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thatcanuck

- 4 months ago

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Are there any objective moral standards?

It seems like a pretty straightforward concept: there are certain things we all believe are wrong. Don't steal. Don't cheat. Don't chop off your neighbour's head because she didn't shovel her sidewalk for the third time this week. But there were times and places in human existence when these actions weren't considered wrong. There are also people who defy "moral standards". If they don't agree that what they've done is wrong, can a standard be objective? Or are moral standards just widespread subjective beliefs shared by specific societies?

source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zerbihancok/6725765931/

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At first glance, it would seem so. I think at its most basic level, there are some pretty standard moral values that go across the board...things that just about anyone could agree upon.

The problem is when you get all the "What ifs" along with it. It's bad to steal, but what if you're starving? It's bad to kill, but what if you're being attacked? There are a lot of ways that people can justify not following those particular moral codes, but I think they still do exist at a simple level.

Eh, none of the above are objective moral standards, sorry. Different cultures have different ways of living. Stealing and cheating have different names in other societies and are often just "the way of living."

The morals of this world will be forever changing.. In a lifetime of constant evolution we are constantly developing new theories in which we base or life and what it is worth to not only us but others. We must soon ask ourselves, "Is their a moral I would change to better myself? Is their a moral I would change to better someone else?"

What is a moral?... hmmm what is a word?

"But there were times and places in human existence when these actions weren't considered wrong."

like, for example?

'Letter kills, but the Spirit gives life'. A lot of evil is done out of the bad kind of jealousy. The Cain & Abel type situation. People who envy others like this rarely truly admit it to themselves.

But, otherwise, morality is highly dynamic. You can not read a book about driving while driving a car, it needs to be natural. If you have a very good plan which is charitable in intention, go and do it, even if it is highly morally dark or dubious to others. Just make damned sure you are right and plan it out very well before beginning. Otherwise, when tested it will all fall apart.

As long as there is religion? No.

Not objective, no.

there is hardly any objective anything when it comes to human behaviour

we codify what we accept as norms - create laws, try to ensure that individual prejudice is not allowed to sway what has been previously agreed as a good standard...

and then...

... over time

ashole right wing religious funnymentalists come along and try to fck it all up.

Those hussies are showing their ankles!!!

One pile of ukky in the whole city and they have to stand on it???

Have they no standards?

Morals change with time and society

@thatcanuck whatever coastline is closest

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SoulPancake

thatcanuck

Are there any objective moral standards?

Spyder52

insincerelyme

Eh, none of the above are objective moral standards, sorry. Different cultures have different ways of living. Stealing and cheating have different names in other societies and are often just "the way of living."

RussellWilson

melb2

"But there were times and places in human existence when these actions weren't considered wrong."

like, for example?

Zbody