tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642011.post111932239703489972..comments2023-10-29T10:32:36.914-04:00Comments on Philosophy, et cetera: Moral Diversity and SkepticismRichard Y Chappellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16725218276285291235noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642011.post-61926175782422611692013-12-30T15:36:02.145-05:002013-12-30T15:36:02.145-05:00The Wikipedia article on moral diversity cites evi...The Wikipedia article on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moral_diversity" rel="nofollow">moral diversity</a> cites evidence that moral diversity is not superficial--it correlates with differences in personality, brain structure, and genes. It also discusses evidence that moral diversity allows society to be more effective (morally), much as gathering diverse neurons into a brain produces an entity that can be more effective (morally) than individual neurons can be. On that account, the existence of moral diversity puts us in a <b>better</b> position to know correct answers to moral questions.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05888418338565794909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642011.post-1131756931630585132005-11-11T19:55:00.000-05:002005-11-11T19:55:00.000-05:00My, aren't we busy sweeping things under the rug.F...My, aren't we busy sweeping things under the rug.<BR/><BR/>First, your notion of "superficial moral diversity" ignores the possibility that there IS one true answer BUT that it prescribes conflicting conclusions for people in different circumstances. For example, morality for the poor might conflict with morality for the rich. Or you might encounter problems related to Arrow’s impossibility theorem. Or these ideas might be linked together. With all of mathematics to choose from, I'm always surprised when people assume such simple models for their arguments.<BR/><BR/>Lots of other easy pickings. "A vast number of simple ethical questions on which all reasonable people agree": what makes you think they understand the same thing by agreeing? One of my favorite pranks is to ask libertarian party members if their non-initiation of force against the US pledge (which they all agree with superficially) means that they can retaliate against the US for initiating force or if it means they cannot. They'll argue endlessly. The very fact that you call the questions simple probably indicates that they are very generally phrased and prone to many interpretations. And what's with that waffle-word "reasonable"? You want to exclude the ones who don't agree?<BR/><BR/>"We tend not to notice the vast majority of moral life, which we navigate with relative ease." Perhaps this is not evidence of agreement, but rather evidence of socially observed taboo realms of moral life which help us avoid confronting disagreements. Liberalism in particular, with ideas of privacy, enables that sort of distancing and not communicating. It's like the old adage not to bring up politics or religion at social affairs.<BR/><BR/>There are so many other possible alternative models for comparison. Are correct morals comparable to correct art? Language? I should get out my copy of Darwin's Dangerous Idea, and refresh myself on what evolutionary notions imply about morals.<BR/><BR/>And your final paragraph seems to say that even though you actually have no real justification, and it's obvious that others disagree, you wishfully hope that there is some justification. Well, now that's a resounding rebuttal to skepticism!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642011.post-1119337968672750022005-06-21T03:12:00.000-04:002005-06-21T03:12:00.000-04:00I have foudn suriously that many debates decent in...I have foudn suriously that many debates decent into utilitarianism when morals are debated someone will say "freedom is important" or "ownership is important" and then after sufficient asking of "why" you will end up at utilitarianism. even religion will tend to go to "god knows best how to achieve utilitarianism" (although not in so many words)Geniushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11624496692217466430noreply@blogger.com