What stance do you have on morality?

Whether I consciously think about it or not, morality is a long-simmered stew in my head which nourishes me at all times…hence, utilitarian. If I really knew both the why and how, I would be a famous person and the SINGULARITY would be very close.

Morality is doing the right thing at least the right thing according to my way of thinking. Someone else may see an action differently but I cannot be responsible for that.

It can be utilitarian but that is certainly not the determning factor in my mind.

I find morality to be pretty situational, but despite (and perhaps because of) not being religious and not having a divine source for my morality, I find myself to be a pretty moral person. I tend to do the right thing, if only because I constantly think “Well, if everyone did X, what kind of a world would we live in?”

i believe morality is doing whatever makes the most sense, all things considered.

As a conservative Republican, I believe that moral actions are those that promote the greatest good for the absurdly wealthy.

Morality is not hurting other people. It’s allowing yourself freedom, but knowing that your freedom shouldn’t hurt other people.

(@ninjacolin: Morality) Doesn’t exist. Or rather I don’t believe in a morality that is innate to the world.

Nations have been developed upon a utilitarian morality: Men die in war. Does that make it immoral or moral? how and why?

^^what doesn’t exist?

not even going there, thee.

@nxknxk how would a people determine what is in the best interest of themselves, or people.

One’s morality is greater and more sacred than even the rule of law.

Morality lies somewhere in the middle of utilitarianism and deontology. I like to combine the two – the greatest average good for each individual in a population. I would not kill one to save a hundred, because a precedent is then set and the hundred then think it is moral to kill. The end does not justify the means, and the greatest population good is not attained.

My basic premise is that morality in all its forms is evolutionary. People evolved an aversion to murder because it decreases the probability that they themselves will be murdered. Cultures did not have an aversion to killing foreigners though, because foreign powers are a threat to a nationality. The point of morality is to give a greater quality of life to all individuals, and to give individuals power. If the greatest common good is achieved, the greatest possible good for the individual will naturally follow.

Morality is relative, there is no absolute rules. They are whatever society has decided upon at the time.

Some rules have stuck around, like don’t kill others, because they help a society stay alive.

I’m starting to realize that my morality is compromised. Most people feel guilt when they do things like lying or stealing. Unless I can see that my actions will directly harm a person in a major way, I don’t feel any pang of conscience. The only real deterrent I have from doing stuff like this is the fear of getting caught.

to those of you who believe there is no objective morality what would you say about child rapists (not trying to piss anyone off, just trying to get my mind around it)

@jaketheripper Most people’s subjective moralities agree on that point. I don’t think makes it objective though. It’s still subjective, but it’s a consensus.

@jaketheripper, in addition to what @rasputin6xc said, I also don’t really understand what objective morality you would invoke to “prove” that child rape was objectively bad.

The Bible, for example, allows child rape, provided the child in question is not already sold (i.e. betrothed) to another man to be his future wife. Muhammad married a 9 year old girl, and according to Islam, women are not required to consent to sex.

Opposition to rape is actually a relatively new concept in history that emerged from rational, utilitarian moral values. Hell, it wasn’t even until the 1970’s that the United States courts held that raping one’s wife was legally possible.

This doesn’t mean that rape is “just as wrong or right” as your choice of ice cream, but it does mean that morals evolve over time. But, being rational creatures, we can often get a good idea of what morals seem to “work” for our species, and which ones don’t.

@jaketheripper Its quite obvious really. Treating morality as a product of evolution, what is moral is that which is mutually beneficial to all parties involved. Rape of any type, particularly of children, is traumatising and shows a deep lack of respect for individual autonomy. It destroys the life of the victim, and prevents them from being an active member of society. This is obviously not beneficial, as each member that ceases to function weakens the society and leads to war between factions.

@FireMadeFlesh
I’d say that you’d agree with @Qingu on Utilitarianism.
@Qingu @FireMadeFlesh
Would you both say that a utilitarian view would be in the best interests of a nation, without being object to religion?

there’s no significant difference between following the laws of man and following the laws of what a man believes to be the word of god.

Morality is absolute, universal collection of attributes which the more committedly we adhere to and pursue in all aspects of our lives, the further the quality of our lives will improve as the result of it.

@milla101 Strict utilitarianism would sacrifice for the greater good. That is something I would only ever do to a certain point. Some things that utilitarianism would have sacrificed are too valuable, such as human life and personal integrity. I do not think it is the best approach for a nation.

I would also like to leave religion out of the discussion, because a moral society would have consigned religion to existence only as a relic of a barbaric, misinformed past.

We also need to forget the idea of equality. Fantasies of equality lead to systems such as communism that try to force equality on a population whose members plainly are not equal.

I am not yet certain what the best approach for a nation is, but I would like to see criminals re-educated to see morality as the most advantageous path for themselves and others. I would like to see a charter of rights drawn up, which would form the basis of criminal law. Every crime, save those few which are victimless, is a crime because it violates the rights of another, and it is that which makes the act a crime. Of that much I am sure.

@FireMadeFlesh
Nicely answered, and I agree that religion should be excluded in defining morality. But do you think religion plays and has played a major role in the forming of today’s society? if it has, do you think we should be adamant in maintaining religion in our culture?

@milla101 Religion has played a major part in getting us to where we are, but it is only in the years since its hold on our society has weakened that we have made real progress. The moral standards of religious cultures such as the Middle Ages under the Catholic Church, or today’s Islamic and Jewish cultures are appalling. Religion helped develop societies in the past when the largely uneducated populace needed to be controlled by a wise leader without questioning, but in today’s society where almost everyone is literate and has some degree of formal education, we should be developing a less dominating system and rejecting religion.

The key to evolution is reproduction. For many millions of years, asexual reproduction was sufficient. Once sexual reproduction arose though, more complex and better adapted species arose. It is the same with religion in our society – it will always be there, but those who find a better way will reach new heights of complexity and understanding.

Morality deals with human consciousness of what is good and what is not. It is not enforced by any present authority other than one’s conscious where the reward and punishment is also formed. The more conscientious individuals, the better of an environment for social life. The reversal of such a process will result in nothing more than individualism and anarchy.

@ratboy: Define ‘absurdly wealthy’ for us. Thx.

I guess the Golden Rule is key.