Objective, or Absolute Morality?

[abbyadams]

Do you believe that there is such a thing as objective (fixed) morality?
That there can be absolute rights and wrongs, independent of culture?

Or

Is everything relative to situation and culture, and morality a man made concept?

 

[GenSeneca]

I think you meant objective (absolute) morality or Subjective morality...

My vote goes to absolute morality.

 

[PLC1]

Absolutely, there is absolute morality. Some things are immoral: child abuse, stealing, murder, enslavement, there are many things that are just wrong, independent of culture.

 

[Gipper]

I think you meant objective (absolute) morality or Subjective morality...

My vote goes to absolute morality.

Me too.

But, we all know the libs think anything goes...well except Christianity, limited government, fetuses, low taxation, individual liberty, capitalism, gun rights, free press, patriotism, The Constitution, The Founding Fathers, American exceptionalism....oh I could go on for hours, but...some of you get the point....

 

[abbyadams]

A friend of mine put it this way:

1. IF everything is relative
2. Then the statement "everything is relative" is relative.
3. But if 2. is true, then NOT everything is relative.
4. Thus, not everything is relative
5. Thus, there is absolute truth.

There is more proof to that hypothesis, but that's a good basic explanation which shows how impossible and circular the idea of subjective morality really is.

 

[Pandora]

Absolutely, there is absolute morality. Some things are immoral: child abuse, stealing, murder, enslavement, there are many things that are just wrong, independent of culture.

Sex with a child, or marrying a child is perfectly acceptable in some countries and not in others.

What we call child abuse another culture calls marriage.

Mary was aprox. 12 when she had Jesus, today 12 is far too young but normal for them. Eastern cultures still marry at very young ages compared to western.

Muhammed married a 6 year old but didn't have sex with her till she was 9 because 6 was too young for him.
In his culture that was perfectly acceptable, though I think by todays standards the youngest is 15, still not acceptable for the western culture.

What we call "spousal abuse" another culture calls "teaching your wife" and its not just acceptable its expected by good and loving husbands

 

[PLC1]

Sex with a child, or marrying a child is perfectly acceptable in some countries and not in others.

What we call child abuse another culture calls marriage.

Mary was aprox. 12 when she had Jesus, today 12 is far too young but normal for them. Eastern cultures still marry at very young ages compared to western.

Muhammed married a 6 year old but didn't have sex with her till she was 9 because 6 was too young for him.
In his culture that was perfectly acceptable, though I think by todays standards the youngest is 15, still not acceptable for the western culture.

What we call "spousal abuse" another culture calls "teaching your wife" and its not just acceptable its expected by good and loving husbands

So, you're on the no absolute morality side?

How about murder, stealing, enslavement? Some cultures accept those things, too. Does that make them right?

 

[numinus]

Do you believe that there is such a thing as objective (fixed) morality?
That there can be absolute rights and wrongs, independent of culture?

Or

Is everything relative to situation and culture, and morality a man made concept?

Beautifully explained in general principles of the metaphysics of morals by emmanuel kant.

When an end that is considered good no longer accrues to a higher good, then such an end is good in and of itself -- hence is a universal good.

 

[numinus]

Sex with a child, or marrying a child is perfectly acceptable in some countries and not in others.

What we call child abuse another culture calls marriage.

Mary was aprox. 12 when she had Jesus, today 12 is far too young but normal for them. Eastern cultures still marry at very young ages compared to western.

Muhammed married a 6 year old but didn't have sex with her till she was 9 because 6 was too young for him.
In his culture that was perfectly acceptable, though I think by todays standards the youngest is 15, still not acceptable for the western culture.

What we call "spousal abuse" another culture calls "teaching your wife" and its not just acceptable its expected by good and loving husbands

Understanding moral worth isn't about stating specific do's and don't's rather formulating a universal principle by which all actions are measured.