(July 16, 2010 at 11:18 am)Eilonnwy Wrote: As morality evolves we learn why previously held moral ideals are wrong. It used to be morally appropriate to have slaves, beat your wives, etc... Now we know better.
I'm curious, Ely. What exactly did we learn that indicated that such previously held views on slavery and wife beating are "wrong"? What did we learn that makes them "wrong" even when such things were acceptable or tolerated previously? How do you define "wrong" here? The way you are using the word seems to presuppose some objective standard for determining what is "wrong".
What exactly do you mean by "Now we know better"? In the context of the rest of what you said, it appears to me to be just a pompous way of saying "Society merely does not accept such behavior any more". I use the word pompous here as the phrase you use seems to imply that somehow our current knowledge on these issues is somehow better or more appropriate that the knowledge of those who previously accepted such behavior but I do not see any support for such a position.
