The Nature of Morality

Hi Guys - put my t'uppence in if I may.

To me, I suppose in their simplest state morals are a set of learning curves designed to teach one what is appropriate and inappropriate you could include right from wrong or good from bad in other words I guess they are what your society (and your position in society) would deem to be customs and practises which are acceptable and are not acceptable. Depending upon the part of the World or the community in which you live the values or customs or practises espoused by that community or people will differ - what may be acceptable in one society may not in another that sort of thing.

I guess that morals along with many other social components and skills slot together to give our lives substance or meaning or make one what one is, call it what you will but I feel that morals alone do not maketh man! There are rights and wrongs, social codes of practise, religious codes of practice, tolerance, patience, intelligence, practical skills all sorts of aspects tangible and intangible elements that I think complete the whole.

Following on from one of the observations in this thread, I think that our modern laws are inclusive of certain Christian codes and practises, which in reality are not that much different from the codes and practises of most of the World's major organised religions, but I think that morality is slightly different. Morality and law is that the same? The law is based pretty much on transgression; punishment for example of those that do “wrong” whatever you determine “wrong” to be or breach of trust or contract – religion I guess has very little to do with the law of contract or tort. The determination or arbitration of dispute for example does not turn to the bible for guidance!

So I guess to sum up, I think the assertion that some Christian codes of practise are included in some modern laws but not morals, I think morals are different.
 
Werbung:
Morality is an OBJECTIVE existence in the same way that mathematics is an OBJECTIVE existence.

To say otherwise demonstrates an utter lack of comprehension in ethics and mathematics. Seeing as mare is actively selling his anti-religion crap in this thread, I would add that it is conveniently subjective to people with an agenda as well.

Neither science nor math has anything to do with ethics. They're human tools, and nothing more. I'm sorry, but Descartes was wrong: life cannot be reduced to math. Again, the example of Hitler comes to mind. His slaughter of millions was perpetrated by the most efficient Teutonic science and math, based on a diabolical interpretation of Darwinism. The West gets its ethics and morals primarily from Christianity.:mad:
 
For most people, the standard doesn't change much over a lifetime. The point? It's comforting.

No.

An ethical good is something which conforms with rationality, hence logical.

The truth value of a logical proposition DOES NOT change over time. It is in this sense that an ethical good is akin to the principles of mathematics. It is OBJECTIVE. It is NOT DEPENDENT on subjective calculations of any one or group of individuals.
 
Neither science nor math has anything to do with ethics. They're human tools, and nothing more. I'm sorry, but Descartes was wrong: life cannot be reduced to math. Again, the example of Hitler comes to mind. His slaughter of millions was perpetrated by the most efficient Teutonic science and math, based on a diabolical interpretation of Darwinism. The West gets its ethics and morals primarily from Christianity.:mad:

Ethics, science, mathematics and almost all fields of human knowledge are the same in that they operate within the bounds of LOGIC.
 
No.

An ethical good is something which conforms with rationality, hence logical.

The truth value of a logical proposition DOES NOT change over time. It is in this sense that an ethical good is akin to the principles of mathematics. It is OBJECTIVE. It is NOT DEPENDENT on subjective calculations of any one or group of individuals.

And yet...many of the things that are considered "immoral" today were considered quite "moral" two thousand years ago. How do you explain this?
 
And yet...many of the things that are considered "immoral" today were considered quite "moral" two thousand years ago. How do you explain this?

Defective logic.

Understand that I am not talking of a single or a group of moral imperative(s) (thou shalt not kill, etc. etc.) but a formula by which we discern moral imperatives.
 
Mare Tranquility said:
Religion is a remarkably powerful force in the human being, it leads people to do things that might otherwise be impossible. Acts of great compassion and cruelty have been done in God's name.

I was just banned for life from the Political Hotwire discussion site because I trespassed on the religious beliefs of one of the moderators. He banned me with no explanation except the word "racist", which if anyone has read my posts is obviously a mere excuse. I did nothing to this man's religious beliefs except question the basis on which they were built and point out the glaring inconsistencies. I guess it was too much for him--it must be terrible to live one's life with so much fear.

That's the nature of belief. Many people believe in something and are inspired to act. Hopefully, when they act, it will be for the benefit of others, though it is possible that they could bring harm. Belief seperates and judges. All things in reality, on the other hand, are inter-connected and dependent. Belief also tends to be resistant to change in the face of change; but, everything changes. Always. If everything changes and all things are inter-connected, then the effort to believe in something, doesn't work very well. Many religious people probably grew up this way. Believing in things. Creating good and evil. Seperating and judging.
 
Werbung:
Back
Top