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InigoMontoja
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So what about the statement "Newborn babies should never be grabbed by the feet and smashed against a wall". I think we could make a consensus on that.
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So what about the statement "Newborn babies should never be grabbed by the feet and smashed against a wall". I think we could make a consensus on that.Then it would always be moral. Such a universal and unaltering consensus doesnt exist however.
So what about the statement "Newborn babies should never be grabbed by the feet and smashed against a wall". I think we could make a consensus on that.
So what about the statement "Newborn babies should never be grabbed by the feet and smashed against a wall". I think we could make a consensus on that.
What if they had a power level OVER 9000!?!?!What if you had proof beyond any doubt this person would cause the extermination of the human race (and for simplicity, we will assume the extermination of the human race is a bad thing, k).
I see.It wasnt a consensus historically among the Spartans and a number of other ancient societies. Granted in the Spartan case, didnt smash the baby againt a wall, merely left it out to die.
What if you had proof beyond any doubt this person would cause the extermination of the human race (and for simplicity, we will assume the extermination of the human race is a bad thing, k).
So what about the statement "Newborn babies should never be grabbed by the feet and smashed against a wall". I think we could make a consensus on that.
There is a difference between a descriptive statement and a normative one. Saying morality is relative and based on a consensus is a descriptive statement accounting for all the different moral and ethical systems along with all the variations that time has produced. The statement is thus objective as it is evidenced. If you disagree, then show evidence for a universal ethical system.So what about the statement "morality is a matter of consensus". That in itself is a moral statement.
This poses huge problems.
There are many societies that have said it is not a matter of consensus.
Your statement is self refuting.
No. And the wiping out of enemies in the Bible wasn't done for the purpose of wiping them out because of racial superiority but to combat oppression.
Morals, as has been shown, change with times and peoples
Personally, I think wrong is a good word.
wrong (adj.)
late O.E., "twisted, crooked, wry," from O.N. rangr, earlier *wrangr "crooked, wry, wrong," from P.Gmc. *wrangaz (cf. Dan. vrang "crooked, wrong," M.Du. wranc, Du. wrang "sour, bitter," lit. "that which distorts the mouth"), from PIE *wrengh- "to turn" (see wring). Sense of "not right, bad, immoral, unjust" developed by c.1300. Wrong thus is etymologically a negative of right (from L. rectus, lit. "straight"). L. pravus was lit. "crooked," but most commonly "wrong, bad;" and other words for "crooked" also have meant "wrong" in It. and Slav. Cf. also Fr. tort "wrong, injustice," from L. tortus "twisted." Wrong-headed first recorded 1732. To get up on the wrong side (of the bed) "be in a bad mood" is recorded from 1801.
Whatever the moral justification given for genocide in whatever time and place, it is always wrong.
"Wrong" is just a matter of opinion normally (except in maths). Sure, genocide is "wrong" to me, but to Hitler he probably didn't see it as "wrong". So therefore it isn't always wrong to everyone.
"When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you many nations...then you must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them and show them no mercy." Deuteronomy 7:1-2,
do not leave alive anything that breaths. Completely destroy them...as the Lord your God has commanded you..." Deuteronomy 20:16
Hitler was a raving genocidal lunatic. I think we can all agree that homicidal maniacs are not good examples of people that can tell 'right' from 'wrong'.
There is, however, strong evidence that many people do understand that something is 'wrong' even when it is determined to be 'right' in a moral sense, by their cultural leaders. Some of the Israelites were disturbed by genocide, even though it was a direct order from God. Some Germans, those that didn't pretend nothing bad was happening, knew that the Holocaust was wrong, and did what they could to help their Jewish neighbours. Some Europeans (in America) understood that what was being done to Native Americans was wrong, and tried to mitigate the consequences. The Suffragettes knew that the historic inequal treatment of women was wrong, even with all of society against them.
So no, I don't think right and wrong are just a matter of opinion. I think people can largely be swayed by whatever the 'morality' of the day may be, because by and large most people go along to get along. But there are always some people who see more clearly, or see through the moral fashion, and can tell whether something really is wrong or not. And usually, history agrees with those few.
Science has found evidence of a universal morality. I can't find the study right now but I remember a documentary where they did a study and found consistent, core ethical decisions made by people when presented dilemma's involving the prevention of a train accident.
But yet it is still the wiping out of another people, despite the motive behind it. That is still technically genocide.
Genocide is wrong regardless of what form of religious justification you use. It's sad that a large population of an educated society actually believes those versus were inspired by God.
But God destroying His own creation is ok
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