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What's Moral and What's not?

Comment comment by Eye.Of.Sage on 20 October 2006

Here's something I never understood, how can you know what's moral and what's not moral? Assuming that you're the first conscious human with a conscience, and you don't know anything, so how then can you know what is right and what is wrong? Maybe what we believe is right is actually not right. (Of course, assuming that God didn't tell you what's right and what's wrong)

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RE: What's Moral and What's not? by Brandon :: NR9

(Of course, assuming that God didn't tell you what's right and what's wrong)

That's the catch. The only way to know what's right and wrong is revelation from God.

Either that or it would be an innate characteristic found in our genes ... I wonder if anyone has ever tried to argue from that perspective.

Posted 20 October 2006, Hide, Parent, Reply
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RE: What's Moral and What's not? by Kevin1 :: NR0

Here's something I never understood, how can you know what's moral and what's not moral? Assuming that you're the first conscious human with a conscience, and you don't know anything, so how then can you know what is right and what is wrong? Maybe what we believe is right is actually not right. (Of course, assuming that God didn't tell you what's right and what's wrong)

You are assuming right and wrong are things to be identified like 'yellow' and that their real names may be confused? Like 'yellow' is the real name for this color but maybe the first person to see it called it 'blue'?

On the other hand, I think you know inherently that some actions are right and some are not. Touch a hot burner on your stove and your reaction is pretty much a given; you will not keep your hand there for long and after doing it once, will avoid doing it again.

The primary question in ethics is: "What shall I do?" Without a huge amount of analysis into the way we use ethical terms, the correct answer is do right actions and avoid wrong actions. I just cited an action for you that has an answer to that question given in your experience. One thing not to do is touch a hot burner; touching hot burners is therefore wrong. I think this is how right and wrong is identified. So don't worry about some caveman accidentally making everyone evil by misidentifying the good. :)

Posted 21 October 2006, Hide, Parent, Reply