Who do you want to win the war?

Quote from I Missed Boat:


epistemology is the study of what we can know and how we can know it. But in order to live as part of a society, we must operate under the assumption that our logical system is sound, for it (centered on math) is the best and most objective truth we can know. Starting with this, we can definitely make some defensible statements about what is fair. There is a difference between defensible and being able to eliminate all other values, for value statements are inherently relative. However, there are also values that are commonly recognized across societies and that many suggest are at least somewhat innate (at least in most people, barring being brainwashed). These values, coupled with logical arguments for their implementation through tangible rules, provide a basis for making many moral judgements (although clearly there will always be, even in war times, many other, perhaps many more, disputable grey areas).

You have already pointed to many exceptions, which in logic and math are unnacceptable. In addition, your basic assumption that we "must" operate under the assumption that our logical system is sound is false. We 'must' not do any such thing, we may, however, choose to do so and as such accept the possibility of error in any subsequent calculation/reasoned response.
 
Quote from OPTIONAL777:



Basic concept of right and wrong, since you have no understanding.

That which we like to have done to us is good.

That which we don't like to have done to us is bad.

Murders don't like being murders.

Cheaters don't like being cheated.

Thieves don't like being robbed.

Adulter's don't like to have their spouse commit adultery behind their back.

Can I make that any more simple for you?

Summed up, its the Golden Rule. While this is not perfect (even this is relative), it is a good beginning, especially because the good majority of us share many values and expectations for how we want to be treated. Of course, a more complicated version is that of the Categorical Imperative, but I hope this conversation doesn't abstract this far into ethics (with Kant, Mills and co.)
 
Quote from rlb21079:



You have already pointed to many exceptions, which in logic and math are unnacceptable. In addition, your basic assumption that we "must" operate under the assumption that our logical system is sound is false. We 'must' not do any such thing, we may, however, choose to do so and as such accept the possibility of error in any subsequent calculation/reasoned response.

I disagree. We can't have a society without shares understandings and some set of values. And what are you trying to say in your 1st statement above? Are you referring to the Russel's Paradox or Geodell's Theorem, or what?
 
Quote from OPTIONAL777:



Basic concept of right and wrong, since you have no understanding. - On the contrary, I have a basic understanding that no such thing exists.

That which we like to have done to us is good. - Pleasure Principle (Some like to have mutulative procedures, which harm basic bodily function, done to them - Still Good?)

That which we don't like to have done to us is bad. (Many don't like to have needles stuck in their arms, immunizations are often performed this way - Still Bad?)

<Murderers don't like being murdered. (Some murderers want to die, hence murder-suicide; but wait - this is not about right and wrong is it?)

Cheaters don't like being cheated.

Thieves don't like being robbed.

Adulter's don't like to have their spouse commit adultery behind their back.>*

*Traders (attempting to buy something less-expensive than when they sell it, do not like to be sell something less-expensive than when they bought it - Trading Is Worng?)

Do you get the drift?

Can I make that any more simple for you?

Yes, please clarify further.
 
Quote from rlb21079:



Yes, please clarify further.

It is impossible to go to advance math until someone has the basic understanding of the most simple of concepts.

2+2=4.

Try using your fingers and toes to start.

We can discuss gray shades of morality after you grasp the easy stuff.
 
Quote from I Missed Boat:



I disagree. We can't have a society without shared understandings and some set of values. And what are you trying to say in your 1st statement above? Are you referring to the Russel's Paradox or Geodell's Theorem, or what?

We cannot have society without agreements, true. My statement was that society (or the participation therein) is a choice that does not necessarily have to be made. Society had not been mentioned previously, but so long as it has now been mentioned. To what degree must understanding be shared for society to be (a) considered society, (b) "just" or "right", (c) fair?

To reiterate, what is a society but the grouping of humans under a certain set of rules (aka agreements)? Does an individual belong if he/she does not agree? Is it "right" to force someone who does not wish to abide by these rules? If these individuals are not a part of the decision-making process are they not free from the oppression of those who do make the rules?
 
Quote from OPTIONAL777:



It is impossible to go to advance math until someone has the basic understanding of the most simple of concepts.

2+2=4.

Try using your fingers and toes to start.

We can discuss gray shades of morality after you grasp the easy stuff.

Sorry, you may have missed my comments. They are contained within your quote at the end of each line, except for the <> part which contains an asterisk. In this case, your examples were in principle all the same so I responded to them in concert.

P.S. Your example of 2+2=4 (Mathematics) is a man-created system which does not necessarily reflect reality. Rather, it is a system designed apart from reality (outside the human mind) which has proven useful in the manipulation of our experienced world.
 
Quote from rlb21079:



We cannot have society without agreements, true. My statement was that society (or the participation therein) is a choice that does not necessarily have to be made. Society had not been mentioned previously, but so long as it has now been mentioned. To what degree must understanding be shared for society to be (a) considered society, (b) "just" or "right", (c) fair?

To reiterate, what is a society but the grouping of humans under a certain set of rules (aka agreements)? Does an individual belong if he/she does not agree? Is it "right" to force someone who does not wish to abide by these rules? If these individuals are not a part of the decision-making process are they not free from the oppression of those who do make the rules?

First of all, to some extent all people make-up a global society (especially since throughout time, cultures in all locations (regardless of how ever much isolated) have shared some values. And over time, relations between these smaller societies and cultures and created a broader society of shared values and rules. Moreover, while the Taliban and N. Korea never agreed to the Geneva Convention, I believe Iraq has (although I would have to double check). Either way, the world is pretty small, and I would actually assert that every society and culture agree on some level that soldiers hiding behind women and children and killing fleeing refugees is cowardly and unjust (even if some individuals do not feel this way, and even if some major armies in ancient times did not hesitate to massacre everyone in a conquered area-although they were usually viewed as unjust and barbaric by the rest of the world). Anyhow, we will continue this tomorrow. Night night! :)
 
Quote from I Missed Boat:



Summed up, its the Golden Rule. While this is not perfect (even this is relative), it is a good beginning, especially because the good majority of us share many values and expectations for how we want to be treated. Of course, a more complicated version is that of the Categorical Imperative, but I hope this conversation doesn't abstract this far into ethics (with Kant, Mills and co.)

I'm sorry, wasn't it you who said a 225 year-old war was not topical enough for comparison? Am I now supposed to ignore thousands of years (in the case of the golden rule) and hundreds of years (Kant, Mills) of philisophical and ethical thought?
 
Quote from rlb21079:



Sorry, you may have missed my comments. They are contained within your quote at the end of each line, except for the <> part which contains an asterisk. In this case, your examples were in principle all the same so I responded to them in concert.

P.S. Your example of 2+2=4 (Mathematics) is a man-created system which does not necessarily reflect reality. Rather, it is a system designed apart from reality (outside the human mind) which has proven useful in the manipulation of our experienced world.

Unless you are arguing that we are capable of knowing nothing but our own existence (in which case our posts and arguments are a waste of time), math is anything but man made! Man has simply come up with symbols to reflect the most objective truth we can know! True, at some level our math is very limited. We can wonder if there are other universes with different mathematics, we can note our finite abilities to comprehend and thus the limits of our ability to understand the objective universe and mathematics, and finally we can point out that our mathematical system is based partly on contradictory definitions. Nonetheless, math as we know it is the most objective tool for understanding the universe and what exists that we have.
 
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