Landlord Posted May 27, 2014 Author Share Posted May 27, 2014 Morality doesn't have to be too complicated. Does it really need to be any more than whether or not you are harming someone else? If I cheat on my wife, but I succeed in covering it up and nobody ever knows anything about it, is that right or wrong? It doesn't harm anyone. Link to comment
Ulty Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 Morality doesn't have to be too complicated. Does it really need to be any more than whether or not you are harming someone else? If I cheat on my wife, but I succeed in covering it up and nobody ever knows anything about it, is that right or wrong? It doesn't harm anyone. Well, I guess you'd have to define what "harm" actually is. Such an act harms a relationship, and that sort of affair usually has other strings attached to it or has other implications that can and will lead to further harm. Link to comment
HUSKER FREAK Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 Sure it will Landlord it will hurt you by eating at you for the rest of your life. Unless that is, if you don't have a soul. Link to comment
NUance Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 Morality doesn't have to be too complicated. Does it really need to be any more than whether or not you are harming someone else? If I cheat on my wife, but I succeed in covering it up and nobody ever knows anything about it, is that right or wrong? It doesn't harm anyone. Ha ha! Hey, Landlord. I played Russian Roulette with you yesterday. Yeah, I walked up behind you and pulled the trigger. But the firing pin fell on an empty chamber. No harm no foul right? / I realize you're playing Devil's advocate with your question. So am I. Link to comment
knapplc Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 The cheating thing isn't an absolute answer. None of this is.I could definitely cheat on my wife, keep it a secret from her, and have it never harm her. If I go home to her at night, take care of my husbandly responsibilities around/concerning her, and fifty years later she dies holding my hand after a final kiss goodnight, how has that harmed her?EDIT - this is a cultural thing, too. In France, extramarital affairs aren't that big of a deal. LINK Link to comment
Excel Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 The categorical imperative drives my morality. It's the golden rule on steroids. Link to comment
NUance Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 The cheating thing isn't an absolute answer. None of this is. I could definitely cheat on my wife, keep it a secret from her, and have it never harm her. If I go home to her at night, take care of my husbandly responsibilities around/concerning her, and fifty years later she dies holding my hand after a final kiss goodnight, how has that harmed her? What if I had a million dollars wrapped up in my business and you stole $100k from me? But I didn't notice it at the time, and never found out through to the time of my death. Didn't have any heirs to leave it to. Would that be a theft? What if it was only $10k, or a measly $100 bucks? I say the amount doesn't matter. And it doesn't matter whether anyone found out. A wrong is a wrong. But some wrongs seem worse than others. $100k > $100 bucks. Infidelity disclosed to all > secret infidelity. /jmho Link to comment
sd'sker Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 The categorical imperative drives my morality. It's the golden rule on steroids. i like nicomachean ethics. or what nietzsche has to say about stuff. i also think that people need to strip down the value systems other people have placed on them and create their own. it will be more meaningful and you will want to live by it with more zeal because you would be accountable to yourself. and obviously the base of your value system would have to fall within the bounds of law, so do not play the devil's advocate and ask, "what if you value mutilating animals." that person most likely has a mental health issue and no value system will help. 1 Link to comment
Landlord Posted May 27, 2014 Author Share Posted May 27, 2014 Morality doesn't have to be too complicated. Does it really need to be any more than whether or not you are harming someone else? If I cheat on my wife, but I succeed in covering it up and nobody ever knows anything about it, is that right or wrong? It doesn't harm anyone. Well, I guess you'd have to define what "harm" actually is. Such an act harms a relationship, and that sort of affair usually has other strings attached to it or has other implications that can and will lead to further harm. Okay that is fair, but as knapp points out, that could very conceivably be done and not tangibly harm anyone. But it's kind of a given that that action would be wrong, right? Yet we need to discuss whether or not it is actually causing harm. How about something a bit more unorthodox - is it wrong to burn or mutilate your country's flag? Or, we could go really out there with something outlandish like what if my neighbor's dad died and I somehow secretly processed his body into jerky and then offered him some without him ever knowing. No harm right? But you can't tell me that is all kinds of wrong Link to comment
Ulty Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 Morality doesn't have to be too complicated. Does it really need to be any more than whether or not you are harming someone else? If I cheat on my wife, but I succeed in covering it up and nobody ever knows anything about it, is that right or wrong? It doesn't harm anyone. Well, I guess you'd have to define what "harm" actually is. Such an act harms a relationship, and that sort of affair usually has other strings attached to it or has other implications that can and will lead to further harm. Okay that is fair, but as knapp points out, that could very conceivably be done and not tangibly harm anyone. But it's kind of a given that that action would be wrong, right? Yet we need to discuss whether or not it is actually causing harm. How about something a bit more unorthodox - is it wrong to burn or mutilate your country's flag? Or, we could go really out there with something outlandish like what if my neighbor's dad died and I somehow secretly processed his body into jerky and then offered him some without him ever knowing. No harm right? But you can't tell me that is all kinds of wrong Okay, okay, perhaps my original statement was far too simplistic then! I stick with my thought that causing harm to another is immoral, but defining harm is pretty nebulous and can come down to one's own values and sense of integrity. But that takes us back to the original question. So I haven't really answered a damn thing. What kind of seasoning would you use on the neighbor jerky though? Link to comment
tschu Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 Morality doesn't have to be too complicated. Does it really need to be any more than whether or not you are harming someone else? If I cheat on my wife, but I succeed in covering it up and nobody ever knows anything about it, is that right or wrong? It doesn't harm anyone. That's where "golden rule" is helpful. Would you like it if your wife cheated on you and covered it up and nobody ever knew anything about it? No. Link to comment
JJ Husker Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 Morality doesn't have to be too complicated. Does it really need to be any more than whether or not you are harming someone else? If I cheat on my wife, but I succeed in covering it up and nobody ever knows anything about it, is that right or wrong? It doesn't harm anyone. That's where "golden rule" is helpful. Would you like it if your wife cheated on you and covered it up and nobody ever knew anything about it? No. There are probably some people that wouldn't bother at all. So, does that make it right in some cases and wrong in others? Link to comment
tschu Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 If someone's relationship is really that open and secure that cheating and lying isn't a problem and they agree about that, then no, there would be nothing wrong with that I would think. Link to comment
JJ Husker Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 If someone's relationship is really that open and secure that cheating and lying isn't a problem and they agree about that, then no, there would be nothing wrong with that I would think. What about their children and the impact that behavior may have on the kids life and attitude? I'm not trying to be difficult or to keep moving the goal posts but I do believe, in many cases, there needs to be some absolute rights and wrongs. I agree that the golden rule is a good rule and I also agree, to some extent, that as long as your action doesn't harm another then it is better than actions that do harm others. But, I don't think either one of those methods determine the morality of any action. I know you disagree but imo there has to be some absolutes and I'm fairly well convinced human beings are not capable of setting limits or determining what is or isn't moral behavior in all instances. Link to comment
sd'sker Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 I know you disagree but imo there has to be some absolutes and I'm fairly well convinced human beings are not capable of setting limits or determining what is or isn't moral behavior in all instances. why? Link to comment
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