Subjective Morality?

[Mystic]

How many times are you going to say "we think" in attempting to demonstrate that morality is objective?

You've trotted out a list of things that people generally consider immoral.  That, I would contend, is because they are people, and there's a lot of overlap among people in their feelings and ideas about things.  You haven't considered the moral positions of bats or Volgons.

If a computer decided that X should be done (given some goal) and Y should not be done, would you call that a moral position?  I wouldn't.  This is because the computer doesn't have feelings about things-- it cannot be offended, or angered, or frightened.

My position is super simple.  Mores are a mediation among feelings, ideas, and environmental factors, but they exist only as ideas.  Fortunately, there's a word for that.

For whatever reason I'm imagining the way Jedi knights would discuss morality.  


Young Luke Skywalker:  But Yoda, how do we know the dark side is not an important advantage without which we will be ill equipped to face the Sith?  

Yoda:  Consult your feeling Luke.  Imagine a world in which we all tap into the dark side.  Is that the world you wish to live in, that you wish for everyone to live in?

YLS:  But Yoda, the Sith use righteous anger in the service of a world and a universe which serves only them.  We're different than that.  We would use it to create a republic which respects everyone's rights.

Y:  The dark side blinds you it will.  Once embraced perspective lost will be.

YLS:  So you're saying getting in touch with my inner Hulk just is channeling a motivation which is separate from whatever end goal I may have in mind?  That unbridled smashing just is ... wrong?

Y:  Got it you have.


So Yoda is a moral objectivist, Luke leans pragmatist and Sith lords -everyone will agree- are moral monsters?

I lolled so much!