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Author Topic:   Absolute Morality...again.
Lithodid-Man
Member (Idle past 2960 days)
Posts: 504
From: Juneau, Alaska, USA
Joined: 03-22-2004


Message 53 of 300 (333413)
07-19-2006 3:50 PM
Reply to: Message 1 by Discreet Label
07-19-2006 12:14 AM


Great topic! My 2 cents
I think from reading this thread (up the 45 current posts) that the root of the problem is both semantics and philosophy. That is, I wonder if some aren't using 'morality' as both 'what is good' and 'what is the law'. And also at the root is the philosophical point (I can't remember exactly how DL worded it) of whether something is good because God said it or that God said it because it is good.
I would assume from posts here and elsewhere that Faith is taking the former view. Because of this counter arguments from the latter perspective are meaningless. I hope this makes sense (Dammit Jim, I am a zoologist not a philosopher!). So to specifics, let's say Faith were arguing from the latter perspective (God said it because it was good). Then the counter argument would be to analyze what's good about not working on the Sabbath, what exceptions would be valid etc. If however, she is arguing the other viewpoint then those counter arguments are futile (reminds me of the Army of Darkness quote "Good. Bad. I'm the guy with the gun"). This is in no way an attack on Faith's arguments, just a suggestion that she may be arguing apples and getting replies about oranges.
Now for fun I want to pose an absolute moral situation. As an atheist and a relativist, I define absolute morality as a right or a wrong that is wrong in any culture in any time irregardless of that societies mores. Something for which there is never an exception that makes it right. I am sure this can be picked apart, but it is a fun mental experiment.
I believe that it is immoral for a thinking, self-aware human being to own another thinking self-aware human being. That is ownership in the complete and absolute sense of the word. It is not right if the person agrees to the ownership. It is not right if your chosen diety says it is (even with rules). It is not right if you have a thousand years of tradition behind it. Breaking the rule will have no effect on the cosmos, but it makes anyone who does a bad, bad person. People who traditionally did this knew they were bad bad people hence the great stretches of justification (they are not really human or they like it this way).

Doctor Bashir: "Of all the stories you told me, which were true and which weren't?"
Elim Garak: "My dear Doctor, they're all true"
Doctor Bashir: "Even the lies?"
Elim Garak: "Especially the lies"

This message is a reply to:
 Message 1 by Discreet Label, posted 07-19-2006 12:14 AM Discreet Label has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 57 by New Cat's Eye, posted 07-19-2006 3:57 PM Lithodid-Man has not replied
 Message 59 by Discreet Label, posted 07-19-2006 4:03 PM Lithodid-Man has not replied
 Message 63 by Discreet Label, posted 07-19-2006 4:10 PM Lithodid-Man has not replied

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