Not A Poll: Does Motivation Affect Morality?

[Excited Penguin]

1) and 2) are statistical claims.

^ reference numbers mine.

They're not claims, just opinions.

You should've phrased them as such, then.

I'm defining a "good person" as someone with good intentions whereas doing moral good through moral acts is what the morally good thing to do is. 

-Hammy

So you're using different definitions of the word good, in the same sentence, without specifying it?

When I'm talking about objective morality being out there, I'm not talking about the electrical impulses in the brain that give rise to it, but about their effect in the external world. So I would describe an instance of objective morality at work as someone performing an objectively moral act. In that sense, objective morality is not only inside the mind, but also out there, in the world.

But what makes those objective/unbiased moral acts unbiased?

-Hammy

What does that have to do with anything?

Let me re-phrase, since it seems I buggered up the point:  Is a particular action more or less moral because of the motivation of the actor?

Boru

No.

Let me re-phrase, since it seems I buggered up the point:  Is a particular action more or less moral because of the motivation of the actor?

Boru

My first instinct conflicts with my logical brain.

The moral wrong they committed was equivalent. One act was selfish and the other selfless, and an act of survival. I can't blame person 2 and would probably do the same thing.

A very good thought exercise.

What moral wrong? How was one act selfless, and an act of survival? You would also only donate to publicly compete with some other person who donated?

How is it a good thought exercise?

Maybe I should've just replied with a big question mark.