Moral Nihilism

[Kyuuketsuki]

I must say that when it comes to killing another humans do we find wrong because it's in our backbone. But also it depends on the situation and the person (if he's lacking emphaty for an example).

I don't think you are right ... do you have any evidence to support the claim?

You don't think it's wrong to kill a child, for an instant, because society says so. It's but because you self have a barrier that says that something like that is wrong. Also eating another humans is something that we are born to think is discusting and wrong to do.

I agree I find the idea abhorrent but I do not agree it is inbuilt ... I concede there may be (probably is) a pack instinct to protect our own children I do not necessarily believe it extends to all children without societal factors. The Nazi's killed Jewish children as easily as they killed the old and frail ... that rather implies that humans feel nothing specifically for children of another "pack" or "tribe" without societal influence. Cannibalism has been a component of several cultures and has been noted to occur many times in adverse situations.

The moral values we have in society is mostly based on what we allready feel is wrong. We have something called conscience that also is a part of that, which tells us what we can't do and what we can do. That's why you can feel bad after hurting someone emotinally and other such things, depending on the situation of course. That's nothing to do what society tells you, it's what you mind tells you.

I don't agree, I believe pretty much all our morality is learned. Individual do not possess morality, morality is a societal concept ... individuals (as you note) possess a conscience which allows them to evaluate their own and others behaviour against accepted societal morals. There have been cultures where it is acceptable to brutalise many, to enslave others, to kill young and so on and all without apparent remorse ... that goes against what you are claiming.

If we hadn't "built in" moral and ethical values, a feel for what's right and wrong, then we pretty much would be like a mantis or something.

That's a helluva assertion ... justify it.

Animal are an example for that right and wrong is something that we are born with. It depends just what species it is. Most animals don't get the feeling of eating eachother, but mantis think it's ok for an example. Such thing is evolutionary. Such barriers, like not killing someone within the same speices is important to most beings. Humans wouldn't live specially long as a spieces if we would have nearly no barriers as the mantis for an example. Like if our kids didn't move out to quickly then we would eat them.

I don't think there is necessarily an instinctive component to morality ... I'm not discounting it as a possibility but I would want to see more evidence before I accept it.

Kyu