RE: The Moral Argument for God
December 23, 2015 at 3:03 am
(This post was last modified: December 23, 2015 at 3:10 am by robvalue.)
I repeat my proposal that morality is a value judgement, not a measurement.
Measurements are generally objective. Value judgements are not.
If you are just talking about consequences of actions, then yes, those consequences can be objectively measured. But it's whether those consequences are "OK", good", "bad", and to what extent, that is a value judgement. Also, just considering consequences ignores the intent of actions. This makes the assumption that everyone always causes the outcome they intend to, and it assumes that everyone has all the information they could possibly require when making decisions. (For example, I open a door with the belief that there is no one on the other side. But there is someone there, and the door hits them and hurts them. To act "morally" I would then be required to know my own belief was false.)
To show morality is objective, you have to show that it is somehow more than just individuals making value judgements. Because clearly, people don't agree. Not even whole societies agree when norms are assessed. Especially where religion is involved, what is considered a "good" and "bad" outcome can be wildly different to someone with no religious beliefs. The opinion of "God" is still just another opinion. If he wanted us all to have the same objective morality then he should have made us that way.
Measurements are generally objective. Value judgements are not.
If you are just talking about consequences of actions, then yes, those consequences can be objectively measured. But it's whether those consequences are "OK", good", "bad", and to what extent, that is a value judgement. Also, just considering consequences ignores the intent of actions. This makes the assumption that everyone always causes the outcome they intend to, and it assumes that everyone has all the information they could possibly require when making decisions. (For example, I open a door with the belief that there is no one on the other side. But there is someone there, and the door hits them and hurts them. To act "morally" I would then be required to know my own belief was false.)
To show morality is objective, you have to show that it is somehow more than just individuals making value judgements. Because clearly, people don't agree. Not even whole societies agree when norms are assessed. Especially where religion is involved, what is considered a "good" and "bad" outcome can be wildly different to someone with no religious beliefs. The opinion of "God" is still just another opinion. If he wanted us all to have the same objective morality then he should have made us that way.
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