To take your earlier example, that the holocaust can be considered 'universal evil', did you realise that there were something like 1.5 million people in Germany at the time?
Do you think all the German soldiers, administrative staff, Nazi party members, Nazi party supporters, all thought 'yay we are being evil'? Or do you think they thought they were doing the right thing?
At that time, for the Germans involved, the holocaust was right.
I guess the holocaust is truly an example of just how diverse morals can be, your ultimate evil was looked upon by some as the saving the world.
Do you think all the German soldiers, administrative staff, Nazi party members, Nazi party supporters, all thought 'yay we are being evil'? Or do you think they thought they were doing the right thing?
At that time, for the Germans involved, the holocaust was right.
I guess the holocaust is truly an example of just how diverse morals can be, your ultimate evil was looked upon by some as the saving the world.
When I see you, my heart goes DOKI⑨DOKI
Fish: "Gorman has been chosen for admin. After a lengthy discussion we've all decided that Gorman is the best choice for the next admin."
So? The other ~2.1 billion people considered it wrong, hence they were still wrong as far as plurality of rational agents was concerned. When and if Nazis became the majority in the world, they could have the word "right" for themselves.
To me ethics is about preference. If collective preference changes, truth value of moral propositions changes. But so long as majority sees Nazism as wrong, it is perfectly sensible to say it is wrong. Only difference is that you look at isolated individuals/societies - I look at the globe.
To me ethics is about preference. If collective preference changes, truth value of moral propositions changes. But so long as majority sees Nazism as wrong, it is perfectly sensible to say it is wrong. Only difference is that you look at isolated individuals/societies - I look at the globe.
Once again, 'global culture' is such an over-generalization.
You completely ignore perspective, and try to enforce your 'universal morals' on to a world that is as varied and diverse as the people that inhabit it. You are aggregating morals and calling it 'universal', when really it is just as it is, aggregated.
A country is a sufficiently large entity that it cannot be considered 'statistically irrelevant'.
You completely ignore perspective, and try to enforce your 'universal morals' on to a world that is as varied and diverse as the people that inhabit it. You are aggregating morals and calling it 'universal', when really it is just as it is, aggregated.
A country is a sufficiently large entity that it cannot be considered 'statistically irrelevant'.
When I see you, my heart goes DOKI⑨DOKI
Fish: "Gorman has been chosen for admin. After a lengthy discussion we've all decided that Gorman is the best choice for the next admin."
I am not trying to enforce anything, because so far all I talked about were descriptive ethics and what ethical agreements I perceive to actually exist between cultures.
I don't think several persistent values (such as dislike for murder) constitute a global "culture".
It can if you define "right" as I do, namely whatever majority of agents prefer. Democracy, baby.
Care to advance your definition?
I don't think several persistent values (such as dislike for murder) constitute a global "culture".
A country is a sufficiently large entity that it cannot be considered 'statistically irrelevant'.
It can if you define "right" as I do, namely whatever majority of agents prefer. Democracy, baby.
Care to advance your definition?
Last edited by Odlov; Feb 2, 2011 at 05:21 AM.
If you think a country is too small to take notice of, then I would say you are talking about a 'global culture'.
I prefer to take samples on a case by case basis. Obviously in the context of nationalism it is relevant to talk on a country basis, rather than global.
I prefer to take samples on a case by case basis. Obviously in the context of nationalism it is relevant to talk on a country basis, rather than global.
When I see you, my heart goes DOKI⑨DOKI
Fish: "Gorman has been chosen for admin. After a lengthy discussion we've all decided that Gorman is the best choice for the next admin."
