Principles of Morality. Randall Niles examines the conflicting concepts of moral relativism and universal truth as they are applied by many people today.
Whether we like it or not, were all haunte...
Principles of Morality. Randall Niles examines the conflicting concepts of moral relativism and universal truth as they are applied by many people today.
Whether we like it or not, were all haunted by a standard of decent behavior—the human conscience that sets us apart from the other creatures. The conscience is a fundamental part of the human experience. Through it, we have a basic understanding of the difference between right and wrong—good and evil.
Whether we admit it or not, our conscience requires a point of reference to determine the conscionable from the unconscionable. A functional conscience presupposes a standard of right and wrong—a true north from which we calibrate our moral compass and navigate our daily decisions.
It seems our human conscience and moral compass are basic realities of our human-ness. However, one question remains, Is the moral compass directing the human conscience more like music or math?
With music, there isnt a right or wrong choice. Its all a matter of personal preference. Some like country, some classical—some like rock, some rap. If morality were like music, there would be nothing inherently wrong with lying, cheating, stealing, rape, torture, murder, hypocrisy, disrespect, or anything else -- everything would be a matter of personal taste.
With math, theres only one right choice. We might arrive at different answers to the same equation, but theres only one right answer in the end. Either one of us is right and one of us is wrong, or were both wrong at this particular moment in time.
Based on logic and experience, I believe that morality is more like math than music. The obvious example of the shared moral equation is the Golden Rule. We find some variation of it everywhere, whether communicated through Socrates, Buddha, or Jesus Christ: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Living by a lesser moral standard is universal hypocrisy.
As most of us know, theres a philosophical trend to deny the universal nature of the moral impulse. However, its also apparent to most of us that the philosophical naysayers continually contradict themselves. They are quick to deny universal moral responsibilities, but they are just as quick to decry certain injustices in their own lives. The postmodern philosophers wax eloquently with their relativistic doctrine, and then argue that such and such is wrong or unfair in their own personal lives.
Do you see the silliness? The musical relativist points us to mathematical standards of cosmic fairness, human rights, and moral justice that were all supposed to share each and every day!
So, deep down, we all understand that we have a moral compass thats more like math than music. C.S. Lewis called it the Law of Decent Behavior, which compels and constrains us on a daily basis. Its the conscience that little voice in the deepest regions of self that cries out multiple times a day. And we know its not just a personal voice, but a shared voice thats somehow connected to something outside ourselves.
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hm just found these videos fairly interesting. I just do what best benefits my life at the given moment. I don't see things in right or wrong or good and evil. I have things I wouldn't do, but I wouldn't say they are evil they just aren't things that I choose to do. Then on the other hand I have things I wouldn't normally do but given the right line I would do them if my life depended on it.
Further calling of names doesn't show your position to be correct. Actually addressing the arguments I stated would, provided there indeed happen to be any valid counterarguments, that is.
Name calling? LOL! Hardly, MY initial statement to you laid it all out, you started projecting with the "name calling" and juvenile mockery. I never call people names nor engage in "ad hominem" attacks, I merely discern the facts and lay them out - if you can't handle the truth, that's your problem little boy.
Like so many apologists, this jagoff is confusing "no absolute morality" with "no objective morality" and "no morality at all."
You can say that there is no absolute morality and still think something is wrong - someone may reasonable ask by what standard you consider it wrong, and they may choose to reject that standard, but it is in no way hypocritical to deny absolute morality yet still make moral judgments.
If morality is subjective it's all about whether I can reconcile an action with my inner disposition. However, since I will always reconcile my actions with my inner disposition subjective morality only describes the same type of reasoning that a moral nihilist would do.
Therefore the concepts of subjective morality and moral nihilism basically lead to the same result: The lack of belief in any external component in my decision making.
You've accurately described how everyone from moral nihilists to moral absolutists makes decisions. That is precisely what makes morality subjective. Nothing is intrinsically "good" or "bad", but rather it is simply a matter of what each individual opts to label it based on their inner disposition. Whether or not one believes in an "external component" in their decision making is inconsequential.
> That is precisely what makes morality subjective.
I think it is a lot more clear to say that morality in the normative sense does not exist. Instead only morality in the descriptive sense exists.
That is also what most Christians complain about: That moral relativism means that morality exists only in the descriptive sense but not in the normative sense which means it is only as binding as it can be enforced or communicated. It is not unconditionally binding like Christian morality.
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MY initial statement to you laid it all out, you started projecting with the "name calling" and juvenile mockery.
I never call people names nor engage in "ad hominem" attacks, I merely discern the facts and lay them out - if you can't handle the truth, that's your problem little boy.
You can say that there is no absolute morality and still think something is wrong - someone may reasonable ask by what standard you consider it wrong, and they may choose to reject that standard, but it is in no way hypocritical to deny absolute morality yet still make moral judgments.
Therefore the concepts of subjective morality and moral nihilism basically lead to the same result: The lack of belief in any external component in my decision making.
I think it is a lot more clear to say that morality in the normative sense does not exist. Instead only morality in the descriptive sense exists.
That is also what most Christians complain about: That moral relativism means that morality exists only in the descriptive sense but not in the normative sense which means it is only as binding as it can be enforced or communicated. It is not unconditionally binding like Christian morality.