At the most elemental, I'd say morality is a system of right action. But rightness implies a goal-- if an action serves that goal, it's right; if it doesn't it isn't. Happiness seems to be one. But whose happiness? That of humans? All living things? The mind boggles.
It seems then that morality is really the language of reconciling feelings about actions: I don't like when I'm hurt, and you say you don't either, so let's make a rule that nobody should be allowed to hurt others.
It seems then that morality is really the language of reconciling feelings about actions: I don't like when I'm hurt, and you say you don't either, so let's make a rule that nobody should be allowed to hurt others.
