Hi Ham > I am an advocate of rational self-interest, and by "rational" I mean the > ability to discern the value (positive or negative) in applying my chosen > course of action to mankind at large. This has nothing to do with numbers > or quantities of human beings. Generally it can be described in terms of > the Golden Rule: Do unto others what you would want them to do to you, or > as > Kant expressed it in his Categorical Imperative: "Act only according to > that > maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a > universal law." Underlying this principle is the value rational people > innately sense toward their fellow man. > > The reality we have to deal with here is that not all people are rational; > therefore laws must be established whereby the society may legally punish, > incarcerate or rehabilitate those who behave in an inhumane, criminal, or > malevolent manner. This rule applies as well to the sovereign interests > and > behaviors of nations in the world community. > > If this interpretation of moral values doesn't make sense, kindly tell me > why. >
DM: It's no good for me. It gives us no help in dealing with the reality that there are great differences in values between individuals and societies.We need some way to live together given these different values. I want people to consider my values when dealing with me and vice versa. I don't want them treating me according to their values and telling me to put up with it becuase that is how they would want to be treated. The golden rule fails to deal with our plural reality and cruches individuality too. I am sure Stalin could have made good use of this rule. Life is much more complicated than this rule can handle. Moq_Discuss mailing list Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org Archives: http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/
