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A perfect god can not exist?

 
 
Extrain
 
  1  
Reply Fri 23 Apr, 2010 06:37 pm
@Amperage,
Amperage;155882 wrote:
Agreed, and the fact remains that the a world governed by relativism would necessarily have to be one of either all out anarchy or might makes right. Since the world is not run by all out anarchy it only leaves might makes right....but might makes right would then become a universe moral truth thereby refuting relativism in the first place. Therefore relativism must be false.


Nice self-refutation of Cultural moral relativism. Although it could still be true, this does show that the moral theory conveniently ignores the empirical result of it being empirically shown to be false, even if it were true. That's funny. The point is that now we have MORE reason to believe it is NOT true!
0 Replies
 
Krumple
 
  1  
Reply Fri 23 Apr, 2010 06:40 pm
@Extrain,
Extrain;155878 wrote:
But I don't agree with it. There is no argument supporting the thesis to begin with.

Even though Cultural Relativism is true.
Cultural Moral Relativism is false.

The latter does not follow from the first, so the argument is invalid. So there is no good argument for Cultural Moral Relativism


But that doesn't make any sense though. So a culture in power would not adopt the moral values of it's conquerors. The stronger society would impose it's moral values even onto those who it conquered.

It seems to me that you can't realize that your own morality is subjective, yet to you, you see this subjectivity as objective as if everyone else agrees with your morality. You don't have to go very far to find out that not everyone agrees with your moral system. Yet you will only argue that they are wrong morally and you are right. You can't see the flaw in your own reasoning?
kennethamy
 
  1  
Reply Fri 23 Apr, 2010 06:41 pm
@Extrain,
Extrain;155881 wrote:
But you seem to just miss out on the obvious truth that might does, in fact, determine what is right. When culture A conquers culture B what is right for A becomes what is right for B. It's not as if you can ignore this!


No. What you mean is that what A believes is right is imposed on B. That does not make what A believes right, right. The Nazis forced Jews into gas chambers. That does not mean that forcing Jews into gas chambers was right. And, I am not ignoring that the Nazis forced Jews into gas chambers. The argument:

1. A thinks it is right to do y.
2. A does y.

Therefore, 3. it is right to do y,

Is obviously invalid.

It never follows from the fact that something is believed true that it is true. You know that.
Amperage
 
  1  
Reply Fri 23 Apr, 2010 06:42 pm
@kennethamy,
kennethamy;155888 wrote:
No. What you mean is that what A believes is right is imposed on B. That does not make what A believes right, right. The Nazis forced Jews into gas chambers. That does not mean that forcing Jews into gas chambers was right. And, I am not ignoring that the Nazis forced Jews into gas chambers. The argument:

1. A thinks it is right to do y.
2. A does y.

Therefore, 3. it is right to do y,

Is obviously invalid.

It never follows from the fact that something is believed true that it is true. You know that.
it's not invalid given moral relativism. What one thinks is right....is right for him. Right would not even exist beyond what one thinks is right. And right and wrong would turn on the whim of the belief of the individual in question

not to mention you are attempting to the use the statement(well actually 1 and 3), "A thinks it is right to do y." as a proposition, which apparently it is not
Extrain
 
  1  
Reply Fri 23 Apr, 2010 06:46 pm
@Krumple,
Krumple;155887 wrote:
But that doesn't make any sense though. So a culture in power would not adopt the moral values of it's conquerors. The stronger society would impose it's moral values even onto those who it conquered.
It seems to me that you can't realize that your own morality is subjective, yet to you, you see this subjectivity as objective as if everyone else agrees with your morality. You don't have to go very far to find out that not everyone agrees with your moral system. Yet you will only argue that they are wrong morally and you are right. You can't see the flaw in your own reasoning?


What does not make sense? You are confusing two theses.

Cultural Relativism just says what a culture thinks is moral is relative to that culture.

Moral Relativism says what is really right, in fact, is determined by that culture.

The latter doesn't follow from the first. The first is about what cultures do, and is true. The latter is about what is right and wrong, and is false. They are two different theses.
Krumple
 
  1  
Reply Fri 23 Apr, 2010 06:50 pm
@Extrain,
Extrain;155892 wrote:
What does not make sense? You are confusing two theses.

Cultural Relativism just says what a culture thinks is moral is relative to that culture.

Moral Relativism says what is really right, in fact, is determined by that culture.

The latter doesn't follow from the first. The first is about what cultures do, and is true. The latter is about what is right and wrong, and is false. They are two different theses.


Yes I am aware of that, however I think you are dividing them as if they do not influence the other. Going back to my original argument.
0 Replies
 
Extrain
 
  1  
Reply Fri 23 Apr, 2010 06:53 pm
@kennethamy,
kennethamy;155888 wrote:
No. What you mean is that what A believes is right is imposed on B. That does not make what A believes right, right. The Nazis forced Jews into gas chambers. That does not mean that forcing Jews into gas chambers was right. And, I am not ignoring that the Nazis forced Jews into gas chambers. The argument:

1. A thinks it is right to do y.
2. A does y.

Therefore, 3. it is right to do y,

Is obviously invalid.


I agree. That is trying to derive an ought from an is. You are just giving an instance of Krumple's fallacy which tries to derive the thesis of Moral Relativism about what is right from the factual thesis of Cultural Relativism. This is obviously not what I am saying.


kennethamy;155888 wrote:
It never follows from the fact that something is believed true that it is true. You know that.


But that's exactly how amateur Cultural Moral Relativists try to argue their case, Ken. It's invalid.

---------- Post added 04-23-2010 at 06:54 PM ----------

Krumple;155895 wrote:
Yes I am aware of that, however I think you are dividing them as if they do not influence the other. Going back to my original argument.


There is no argument. You've been saying exactly what Ken has been repeating over and over again. Your argument is invalid. Look above.
kennethamy
 
  1  
Reply Fri 23 Apr, 2010 06:57 pm
@Amperage,
Amperage;155889 wrote:
it's not invalid given moral relativism. What one thinks is right....is right for him. Right would not even exist beyond what one thinks is right. And right and wrong would turn on the whim of the belief of the individual in question

not to mention you are attempting to the use the statement(well actually 1 and 3), "A thinks it is right to do y." as a proposition, which apparently it is not


No, if you mean that the moral relativist believes that argument is valid, then you are right. But, naturally, the question is whether the moral relativist's belief that the argument is valid is true. The fact that he believes it is valid does not make it valid, does it?

In general, it does not follow from the fact that A believes that p, that p. So why should it follow from the fact that the moral relativist believes the argument is valid, that the argument is valid. Obviously it does not. Or is logic also relative?
Extrain
 
  1  
Reply Fri 23 Apr, 2010 06:59 pm
@Extrain,
Ken, would not the following conclusion just fall out of how Cultural Moral Relativists view the situation? At what point does the beliefs of conquered culture B cease to be true within B's culture when A conquers B and the cultures become one?

Thesis: Every culture determines what is morally right relative to that culture, so,

Culture A believes A is true.
Therefore, A is true and morally right relative to culture A.

Culture B believes ~A is true.
Therefore, ~A is true and morally right relative to culture B

A conquers B. Culture B becomes part of culture A.

Therefore, the might/force/command of A makes A true for sub-culture B.

So, the might of A determines what is right for sub-culture B.
Amperage
 
  1  
Reply Fri 23 Apr, 2010 07:02 pm
@kennethamy,
kennethamy;155899 wrote:
No, if you mean that the moral relativist believes that argument is valid, then you are right. But, naturally, the question is whether the moral relativist's belief that the argument is valid is true. The fact that he believes it is valid does not make it valid, does it?

In general, it does not follow from the fact that A believes that p, that p. So why should it follow from the fact that the moral relativist believes the argument is valid, that the argument is valid. Obviously it does not. Or is logic also relative?
no it does not....And I think that Extrain and I have both given compelling reason why it is not.

Why are you asking me about relativity? I'm not the one arguing for it.

I merely pointed out that saying, "Person A believes Y is right does not mean Y is right", makes the mistake of supposing that right and wrong exist outside of what A believes.....for the relativist....it does not.
0 Replies
 
Extrain
 
  1  
Reply Fri 23 Apr, 2010 07:05 pm
@kennethamy,
kennethamy;155899 wrote:
No, if you mean that the moral relativist believes that argument is valid, then you are right. But, naturally, the question is whether the moral relativist's belief that the argument is valid is true. The fact that he believes it is valid does not make it valid, does it?

In general, it does not follow from the fact that A believes that p, that p. So why should it follow from the fact that the moral relativist believes the argument is valid, that the argument is valid. Obviously it does not. Or is logic also relative?


Exactly. So much worse for the moral relativist. He doesn't even have a case.
0 Replies
 
kennethamy
 
  1  
Reply Fri 23 Apr, 2010 07:12 pm
@Extrain,
Extrain;155900 wrote:
Ken, would not the following conclusion just fall out of how Cultural Moral Relativists view the situation? At what point does the beliefs of conquered culture B cease to be true within B's culture when A conquers B and the cultures become one?

Thesis: Every culture determines what is morally right relative to that culture, so,

Culture A believes A is true.
Therefore, A is true and morally right relative to culture A.

Culture B believes ~A is true.
Therefore, ~A is true and morally right relative to culture B

A conquers B. Culture B becomes part of culture A.

Therefore, the might/force/command of A makes A true for sub-culture B.

So, the might of A determines what is right for sub-culture B.


The issue about the individuation of cultures and societies is a standing issue in cultural anthropology. I am not up on it, but a lot has been written on it. What makes you think that because A conquers B that B becomes part of A? There are a lot of counterexamples. For example Anglo-Saxon culture never became part of Norman culture after the conquest (they remained quite different) and China is a textbook example of the conquerers becoming a part of the society they conquered.
Amperage
 
  1  
Reply Fri 23 Apr, 2010 07:24 pm
@kennethamy,
kennethamy;155907 wrote:
The issue about the individuation of cultures and societies is a standing issue in cultural anthropology. I am not up on it, but a lot has been written on it. What makes you think that because A conquers B that B becomes part of A? There are a lot of counterexamples. For example Anglo-Saxon culture never became part of Norman culture after the conquest (they remained quite different) and China is a textbook example of the conquerers becoming a part of the society they conquered.
given moral relativism this only says something about the conquering society. But beyond that, the whole fact that one society would conquer another demonstrates a might makes right attitude.
pagan
 
  1  
Reply Fri 23 Apr, 2010 07:30 pm
@Extrain,
moral relativism can mean the importance of diversity as a moral imperative. It does not by definition however define any one moral position as right above the others. This even includes those who challenge any form of relativism. They can also be recognised as a valid part of the creative mix.

But anarchy often is interpreted as chaos and 'might is right'. Such a culture however would lack diversity and is therefore not considered relativism if it dominates. The key point in moral relativism is that many narratives are considered healthy. Nor do they necessarily or even often lead to outright opposition. There are many ways to believe in justice and truth and altruism and stability. The differences are actually few, though sometimes stark as with say pacifism compared to non pacifism.

To believe in moral relativism is not to abandon your choice of morality out of confusion. It is to abandon fixed dominant forms of stability and 'the truth', and to be as tolerant as possible in the name of diversity. We are all different as well as the same.

For example we morally can judge young people differently to matue adults, because young people are different. They have their own ways ........ and for sure we all make mistakes and have bias from wherever and whenever we stand.

Moral relativism is not the acceptance of tyranny and a sense of injustice in the name of diversity. It is more complicated than that. Any confusion and difference is seen as widely an acceptable price to pay, but some differences are felt passionately to be unjust. Those differences usually signifying a lack of tolerance by judging people discriminately. eg some religions against homosexuals. If that goes too far then it is not acceptable for most moral relativists.

It is an organic morality influenced by changing circumstance. Like new technology or awareness.
0 Replies
 
Extrain
 
  1  
Reply Fri 23 Apr, 2010 07:31 pm
@kennethamy,
Amperage;155913 wrote:
given moral relativism this only says something about the conquering society. But beyond that, the whole fact that one society would conquer another demonstrates a might makes right attitude.


kennethamy;155907 wrote:
The issue about the individuation of cultures and societies is a standing issue in cultural anthropology. I am not up on it, but a lot has been written on it. What makes you think that because A conquers B that B becomes part of A? There are a lot of counterexamples. For example Anglo-Saxon culture never became part of Norman culture after the conquest (they remained quite different) and China is a textbook example of the conquerers becoming a part of the society they conquered.


Exactly. I agree these situations present complications. And this is precisely the Cultural Moral Relativist's own problem. Does not all of this show there is no good reason to think Cultural Moral Relativism is true anyway?
0 Replies
 
kennethamy
 
  1  
Reply Fri 23 Apr, 2010 07:33 pm
@Amperage,
Amperage;155913 wrote:
given moral relativism this only says something about the conquering society. But beyond that, the whole fact that one society would conquer another demonstrates a might makes right attitude.


You are now only repeating your position. I can repeat mine if you like.
Amperage
 
  1  
Reply Fri 23 Apr, 2010 07:37 pm
@kennethamy,
kennethamy;155921 wrote:
You are now only repeating your position. I can repeat mine if you like.
present something where my position is not pertinent and I'll be sure to adjust accordingly
kennethamy
 
  1  
Reply Fri 23 Apr, 2010 07:39 pm
@Amperage,
Amperage;155924 wrote:
present something where my position is not pertinent and I'll be sure to adjust accordingly


I did not say your position is not pertinent. I said that you were only repeating your position. I already know what it is, so you needn't repeat it. I have argued against it. Have you a counterargument?
Extrain
 
  1  
Reply Fri 23 Apr, 2010 07:40 pm
@kennethamy,
kennethamy;155925 wrote:
I did not say your position is not pertinent. I said that you were only repeating your position. I already know what it is, so you needn't repeat it. I have argued against it. Have you a counterargument?


You've argued against it by means of succeeding in showing cultural moral relativism is most likely false. So your strategy backfired. You say this:

"The issue about the individuation of cultures and societies is a standing issue in cultural anthropology. I am not up on it, but a lot has been written on it. What makes you think that because A conquers B that B becomes part of A? There are a lot of counterexamples. For example Anglo-Saxon culture never became part of Norman culture after the conquest (they remained quite different) and China is a textbook example of the conquerers becoming a part of the society they conquered."

So, now we have more reason to think Cultural Moral Relativism is false.
Amperage
 
  1  
Reply Fri 23 Apr, 2010 07:45 pm
@kennethamy,
kennethamy;155925 wrote:
I have argued against it. Have you a counterargument?
Do I need one beyond what I've already said? I suppose I could just respond, ''see my previous posts'', but I figure I'd be better served just repeating what I've already said slightly different in case you missed it or are lazy.

Your argument boiled down to saying it's impossible for moral relativists to espouse might makes right yet Extrain and I have again and again pointed out this is really their only option outside of true anarchy. That being the case, moral relativism is self-refuting due to it's espousal of might makes right(in the absence of anarchy). You have yet to refute this fact beyond essentially saying , "nu uh".

Amperage;155882 wrote:
Agreed, and the fact remains that the a world governed by relativism would necessarily have to be one of either all out anarchy or might makes right. Since the world is not run by all out anarchy it only leaves might makes right....but might makes right would then become a universe moral truth thereby refuting relativism in the first place. Therefore relativism must be false.
0 Replies
 
 

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