Absolute moral truth...
Nov. 18th, 2002 03:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
godreamYeah, this is going to be one of those "deep" entries again. Feel free to just skip back and read me raving about Oz, since that's far less dry and probably slightly more interesting than what I'm about to ramble on about.
It's the second class this year where we've had this talk: first philosophy, now my literature class. It's definitely interesting, and definitely loaded. For those who didn't read the entry's title, the question is this:
Are there absolute moral truths, rules that apply to everyone regardless of culture or upbringing?
I think in the end I have to say yes. The example that was brought up in philosophy was rape, which I can't see as right no matter what the circumstances. During the class when we discussed it today, the teacher brought in the United Nation's whatchamacallit of Human Rights, which I hadn't seen before but which I think I hesitatingly agree with. In philosophy we dealt with more is it Right or Wrong, but today we added on the idea of should someone enforce this regardless of whatever traditions might be mowed down?
And I feel kinda bad saying this, but yes. If people are doing things that are emphatically Wrong, if you're murdering or raping or torturing... I think in the end I have to say it doesn't matter if you're doing it in the name of tradition or of your deity or whatever, it's not right. It can't be right. There is no excuse, and anyone who can stop it should.
But what about culture? What about individuality? We just read the play The Lion and the Jewel, which is part of why we were all seeking these questions. Won't we all just be the same if we squish tradition in favor of what is Right? Some people argued this point rather vehemently, and I can see where it's coming from. As an American, just another ingredient in the melting pot, I guess I can't exactly sympathise that much. But for me it comes back to that I believe some things are Wrong, and if tradition is the price to stop them then it must be sacrificed. Remember history, celebrate it or mourn it as you will -- but if it's cruel, don't live it.
But then, someone asked, if the government is sponsoring such activities, and whoever goes in and kicks them out -- you end up with a power vacuum, and maybe chaos. Or, I suppose, with a government set up by the UN or whoever expulsed the old one. And then we run into the clone thing again. Is a whitewashed set of identical governments ruling identical societies of people who are all good in this ordained Right way better than a society where some may be Wrong, extremely Wrong, but at least they are unique? ... and, guilt washing over me, I say yes. Maybe not every violation of what some consider basic human rights is worth that, but there are in my mind certainly some big ones that are worth even that.
And that's my ultimatum on this, I think. I'm noone to judge, but hey, this is my rant space and I'll say whatever I want. It helps me work out what I want to say somewhat anyways, in the wake of these stupid classes that make me think. :P
It's the second class this year where we've had this talk: first philosophy, now my literature class. It's definitely interesting, and definitely loaded. For those who didn't read the entry's title, the question is this:
Are there absolute moral truths, rules that apply to everyone regardless of culture or upbringing?
I think in the end I have to say yes. The example that was brought up in philosophy was rape, which I can't see as right no matter what the circumstances. During the class when we discussed it today, the teacher brought in the United Nation's whatchamacallit of Human Rights, which I hadn't seen before but which I think I hesitatingly agree with. In philosophy we dealt with more is it Right or Wrong, but today we added on the idea of should someone enforce this regardless of whatever traditions might be mowed down?
And I feel kinda bad saying this, but yes. If people are doing things that are emphatically Wrong, if you're murdering or raping or torturing... I think in the end I have to say it doesn't matter if you're doing it in the name of tradition or of your deity or whatever, it's not right. It can't be right. There is no excuse, and anyone who can stop it should.
But what about culture? What about individuality? We just read the play The Lion and the Jewel, which is part of why we were all seeking these questions. Won't we all just be the same if we squish tradition in favor of what is Right? Some people argued this point rather vehemently, and I can see where it's coming from. As an American, just another ingredient in the melting pot, I guess I can't exactly sympathise that much. But for me it comes back to that I believe some things are Wrong, and if tradition is the price to stop them then it must be sacrificed. Remember history, celebrate it or mourn it as you will -- but if it's cruel, don't live it.
But then, someone asked, if the government is sponsoring such activities, and whoever goes in and kicks them out -- you end up with a power vacuum, and maybe chaos. Or, I suppose, with a government set up by the UN or whoever expulsed the old one. And then we run into the clone thing again. Is a whitewashed set of identical governments ruling identical societies of people who are all good in this ordained Right way better than a society where some may be Wrong, extremely Wrong, but at least they are unique? ... and, guilt washing over me, I say yes. Maybe not every violation of what some consider basic human rights is worth that, but there are in my mind certainly some big ones that are worth even that.
And that's my ultimatum on this, I think. I'm noone to judge, but hey, this is my rant space and I'll say whatever I want. It helps me work out what I want to say somewhat anyways, in the wake of these stupid classes that make me think. :P
