re: #35 LudwigVanQuixote
Something closely related:
Sam Harris: Science can answer moral questions
[Video]This TED talk is something that I could have written. Sam Harris argues that yes, even in matters of faith, rationality must prevail, and that yes it is possible to find the correct answer to certain moral questions.He posits that yes indeed some “moral” views are simply wrong by objective and rational standards and makes a very proper case for why reasonable people should not tolerate them - even in the context of acknowledging that there might be many possible different “correct” moral views.
His analogy is pretty spot on. If you take a measure of human fulfillment, maximal social and personal happiness, productivity and achievement, there may be many paradigms that get you there. However, do not let that blind you to the reality that there are also very many paradigms for misery and that all ethical systems are NOT equal.
Good point. It helps provide a hammer to use of relativists who refuse to acknowledge absolutes. I’m favoriting this post of that purpose.