RE: What Human Rights?
July 18, 2015 at 4:22 pm
(This post was last modified: July 18, 2015 at 4:25 pm by Mudhammam.)
(July 17, 2015 at 1:07 pm)tonechaser77 Wrote:I don't think the fact that human experience is subjective by nature and at variance in many instances is an argument that morality is truly relative. After all, ninety-nine people out of one hundred can be wrong, whether it regards the Good, the Beautiful, or the True. If we say that it's only a matter of opinion, we're essentially saying that claims about morality have no truth value. That doesn't mean that morality can't be relative to situations, and perhaps if that's what you mean, there still might be an objectively best way to act in that particular scenario.
I think we are in the best light if we avoid the use of morally judgmental words like good or evil. Precision in language suggests the use of descriptive words without moral connotations, such as unproductive, counterproductive, inefficient, efficient, lawless, dangerous and murderous. The list of words depends on our vocabulary.
Studying of the relative nature of morality poses interesting questions and these questions make many people uncomfortable or angry because they often interfere with their personal view of morality or history. It is often painful to come to terms with the relative nature of the human concept we call morality. It is painful because, in part, we cannot judge as you alluded to in your first question.
However, from a 10,000 foot view, our views about morality, what is right and wrong, have changed. Why? because we have gotten better at understanding these things. We are building on the thoughts of those before us and the historic understanding of right and wrong. We are learning more about the nuanced details in the consequences of our actions and seeing further than what we ever have before by constantly re-evaluating our positions.
And wouldn't you say murderous IS almost the very definition of a morally judgmental word?
He who loves God cannot endeavour that God should love him in return - Baruch Spinoza