Posted by special_k on March 19, 2006, at 17:49:36
In reply to I don't know... » special_k, posted by Racer on March 19, 2006, at 12:35:30
> Here's where I fall into a well of confusion -- morality and ethics are culturally defined.
? how do you mean?
> So, saying that something *is* morally right or wrong runs the risk of offending someone whose cultural norms are different.
depends on how abstractly you define the moral laws... lets take one version of utilitarianism as a candidate moral law 'it is morally right to do that which promotes happiness (or greatest utility) for the greatest number of people (or minimises harm for the greatest number of people).
that allows that in different societies / cultures... different acts will hurt and different acts will harm as a function from moral law to culture to mapping a moral tick of approval or moral cross of disapproval onto any token act.
i'm just saying that you can believe in universal moral laws... you can believe in moral facts... and you can be culturally sensitive at the same time.
besides which... there is such a thing as being too culturally sensitive - isn't there?
it was morally wrong for Hitler to attempt to annihilate the Jews.
Despite what he (and the Nazi's) may have thought at the time. It is true some people don't agree... But we tend to say they are lacking moral sensibility (or have come to believe some funny things in their background knowledge)
> I'm with Dinah, I think there's something between "that makes me sad" and "Jane you ignorant s**t"
Yeah, I agree with that too. But it is finding that middle ground. I'd like to try... And... I haven't been resorting to the latter - have I?
> ... I have no clue how to do it well within the guidelines here. It's frustrating, because I really want to write some things that I really don't feel safe posting.
yeah. i think we need to work this out if this board is going to work...
> If those guidelines weren't in place, I would blow up on a topic, and I'd be in trouble with other people here. Either I'd have hurt someone's feelings, or lost their respect, neither of which I would want to do.
Yes. I don't want to hurt people either :-( But finding the middle ground is hard...
poster:special_k
thread:621784
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/poli/20060304/msgs/622179.html