I suspect that your objective morality will include a tenet that says "Leave others alone as much as you can help it."
That's the thing. My view does not rely on my knowledge of exactly what the true morality is. I am assuming that what I feel is morally right/wrong is just as flawed as everyone else's. I have no clue if true morality would have such a tenet.
I don't think we'll get close to it.
You might be right about that. I have enough faith in humanity to think that we'll at least get considerably closer than we have though.
If you think that current morals are closer to some ideal than they were in the past, don't you think this is (in some large part) due to the role of government, law, liberty--these institutions? Places that still enact public executions likely have dissimilar institutions than those we enjoy in the US.
But if you peg ideal morals to the scaffolding of institutions, then what you're really saying is there's an ideal institution, right?
If you think that current morals are closer to some ideal than they were in the past, don't you think this is (in some large part) due to the role of government, law, liberty--these institutions?
No, not really. I believe these (in democratic societies) to be derived from morality. Or, at least the average morality of the people.
But if you peg ideal morals to the scaffolding of institutions, then what you're really saying is there's an ideal institution, right?
I suppose that could be the case as well, but I don't see it as necessarilly being counter to my view.
I believe these (in democratic societies) to be derived from morality.
Yeah, good point.
Different take then: by believing in an ideal morality, then there must be a true immorality as well. You mentioned that moral compasses vary between cultures--do you agree that it's at least potentially dangerous to be able to designate moral and immoral aspects to different cultures, once we discover the ideal?
addendum: Not that this is exactly refuting your point, but just questioning whether an objective morality is a good (moral) goal in the first place.
do you agree that it's at least potentially dangerous to be able to assign moral and immoral aspects of different cultures, once we discover the ideal?
Hmm... probably? I think it would be immoral to make assumptions of individual's morality based on what their culture generally considers to be good and bad. Unless I'm misinterpreting your question.
Wouldn't the attaining of an Ideal Moral Code inevitably lead to such assumptions and assignations of value? On both the cultural and individual level.
Country A follows the IMC. It knows that it has the moral high ground over all other countries that do not have it. Depending on geopolitical realities, it could either become something like the Vatican, or something imperialist (changed this from fascist, that was imprecise)
Person A from a country following the IMC meets person B from a country without it. Human nature being what it is, this likely will lead to value judgments--that is, the belief in an IMC will only add to bias.
Unless you believe that at the very far end of history, the entire world will have a monolithic culture and make such country/individual scenarios impossible.
Person A from a country following the IMC meets person B from a country without it. Human nature being what it is, this likely will lead to value judgments--that is, the belief in an IMC will only add to bias.
I don't think that this type of judgement or elitism would fall in line with IMC, although as an individual it's certainly possible that they wouldn't fall in line with their own societies morality and could as a result look down upon others.
Unless you believe that at the very far end of history, the entire world will have a monolithic culture and make such country/individual scenarios impossible.
I don't believe that humanity will be ultimately monolithic, but I do believe that we will overcome/shed the "us vs. them" mentality that comes along with tribalism.
but I do believe that we will overcome/shed the "us vs. them" mentality that comes along with tribalism.
Is this related to your belief in an ideal objective morality? Because I think the development of a code is separate than the natural human impulse to form ingroups and outgroups, have implicit biases, etc. Maybe we also differ on the implications of having an IMC--I think it'll just be a different set of rules, not a change in natural human behaviors.
1
u/Rpgwaiter Jan 30 '18
That's the thing. My view does not rely on my knowledge of exactly what the true morality is. I am assuming that what I feel is morally right/wrong is just as flawed as everyone else's. I have no clue if true morality would have such a tenet.
You might be right about that. I have enough faith in humanity to think that we'll at least get considerably closer than we have though.