Magisterium: Your objections are a bit hasty. Asolute does NOT refer to a lack of quantification. Rather it refers to universal quantification. As to the notion that a moral or a value must be based on a standard (or even a context) I would agree. But contextualization is itself a variable phenomenon, and I am open to the notion that a moral principle would be articulated in terms of a sufficiently general context to be universal (in at least a practical sense). It is easy enough to play the absolutist/relativist game and make it n all-or-none decisio, but I think that has little to do with actual moral reasoning. In practice people state values (moral or otherwise) with varying degrees of scope, and while I am not interested in abstract promises that moral absolutes are out there in some sense, I am open to the possibility that at least some moral principles tend towards absolutism, in at least some practical sense.
Whitehorse: Interesting narrative, but you did not answer the question. I am not (as I thnk you may have been implying) looking for a way to avoid morality. Rather I was asking for an example of a moral principle that many here assure me does exist. I would submit that if all you can do is promise me that such a thing can be found indicates a high probability that you have not found it yourself. Otherwise, the fruits of your own search would have yielded an answer to the question.
Blessed: I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss morality as an entirely subjective enterprise. Moral values are learned I social contexts, communicated in social contexts, and used as means of negotioating with others. Morals are NOT entirely private. Nor are they simply a function of what people happen to believe. Methinks you kindness and open-mindedness may be getting the best of your here, and you have given up too easily. BTW: One ca reject the prospect of a universal without accepting personal judgement as the standard of right and wrong, which appears to be your tack.
Lyle: The Bible is a book. It is not a moral principle. I would entertain the notion that it might contain a moral principle, but since you are intent on blowig off the question, I assume that's a no-go.
Mason: The Bible certainly does have a lot of material that appears quite indecent to me, but I am open at least to the possibility that it contains some good moral precepts. So, let's not pre-empt any actual attempt to use it here. But of course, we have yet to see a serious effort toward that end in this thread.
Eudaimonist: I have already explained my objection, and there isn't much point in repeating it. I will be happy to respond if you would like to address the argument.
