Morac_Ex_Machina
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Posts
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Joined
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Yeah, thats a pretty good summation of why I decided to pick up a philosophy minor.
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Question: can killing for fun be considered moral if the person really deserved it?
(Disclaimer: This is not a question stemming from my own beliefs, it is designed to get people talking). -
Slow news day.
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Quote:This is the general belief that I hold, yes, but I try and make concessions for those that don't hold such beliefs.Originally Posted by Marcian Tobay
There's still a meaningful discourse to be had, to be sure. I just like pointing out that morality tends to stem from personal preference, not absolute, universal truths, unless you believe that there is a larger universal truth creating that one in the first place.
This is fun!
Also, there are ways around that by trying to identify things that are generally held to be good or bad, even if they may not be necessarily universal. Case in point: utilitarianism. Pain is generally held to be bad. Pleasure is generally held to be good*. What is the moral thing to do at any given situation? Whatever causes the greatest net gain in pleasure, and least net gain pain.
*For those that gain pleasure from pain (weirdos
), that would make it a pleasure, not a pain. Kinda recursive definition, but it works.
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Quote:Not really, unless you want to throw all existing work into moral philosophy out the window. There is a certain amount of assumption that does go into this sort of debate, but that does not mean that there can be no meaningful discourse.Originally Posted by Marcian Tobay
If someone makes a moral statement regarding Good or Evil, you can keep asking "Why" in response to everything they say, much like a 3 year old.
Keep at it, and you'll eventually get to the cold, withered core of an excuse: "Because I said so".
Unless one subscribes to the concept of a higher being that throws down rules, the terms "Good" and "Evil" are fluid and relative. Heck, religious morality is the same thing, only ending in "Because THEY said so".
The question of "what is good?" or "what is evil?" is , ultimately, worthless. The only question that really applies is: Are you trying your best to be the best human being you can be?
It's vague, shadowy, and all we have.
Also, I was hardly getting into the recursive "why?" loop, I was merely asking for some sort of justification. -
Because meat is tasty. Because we've evolved that way. Because such-and-such religeon says so. There are plenty of reasons, and while I don't really disagree with you (though meat is tasty), simply stating that something is unethical does not make it so.
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For anyone who thinks graphics are essential, go download and play Dwarf Fortress right now.
No, right now. I'll wait.
PS: This version is actually a bit better, but I wanted to direct people to the main site, first: http://www.bay12games.com/forum/index.php?topic=40349.0 -
The computer is currently logging an exception to "everyone". Devouring Earth are an anathema to the computer, and wish to stop people being friends with the computer.
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Godwin's law has nothing to do with how "reasonable" a comparison is. It's just that the longer the conversation goes on, the chances of Nazi's being brought in increases to inevitablity.
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Quote:Supporting arguments plz. Kthxbai.Originally Posted by Golden Girl
It's evil to be cruel to animals.
Oh wait, we already did this in another thread, didn't we? Request rescinded. -
Quote:You really want to go there?Originally Posted by Golden Girl
So was the Nazi state
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Werewolf by night wins because it introduced Moon Knight.
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Animals and morality regarding them is one of the largely undifined areas of morality. Different theories have wildly varying viewpoints, sometime even within the same theory there are major differences (see: Bentham vs Mill on utilitarianism).
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Quote:Yep, definitely Kant. One of the reasons I really dislike his ethical system. Even worse is his example (keep in mind he came up with it, not anyone pointing out flaws in his system) where an axe-murderer comes to your door, looking for your buddy, who happens to be in the shower at that point (or otherwise not nearby, but still in the house). The question: do you lie to the murderer, and tell him your buddy is out of town? Or do you say "sure, lemme go get him", knowing full well the murdered is going to chop him up into little pieces? According to Kant, you should choose the second option, because lying is always wrong.Originally Posted by Olantern
Exactly. A famous philosopher (Kant? someone law professors like to talk about) posed the following scenario: A despot hands you a pistol and tells you to shoot the innocent political prisoner standing in front of you. If you don't do it, the despot will shoot you instead, then shoot the prisoner himself. The philosopher, whoever it was, asserted that the only moral option was to allow the despot to shoot you, since you'd be actively wronging the prisoner by shooting him. I've met any number of people in real life and many more in fiction who'd proudly tell the despot to kill them.
I believe those people are wrong. In this scenario, an activist becomes a martyr to self-determination and morality.
A hero shoots the despot instead. -
Yay! I remember playing this arc a long time ago, and it was great!
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So... TheOcho is throwing in with the Loyalists, then?
EDIT: Which of the mods wants to be friends with the computer? I mean, the computer is obviously friends with all of you, but the computer is not hurt if you do not love it back (though the blackmail files seem to keep opening up at random. Funny, that). -
Quote:Got it in one.Originally Posted by Captain_Photon
otherwise you guys are all delusional.
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Quote:The computer would like to state that it does not take sides, or rather, it takes everyone's side, because the computer is everyone's friend. The computer would also like to state that it knows all about this "undrn3t" and thinks that their encryption is rather weak. Not that the computer hacked it or anything. Surely not.Originally Posted by The_Larker
And since Emperor Cole controls all the technology...guess who the computer works for!
Welcome aboard your services are greatly appreciated..now only if you can track the Undrn3t..... -
As the future has not yet been decided, uncertainty must be properly documented, and for the computer, everything must be properly documented.
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Quote:I wonder if he pays parking on the Kings Row entrance truck?Originally Posted by Pyrokine
...or parking fees!
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The computer knows full well my loyalty, for the computer knows all (including all about those secret societies). The computer also knows how loyal you are, and yes, the computer also knows about the hookers.
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Do not hate the computer. The computer is your friend.
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Quote:I believe you are sitting in front of one of our friendly mascots right now. Or you were, up until you went to get a drink. The computer thinks you should cut back on the sugary drinks, by the way.Originally Posted by Mr. NoPants
The computer needs a mascot...
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Quote:Thank you for the information. The computer has dutifully logged this for later use.Originally Posted by Thirty_Seven
You can also use the [nopasrse] tag around the tag you wish to illustrate, to avoid having to give instructions like remove a space, etc.
Example:
[img]http://img2.imageshack.us/img2/4328/loyalistsig.png[/img]
Happy to be of asisstance to those who are loyal to Praetoria's savior. -
I think the number of splinter factions may rapidly approach the point of silliness. However, the computer shall dutifully log all of them, as well as all potential blackmail opportunities, though the computer would surely never do such a thing. The computer is your friend, after all.