Nature of Relationships

There are many kinds of relationships, each of which has its own nature. Even relationships of the same general kind may entail different responsibilities in different instances. So deriving general principles of ethics that apply to all relationships between all parties is complex and any conclusion would be wrought with inaccuracies. However, there seem to be some basic principles:

Primarily, relationships entail a sequence of transactions between two parties, as previously considered. In some instances, the serial transactions and the recurring obligations that arise are the only basis for the relationship, and the only responsibility of one party to another.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, a relationship may be based on a general notion that does not yield a definite and specific course of action: parties may enter into a relationship in which each is expected to act in the interests of the other, without a clear indication of what actions may be necessary in future, or which interests they are expected to serve, or what situations may arise, etc.

The more the two parties communicate their expectations, the clearer the course of action that each party must undertake to preserve the relationship. The notion that one party should understand, without communication, the expectations of the other, is the source of much debate and strife - though from an ethical perspective, a party is held responsible only for fulfilling those expectations of which he is aware. This is derived from the nature of a single transaction.

It's worth noting that a given culture may attempt to define the nature of certain relationships - that in a given country, religion, or group of people, a term such as "marriage" defines the terms of a relationship - but even this is mutable. Not all cultures define "marriage" in the same way, nor does every individual within a culture have the same understanding of the concept. It seems to me that deference to a cultural definition is not an acceptable substitute for communication, and that in entering into a relationship, the two parties bear the responsibility of negotiation of the terms their specific relationship, even if they are of the same culture.

There also seems to be, in the context of relationships, an expectation of gratuitous action - that is, that one party will act in the interests of the other while expecting nothing specific in return. My sense is that this is not a condition of the relationship, and can happen outside a relationship, and that the nature of this action is not affected by the existence of a relationship, so the notion of gratuitous action merits separate consideration.

Also similar to transactions, relationships are established by mutual consent. In some instances, it may be argued that a person is forced or compelled to participate in a relationship (for example, relationships of proximity are largely involuntary), though it would seem that the nature of involuntary relationships merits separate consideration from the voluntary relationship, which is more common.

Relationships are also maintained by mutual consent. If, at any time during the relationship, one party wishes to discontinue the relationship, then the relationship is ended. In some instances, there may be a sense of lingering obligations to another party to complete certain transactions in recompense for the other party's past action, but "breaking" the relationship otherwise liberates both parties from the obligation to future actions or any further involvement with one another.

Given this consideration, a basic definition of a "relationship" is derived as a set of terms by which two parties obligate themselves to act in one another's interest. This still strikes me as vague - but given that a relationship is a concept that may manifest itself in an infinite number of ways, the notion is inherently vague.