”But you have not shown anything other than self interest and reference to your personal value principles as a basis for action.”
Well, just to move this along I will declare an absolute moral principle. “To have a positive regard for the well being of one’s self and others.”
I don’t think I was clear enough on distinguishing what qualifies as an absolute. Values do not. I might value money to the extent that it provides the life style that I seek. Other people might value it more. That might be seen as a good or bad thing depending on whether or not it is causing disfunction in their lives and how it is affecting others. I might value family involvement more than discretionary spending income. So, I give weight to my time and effort in keeping these things in some sort of balance. This is how I see values systems, many factors are combined in their formation which are very circumstantial, individual, and not absolute.
Moral absolutes are one of the factors that underlies the formation of values systems. To ‘have a positive regard for one’s well-being and the well being of others’, would underlie individual values systems. We critique one another and make personal decisions based on this principle. For example most people would agree that it is fine if you are prosperous and make huge amounts of money …as long as you are not hurting others to get it and; if you were causing disfunction in your own life to earn money, you would get labeled negatively as a ‘workaholic’ or something.
”Tell me how reference to a Zen Koan is supposed to support your position?”
Well, it is an analogy and maybe not the best. But, here we go anyway. Sound is a physical event that travels in waves and definitely exists in its physics, whether there is a human being there to listen to it or not. Like wise an absolute principle exists whether you, I, or kholt is there to detect it and chose to internalize it or not. The difference is that a principle cannot be detected in its physics, because it is not physical. It exists in the realm of ideas…thus the weakness of all analogies.
If kholt observes me behaving in an inhumane manner she will likely criticize me and use some form of the ‘positive regard for the well being of others’ as a reference and justification for her critique. She can recognize that, as any human being with normal faculties can. The extent that one chooses to internalize it and apply it to their life circumstance is, of course, individual. The measure is against a principle that is absolute and provides a direction for critiquing behavior, as well as conducting oneself.
”You have argued nothing but moral relativism, but you are pleased to addend that the evidentiary data is subsumed beneath your secret knowledge of Moral Absolutes. “
”…It would be wonderful if you would share the basis of your secret knowledge...”
Behavioral conduct is relative…as it relates to some idea that we all can associate the behavior with. I chose, ‘have a positive regard for one’s well-being and the well being of others’ as an absolute moral that we can use to determine the goodness/badness or neutrality of conduct. I have not met people who consider that guideline to be my secret knowledge. Most people would say, "well yaaa, duh."
I did not declare that behavioral conduct in this life is perfectly attainable (certainly mine has not been).
”...and it would be gratifying if you would leave a tablet showing definitive moral…”
Behavioral conduct can be referenced to absolute moral guidelines, and I am on record as offering an example of one that seems to work. |
