Morality sucks

[EraPassing]

Normally, when discussing evolution with creationists, you do have a serious problem with terminology.  For example, to most creationists, the term "theory" means something different than it does to a scientist.  So the first thing you have to do when debating with a creationist (not that there's any point to it) is make sure that they understand the terminology the scientist is using.

So, yeah, most scholars of a given subject will understand each other almost immediately, but the scholar and the laymen will circle around each other, growing more and more frustrated, because they do not understand the other.
When you (the scholar) converse with the layman, you have to be careful to define all the jargon you're using, or understanding will always lay outside your reach.  
In this, I have to agree with Veritas.

[Horab Fibslager]

/me walks in and raps everyone on the head with an oak walking stick.


would your grandmothers be so kind?

[Not Nurbldoff]

Veritas: You're really trying to piss me off aren't you? I'm not really motivated to discuss with you, especially since you seem more interested in pointing out my stupidity than actually making your point, which makes me tired.

But okay, if (IF) what you're saying is that "morals" are defined as exactly the same thing as our basic biological motivations, then what is moral philosophy? Just psychology, without the actual experimenting?

I gather the definition of "morals" used in this thread to be something like "the most common set of behaviour rules consciously propagated by society". Of course, some people might prefer the definition "the set of facts about Right and Wrong" or something else entirely. Everyone picks their favorite! And then: take cover...

compassion: Sorry for the lame response, I suppose I'm just not certain enough in my beliefs to get worked up over them

[~~~~Closed~~~~]

Morals are in the eye of the beholder.

fact.

[Z³]

I tend to think that human relationships tend to be little more than (usually) unspoken social contracts by which we barter with each other for various things, including information, support, and entertainment. I tend to think that its worthwhile to give other people something that they might regard as equal or greater in value than what they give to me, because that is something that encourages them to be more valuable in the future. People who are not valuable to me in any way, I simply do not associate with.

The paradox of altruism, which I am fond of, is that altruism is something that often acts for its own benefit.

And yet, I am still capable of acting extremely selfishly if I can convince myself that the other person deserves it. The problem there, is that while I trust my judgement, I dont immediately trust the judgements of other people... and they probably dont trust my  judgement either.

Fuck 'em, I say.

[Guido Finucci]

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[agent compassion]

Oh, you're just too cute, Veritas.  

Morals: I think they're a collection of do's and don'ts that vary person to person depending on their environmental influences that attempt to answer the broader question of "What is right, and what is wrong?"

For example - I have no f'ing problem with gratuitous swearing. Some people do. My husband's parents feel that alcohol and tobacco are taboo, I've had both in our house at times. Some cultures think it's ok to eat a dog, others say "stay away from the cow" and righteous vegans will tell me that if it doesn't have roots, eating it is murder. YMMV!

But ultimately all these attempts at rulemaking are really just line-drawing; Good's over here, Bad's over there somewhere, and depending on your perspective, we're all varying shades of PURE EVIL.

[EraPassing]

I gather the definition of "morals" used in this thread to be something like "the most common set of behaviour rules consciously propagated by society".

Yeah, that's the definition I was using.
And within that definition... I'm right.  Neener neener neener.

[Not Nurbldoff]

Oh... I get it. *Wanders off*

[B23.77]

I don't.  ::wanders off::

[~~~~Closed~~~~]

I don't.  ::wanders off::

bleach. mouth. now.

[B23.77]

Are you suggesting that I change my name back to Bleargh, thus offending the whole world of passerbys?

[~~~~Closed~~~~]

no, I'm suggesting you ingest copious levels of bleach. immedietly.

[B23.77]

Just call me Mr. Clean.

[Z³]

We're never lacking in intelligent commentary, are we?