Does morality exist?
Even in the view of nihilism, it still exists as a social construct, if nothing else.
Maybe the question is whether morality is more than just that?
Does Morality Exist?
by Fisherman 92 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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TD
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Fisherman
If morality exists, I want to see proof. -
Fisherman
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TD
TD can you explain social construct.
I would define it as a mutual understanding accepted regardless of its basis in reality.
Most of the boundaries you see on a map, for example are imaginary, but we treat them as if they were real
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cofty
If morality exists, I want to see proof.
You haven't read or understood anything so far.
Fisherman - Do you agree that a society that promoted rape, random murder and rapacious theft would not perfectly promote human well being?
Imagine the worse possible world that maximised the physical, mental and emotional suffering of the greatest number of conscious creatures. This would represent the deepest valley on the "Moral Landscape".
Would you prefer to live in that sort of society or one where people mostly agree to cooperate to promote the well being of each other?
The way we worry about how our actions tend towards peaks or troughs in the landscape is what we call morality.
There is no perfect or absolute standard of morality; that is a delusion. We struggle imperfectly to navigate the moral landscape as best we can. It is possible to be completely wrong about what constitutes a higher peak on the landscape. Some people have convinced themselves that female genital mutilation represents a moral good. That is not because morality is relative. It is because they are wrong. In the same way JWs are wrong when they allow a child or a new mother to die for want of a transfusion. These actions lead only to deeper valleys in the landscape. Our moral decisions need, as far as possible, to be based on facts and evidence about real effects on real people, not on ideological dogma.
Religion has not said anything original, useful or even interesting about morality for a very long time.
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Fisherman
would define it as a mutual understanding accepted regardless of its basis in reality.
Aren't those laws? Doesn't morality have to do with sexual conduct, deception and debauchery (personal conduct)in every society?
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Fisherman
Cofty there is a lot to read and think about. I need time to think about everything you posted but you can continue to explain and expand. Only trying to understand. I don't have a handle on this Topic. I am reading and thinking and expressing some feelings that's it. If you got your arm around this ok. If you got something solid to offer, consider it your thread. I am all ears for anyone who has gotten to the core of this.
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Fisherman
Fisherman - Do you agree that a society that promoted rape, random murder and rapacious theft would not perfectly promote human well being?
Agree to a limited degree. But take slavery of the blacks in the US . Murder and rape did not apply to them. Also, exploitation of human beings all over the world so that countries like the US, can prosper. So, well- being for who? Sorry if I do not grasp what you mean.
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slimboyfat
I found this book helpful, for what it's worth.
It basically explains how faith can make sense in a postmodern world. In fact makes the best sense. This relates most directly to morality as God is the source of a definite morality. But during the explanation it does a good job of explaining social constructionism too. It's not polemical but has an assured confidence in its position.
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flipper
Fisherman stated, " If morality exists, I want to see proof. "
What did I post for you in the you tube of Harvey victims helping one another right after your initial post, sliced tomatoes ? That's proof positive that morality and decency exist. Even in the hardest of times. Just look at all the heroes helping each other among the victims of the mass shooting at Las Vegas today in which 59 people were killed. There are plenty of " feel good " stories of brave people showing decency, morality, and human empathy in many of these tragedies recently during shootings and natural disasters. If you cannot see that - then perhaps you are in denial