Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Ken Hughes on June 28, 2011 at 5:54pm

I've opted out of receiving any more notices of further discussion on this topic as it just got too far off topic and started to resemble a flame war.  Ta'

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Permalink Reply by Kirsten on June 28, 2011 at 5:58pm

Morality actually has a basis in reason, oddly enough. Morality also evolves with circumstance, and it's this aspect that seems to trip people up more often than not. Absolute morals don't exist anymore than absolute anything.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mm2Jrr0tRXk  - Who Says Science Has Nothing To Say About Morality? by Sam Harris, speaking with Richard Dawkins later.

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Keith Pinster on June 28, 2011 at 6:02pm

I've seen several talks by Sam.  I think there is a TED talk that discusses this topic, although I'm not sure it was Sam, I think it was someone else.  I'll try to find it and reply to this post.

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Permalink Reply by Keith Pinster on June 28, 2011 at 6:05pm

Well, that was easy.  Yes, it was Sam.  http://www.ted.com/talks/sam_harris_science_can_show_what_s_right.html

 

Here is another by Jonathan Haidt http://www.ted.com/talks/jonathan_haidt_on_the_moral_mind.html 

 

Great talks, both of them.

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Permalink Reply by T A A on June 28, 2011 at 6:22pm

Of course science can provide us with clues about the global consequences of our actions. But it's still up to our subjective minds to weigh the various costs of our actions.

 

To me, a corporation which is polluting an area with lead, thereby affecting the learning potential of all the children in the neighbourhood is an absolutely horrible consequence as it places the profit-making potential of the few over the health of the many. But obviously, in our society, a vast majority think profit-making is more important than the health of those people. On top of that that corporation may derive a secondary benefit from the lack of learning ability, those kids will likely grow up being non-voters, further enshrining the power of the corporation over the people. Is this moral? Most people think it's just fine though, scientifically minded people less so, but still.

 

Everyone weighs harm differently, it is a subjective matter which science does not provide answers for, it is completely determined by the values taught to us during our formative years, which very few humans stray very far away from later on in life.

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Permalink Reply by Dustin on July 3, 2011 at 12:25am

I believe all things should be morally acceptable as long as it doesn't directly harm anyone needlessly.  

 

For instance , taboo things like brothers and sisters having sex or Polygamy , etc .. I see no reason to think this harms anyone as long as all adults are consenting.  

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