From: Blunderov (squooker@mweb.co.za)
Date: Thu Mar 14 2002 - 04:17:06 MST
Virian Ethics: The Soul in the Machine and the Question of Virian Ethics, L'
Ermit [lhermit@hotmail.com]
Tue 2002/03/05 22:04
quoted
<snip>
[hr][b][u]Story of the Widow's Son in 'What is man? And other essays of Mark
Twain'[/u][/b]
[url=ftp://ibiblio.org/pub/docs/books/gutenberg/etext93/wman10.txt]"Story of
the Widow's Son in 'What is man? And other essays of Mark Twain'", Mark
Twain[/url].
[b]Old Man:[/b] I will tell you a little story:
Once upon a time an infidel was guest in the house of a Christian widow...
<snap>
[Blunderov]
In general, we pack animals consent to being available to have genetic and
memetic exchanges with each other, but hermits for instance, at least those
who are not of the Merlinesque Tarot species, have withdrawn this consent,
as have for instance, at least to some extent, cenobites and anchorites and
creationists and cabbages and kings.
It could be said that the truth is a perception that requires the consent of
the perceiver. (l 'Ermit remarked in a recent post that offence cannot be
given, only taken. I agree with this and suspect that it is the same with
/truth/)
If so, it could be said that it can never be wrong to tell the truth because
it's status as such depends upon the consent of the perceiver.The dying
child was to blame for his own unhappiness because he consented to it.
The thought strikes me that a rational basis for /Ethics/ as opposed to
/Morality/ could be proposed on the following lines;
<Blunderov here clears his throat and declaims>
Actions have consequences. The extent to which one is prepared to /own/ the
consequences of actions or inactions determines the nature and extent of
one's ethics. (This principle likewise applies to communities, or
collectives of whatever nature, that act, or attempt to act, in concert.) It
is more rational to be in control of ones life than not. It follows
therefore that it is more rational to be /ethical / than not.
/Own/, above, is admittedly vague but perhaps may serve as a useful point of
departure?
Fond regards
Blunderov
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