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Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: TimF who wrote (4608)	2/3/2001 6:42:11 PM
From: Lane3	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 82486

The difference with this and the abortion issue is that the contention that rape is wrong and should be illegal is not controversial. There is consensus on this issue. However it is still imposeing a version of truth on someone when you send him to prison for rape. If you think it is wrong to ever impose your version of truth on someone else then its hard to have any opinion that anything should be illegal. If you think it is ok to impose such a vision of truth if their is a strong consensus of opinion behind it then your position is more consistant. The exercise was about two different truths each supported by a "significant minority." I argue that neither should try to impose theirs on the other. In cases where there is a strong consensus, then imposing it is not an issue because there's agreement. It would still be evil but I could not oppose its implementation unless I can come up with an alternate solution. I'm comforted to know that your advocacy is not without limit. Karen

To: TimF who wrote (4608)	2/3/2001 7:01:44 PM
From: Dayuhan	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 82486

If I am to make any decisions I have to base them on what I see as truth. I think you need to understand here that your seeing something as truth does not make it truth. Truth is simply that which can be demonstrated to be true. It is not a matter of perception. What if a rapist used as a defence that he believes that he has a right to have sex with any woman that he wants, I would submit that it would be fine to impose mine (and presumably your) version of truth on him, that rape is wrong and should be outlawed. "Rape is wrong" is not a statement of truth. It is a statement of perception, one on which most of us agree. We cannot prove the truth of that statement because "wrong" is a perception-based judgment not susceptible to proof. We can demonstrate that rape has adverse consequences, that it violates our agreed-upon concept of rights, that it is socially undesirable, and therefore that we have decided that rape is wrong. But our decision has nothing to do with "truth".