(March 13, 2016 at 6:54 pm)Thumpalumpacus Wrote:(March 13, 2016 at 6:37 pm)Catholic_Lady Wrote: ...Meaning there is no set right or wrong answer, correct?
No. A subject can have valid reasons for disagreeing with your moral sensibilities. Both sensibilities might each pertain in different situations or with different actors. If you're looking for pat answers in such a complex subject, I'm afraid I can't help you much.
You and I agree that generally, bashing someone in the face is not very moral. However, the immorality of an act can be mitigated or even negated by the circumstances around the event. Am I bashing in self-defense? To save another from greater harm? Does that make my bashing "good", or simply "necessary"?
That is the essence of the claim that morality is both subjective and relative. Neither adjective means morality doesn't exist at all, they only mean that each act must be judged on its own qualities. Note that that judgement inherently introduces subjectivity into the matter as well.
Well said, Thump. I tend to use the theft analogy. Stealing things is generally consider to be an immoral act. However, if I steal something of yours for no better reason than it's shiny and I want it, that is clearly less moral than stealing medicine to save the life of a desperately ill child.
Boru
‘I can’t be having with this.’ - Esmeralda Weatherwax