| One of the things you must realize is that there is no reason to reinvent the wheel. Traditional morality represents a body of knowledge and hypothesis already available, as much as any other study. It advances, but then so does physics: realizing that slavery was wrong was about like discovering universal gravitation. It gets reworked as we fret over issues: most people came to realize that discrimination based on race was wrong, in the last several decades, for example. However, the principles are there (Do Unto Others, Give to each his due, Contribute to the community), and so are elaborations (Freedom of speech should be respected, with few exceptions), and we are on our way. The cultural authorities that help to maintain respect for traditional morality are also there, including churches, mosques, synagogues, and temples, and we are foolish to disrespect them. Anyway, we are doing something, those of us raising children, participating as volunteers in school or Scouts, giving to our various charities, and participating in the political process. We are trying to promote the precepts and virtues that recommend themselves to us, through tradition and reason....... |
