Morality is a social construct. Of course it exists, because societies cause it to exist. It's not invented by any god, and it's not the same for all societies. Some things that are not moral in one society, might be moral in another. Likewise for time, some things that were moral 200 years ago, might be immoral now.
Does Morality Exist?
by Fisherman 92 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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cofty
Redvip200 - I'm curious about what you are basing that on. Do you really believe all moral statements are simply social constructs?
Do you deny there is such a thing as human nature? Could a society prosper if it valued theft, rape and murder as moral virtues?
Perhaps I have misunderstood your point.
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cofty
Fisherman - You started an interesting conversation. Three different people offered you responses to your question and you responded with the two words - "says who".
Have you lost interest in it already?
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Fisherman
theft rape and murder as moral virtues
That is an adjudication
Have you lost interest in it already?
I am very interested. I read everything posted. Also, my posts are being queued sometimes.
Who says that killing, taking property that is not yours and sexual conduct is moral or not moral?
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Fisherman
my post are queued and pop up at different times.
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cofty
Morality is a social construct. - Redvip200
Could a society prosper if it valued theft, rape and murder as moral virtues? - Me
That is an adjudication - Fisherman
Eh?
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cofty
Who says that killing, taking property that is not yours and sexual conduct is moral or not moral? - Fisherman
Would a society that promotes rape, murder and theft as moral virtues be more or less successful at promoting the wellbeing of its members?
We label things that tend to increase wellbeing as moral or good and things that detract from wellbeing as immoral or bad.
The consequences of the actions are very real but the language we use is a semantic convention. Morality is not arbitrary, neither is it simply a social construct.
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Fisherman
Morality is a social construct. - Redvip200
Not in the US for example -Laws are social constructs, not morality.
Convictions of theft, rape and murder are based on laws not morality. Should it be theft, rape and murder to conquer another Nation for self preservation and to prosper. Well being for who?
What makes killing immoral is not the action but the reason behind it. Same as taking something that belongs to somebody else not automatically immoral.
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cofty
Whatever. If you ever decide to talk in complete sentences and actually engage in a conversation be sure to let me know. It is obvious you don't spend five seconds considering what has been written.
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Fisherman
Morality is just the name we give to our concerns about how our actions affect other conscious beings. So yes of course it exists.
We would still be concerned about the implications of our actions on the well-being of other creatures.
Is killing other creatures,for example, for self preservation or for the preservation of our loved ones the moral thing to do? And I don't only mean self defense.
I am only probing Cofty, and I don't have a handle on this topic and not trying to prove you wrong. Post away. I read and think about what is posted. If I don't grasp, explain away.
Morality is not arbitrary, neither is it simply a social construct.
What is it then or give a solid example. All you have said that it is a feeling about our actions as they affect the well being of others. Concern is subjective. You are concerned about how pollution affects fish and me too but I am also concerned about the ocean - not having trash floating around regardless of the fish. Some people won't eat fish or other creatures for moral reasons, others don't care. What concerns are you talking about and based on what?