RE: On the consistent use of "objective" and "subjective"
November 15, 2016 at 7:55 am
(This post was last modified: November 15, 2016 at 8:27 am by Whateverist.)
(November 12, 2016 at 7:32 pm)Jörmungandr Wrote: Subjective and objective are part of a theory of truth. The subjective is that reality which I experience in my mind. The objective reality is that of my subjective experience which corresponds to things outside my mind. Thus a correspondence theory of truth is not incidental to the subjective/objective split, it is required. My major question has to do with the role of the subconscious in all this. Many times theists will throw around the word subjective to imply mere changeable whim. But the evolved structures of our mind are not changeable by whim. That would imply that they are objective, according to such theists. But I would argue that there is a "midjective" which is neither changeable by whim, nor is it objective. These are the base operations of mind which occur in the subconscious. Our sense of morality would be an example of something that is midjective; it's not readily changeable by whim, yet it doesn't reflect an object's existence in our environment.
Yes I prefer this trichotomy by far. I think one reason it seems to many that morality has objective status is the feeling of recognition and resolution we get when we zero in consciously on our midjective moral values. From our conscious point of view, they do seem fixed. They certainly aren't easily accessible to deliberate revision, leastwise one can't manufacture moral conviction from reason alone.
Another issue is that some of the disconnect between what is objectively true and my subjective experience of it is owing to midjective prejudices of which I am not consciously aware. The fault is subjective, but not of my deliberate doing nor easily accessible (in all cases) for revision. That is to say, some of the ways in which I am a stubborn asshole are essentially givens for me and not of my own construction; my personal failing in these matters is my inability to penetrate what is midjective for me. [I am so borrowing this term - do I owe you royalties?] Naturally that means when we are critical of others, some of their faults are likewise in their blind spots.