Posted by Beowulf on December 25, 19100 at 21:45:03:

In Reply to: Re: Objectivism? posted by Dr. Cruel on August 21, 19100 at 21:43:33:

A man lives in a county where it is not legal to purchase alchohol on Sunday because a segment of the local population consider alchohol sales on Sunday to be immoral. He drives 5 miles to a store in the next county - where the sale of alchohol on Sunday is said to be within the bounds of common decency by the majority - and he purchases a bottle of wine there.

Is the man acting immorally? Don't you see that it depends on who's set of moral standards you use? I don't understand why a reasonably intelligent person would not understand the subjective nature of morality - unless you think that there is a god somewhere in the sky who watches what people do.

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: Morality can be compared to time. Within the same frame, time flows at a set rate. Between observers, however, time flow is variable. This does not obviate the understanding of time as objective phenomenon, but only complicates the understanding of its nature.

: Morality is objective, but an understanding of its exact nature is complex, and in a decidedly fractal manner. As if a particle at the sub-atomic level, any detailed knowledge of its exact nature and definition is exceedingly difficult, perhaps impossible. This does not, however, infer the subjective nature of the phenomenon.

: A subjective understanding of morality may simplify one's ethical calculations. It may even prove to be quite a convenient means of forestalling short-term headaches. Morality, however, remains objective. In spite of all our efforts to the contrary, I might add, like all good components of objective reality.

: -D.C.

Follow Ups:

• Thus Spaketh "Boy" Cruel Dr. Cruel 01:46:09 12/27/100 (2)
  • Kindergarteners don't hold their liquor very well. Beowulf 07:02:57 12/27/100 (1)
    • ...Nor does Bacchus serve well as Nurse... Dr. Cruel 06:10:55 1/10/101 (0)

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