one that doesn't overlook the importance of the individual. That's what a democracy is supposed to do, said Zimbelman. We need to examine, he said, how intrusive the state should be in personal relationships. When I asked if there were a higher ethics, the three agreed there certainly was not. He said the findings subsequently had not stood up.