|
Why do we need morals?
|
I think those who purport moral subjectivism only do so based on their own latent sociopathy, but I personally don't endorse "morality" at all.
Why should a grown and rational person do so?
Because morality is useful.
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
Useful to whom?
RE: Why do we need morals?
May 12, 2013 at 11:10 am
(This post was last modified: May 12, 2013 at 11:11 am by The Grand Nudger.)
Apparently, all of us (even the sociopaths). Otherwise we'd have trouble explaining why there's so damned much of it..lol. When's the last time you saw a whale oil lamp or a bone awl?
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
Are you asking what value does morality have? If so then it depends on what you mean by value. Morality is itself the assignment of value, (moral value) to particular actions/intentions etc, so in some ways it's an odd question unless you define what you mean by value in this instance.
IMO, morality is descriptive, not prescriptive. It simply describes the majority of people's opinions on social issues at a specific time. As such, it has no actual use; it's more of an concept than anything.
Saying something is wrong because it's "immoral" only works if you are taking to someone who agrees with your moral code in that particular instance. Telling a serial killer that killing is immoral won't really achieve anything; to them, it may not be, or they just may not care (which is kinda the same thing). Most laws, even those purported to be based on morality and ethics, have in their root a certain degree of logical reasoning to them. RE: Why do we need morals?
May 12, 2013 at 11:42 am
(This post was last modified: May 12, 2013 at 11:43 am by dazzn.)
(May 12, 2013 at 11:27 am)Slumberjack Wrote: Are you asking what value does morality have? If so then it depends on what you mean by value. Morality is itself the assignment of value, (moral value) to particular actions/intentions etc, so in some ways it's an odd question unless you define what you mean by value in this instance. I think that morality is a spent concept. (May 12, 2013 at 11:36 am)Tiberius Wrote: IMO, morality is descriptive, not prescriptive. It simply describes the majority of people's opinions on social issues at a specific time. As such, it has no actual use; it's more of an concept than anything. Labelling things as "moral" or "immoral" at a given time is inane. You tell me and everybody why we need this notion of "morality"? (May 12, 2013 at 11:42 am)dazzn Wrote: Labelling things as "moral" or "immoral" at a given time is inane. You tell me and everybody why we need this notion of "morality"?Erm, perhaps you should re-read my post. I kinda made that point. The only "morality" that matters to me is my own. If someone comes up to me and says "gay marriage is immoral", I'll say, "you go ahead and believe that; I don't think it is". RE: Why do we need morals?
May 12, 2013 at 11:47 am
(This post was last modified: May 12, 2013 at 11:51 am by The Grand Nudger.)
Well, so long as you're content to exist in a society without the concept as a teaching aide at the very least, then that's on you. I don't mind my neighbors teaching their kids not to steal or stab me or mine. I return the favor. Now, I'm willing to bet that most of my neighbor's kids (and mine) wouldn't steal or stab anyway, but it still offers reinforcement and a reasonable expectation of behavior from those around you (something that brings us a great deal of that all-important peace-of-mind). For a choice few that reinforcement might be whats standing between them and stealing and stabbing. For yet others still it's not enough- they steal or stab anyway.
I think of morality as crib notes for close habitation, personally. Anytime you cram more than one person in an even moderately confined space (the entire world is becoming such a place rapidly) conflict arises. Morality serves as a set of protocols to diffuse it-if nothing else. Now, we have more elaborate systems (like law) that serve the same purpose - but I'm not sure how practical waiting for a court date and paying for a lawyer would be every time one of my kids wanted to hit one of their siblings.
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
(May 12, 2013 at 11:42 am)dazzn Wrote: I think that morality is a spent concept.Why? Quote:Labelling things as "moral" or "immoral" at a given time is inane. You tell me and everybody why we need this notion of "morality"?Why is labelling things with moral value inane? Do you find labelling things generally to be inane or is your issue particularly with assignment of moral value? If so what is your objection? |
|
« Next Oldest | Next Newest »
|
