> [Krimel] > > What good is a system of morals based on levels when the hierarchy of > > levels provides no guidance as to which level has moral priority? > > [Craig] > The hierarchy of levels is the moral priority (see "Lila"). > > [Krimel] > I have already rephrased this question three times. In the cases of Easter > Island and Haiti societies destroyed themselves by deforesting the > respective islands. Social values dominated biological one. The MoQ value > hierarchy would say morality was served.
[IG] And maybe it was in the grand scheme of things. They're only small islands - fractions of the human cosmos, with only a small fraction of the intellectual level available to make that connection between the biological (trees) and their own biological and social needs - and other members of the greater cosmos (ie you) were able to learn that lesson. [Krimel] I don't really see how the grand scheme matters here. Morality is not expressed on such a scale but in individual acts. The islands were denuded one tree at a time in service to the cooking needs of individuals with the approval of the social system. > Krimel > I would suggest that the 'levels' provide no guidance to morality at all > and that what is at issue is balance and harmony among conflicting forces > regardless of taxonomy or position in the taxonomy. [IG] The problem with your example was two conflicting biological patterns - humans and trees are biologically dependent (in ways that weren't understood by the participants), before we get to look for more subtle social / intellectual level patterns. [Krimel] If morality is to provide a guide to action or a way to judge action but first you have to settle an argument over what level things are on I suspect not much will get done and even less will get done right. [IG] I think what you highlight is not a so much a problem with MoQ, but a problem with (some) people expecting simplistic / normative / prescriptive rules to automagically pop out of it, without understanding, explanation and enlightenment. [Krimel] Precisely! 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/
