Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site oakhill.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!godot!harvard!seismo!ut-sally!oakhill!davet From: davet@oakhill.UUCP (Dave Trissel) Newsgroups: net.religion Subject: Re: Where do morals come from Message-ID: <269@oakhill.UUCP> Date: Thu, 13-Dec-84 04:48:03 EST Article-I.D.: oakhill.269 Posted: Thu Dec 13 04:48:03 1984 Date-Received: Sat, 15-Dec-84 00:28:31 EST References:<265@oakhill.UUCP> Reply-To: davet@oakhill.UUCP (Dave Trissel) Distribution: na Organization: Motorola Inc. Austin, Tx Lines: 34 In article <1766@umcp-cs.UUCP> mangoe@umcp-cs.UUCP (Charley Wingate) writes: >(1) What is it that makes you follow whatever moral system you follow? > (In other words, why not some other system? or why follow any?) Because it seems the most rational way to proceed given my world view. I also recognize an inner prompting of some sort to follow it. That may be only because it "clicks" with my world view, or it may be due to some less known type of mechanism. (I favor the "inner knowing" hypothesis.) >(2) Do you grant it and external authority? For instance, does it permit > judging someone like Adolf Hitler as morally corrupt? In my view, Hitler was "attracted" to the world by the events of the times. In blaming him, you fail to take account of the mechanisms which caused him to be there. In effect, only pointing at symtoms. Yes, he was morally corrupt, but I find him blameless. (This should prove to be a controversial statement to make!!) > "(paraphrased) If moral systems are produced internally then why should > there be a sense of guilt in not following it? That depends on what "guilt" really is. Guilt could be derived from not following a path consistent with your belief system. We are so complex that it may easily be possible for someone to feel guilty without having the conscious knowledge of why (since the mechanisms violated would be "known" only at a deeper level in the psyche.) This could be especially true if during early childhood forgotten "wrong"s and "rights" were implanted. >Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est. (* would you kindly translate this?*) Thanks for your kind attention. Dave Trissel {ctvax,seismo,gatech,ihnp4}!ut-sally!oakhill!davet