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dietrichbohn - You're certainly not offending me. This is entirely too much fun.
However in answer to your questions. I would say that of course stealing from someone that has more is probably worse than stealing from someone that has less. However that has little or nothing to do with anything.
To me 'moral' is an absolute. I would be willing to agree that once you have crossed the line from moral to immoral, you have suddenly opened up a world of gray. Both of your cases are immoral. You have stolen something that doesn't belong to you. The fact that one of your victims can probably afford the theft doesn't elevate your actions into the realm of morality, only into the upper reaches of rationalization.
As far as this discussion being about cash, maybe it is for you. It certainly isn't for me. It is fundamental ownership of creative output. This is a concept that I believe in explicitly and absolutely. What I create is mine. If I want to sell it, that is fine. If I want to bury it under a rock or toss it into a river, that is my right also. You have no rights to my creations unless I give them to you. You are welcome to disagree, but in my opinion you would be wrong. Speaking of absolutes, this is just possibly the only thing in my personal universe that I consider to be an absolute and not subject to negotiation.
BTW - I'm not saying that I always exist in the lily white world of moral perfection either - far from it.
quote:Ahem...what if you disarm a robber who is about to harm you? You have taken their property without their permission for personal gain (you're not dead).
Originally posted by bradhaak
I don't believe that using someone elses property for personal gain without compensating them is ever morally defensible. [...]
quote:How on Earth do you arrive at that conclusion? I can see an argument for how they would be equally bad, or how stealing from the rich does less harm, but stealing from the rich doing _more_ harm?
Originally posted by bradhaak
[...] However in answer to your questions. I would say that of course stealing from someone that has more is probably worse than stealing from someone that has less. However that has little or nothing to do with anything. [...]
quote:
To me 'moral' is an absolute.
quote:
I would be willing to agree that once you have crossed the line from moral to immoral, you have suddenly opened up a world of gray.
quote:
Both of your cases are immoral.
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You have stolen something that doesn't belong to you.
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The fact that one of your victims can probably afford the theft doesn't elevate your actions into the realm of morality, only into the upper reaches of rationalization.
quote:
[...] BTW - I'm not saying that I always exist in the lily white world of moral perfection either - far from it.
quote:Obviously I typed this backwards - it happens to us imperfect prople.
Originally posted by Toby
How on Earth do you arrive at that conclusion? I can see an argument for how they would be equally bad, or how stealing from the rich does less harm, but stealing from the rich doing _more_ harm?
quote:Morals are societal, but to a greater degree, they are individual. to me, moral/immoral is much the same as pregnant/not pregnant. You are or aren't. Most people in most situation aren't.
Morals by definition are societal and hence _non_absolute other than perhaps within a given specific society at a given specific time.
quote:Only if your reality is immoral.
This 'world of gray' I can only guess must be reality.
quote:According to me (see above).
According to whom?
quote:Yes.
What if you find out your neighbor might kill his wife? Would it be immoral to take his gun without his permission?
quote:Stealing is immoral. Period.
What if their wealth was acquired dishonestly? Why do you think Robin Hood is considered a heroic figure?
quote:Sorry, moral perfection is not a ridiculous concept. It is an unattainable goal. But just because it is unattainable doesn't make it ridiculous or wrong.
Good...now if you can just realize that moral perfection or absolutism is a ridiculous concept, we'll have gotten somewhere.
quote:
Originally posted by dietrichbohn
However, I believe that "Stealing a steak from a poor starving child" and "Stealing a steak from a rich cattle farmer" have important moral differences.

__________________
<ul><li>Dave Kessler<br>President - Kopsis, Inc.</li></ul>
quote:
Originally posted by dietrichbohn
This is why people freak out about Nietzshe still. When he said "God is Dead," he wasn't saying "The world sucks and we're all going to hell." He was just attacking an absolute. People make the mistake that you only have 2 choices: God or Nihilism. That just isn't the case.

__________________
<ul><li>Dave Kessler<br>President - Kopsis, Inc.</li></ul>
quote:No problem there. After all, we're only the third most intelligent lifeform on the planet
Originally posted by bradhaak
Obviously I typed this backwards - it happens to us imperfect prople.
quote:
Morals are societal, but to a greater degree, they are individual.
quote:
to me, moral/immoral is much the same as pregnant/not pregnant. You are or aren't. Most people in most situation aren't.
quote:
Only if your reality is immoral.
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According to me (see above).

quote:
Yes. How about the fact that the nice new Ferrari I just saw might be used to break the speed limit. I better take it away from the owner to keep him from breaking the law.
quote:
Stealing is immoral. Period.
quote:
If you are taking back what belongs to you, I would have a tough time calling that theft.
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If you retrieve stolen goods from a dishonest person and return them to the rightful owner, this would not be stealing.
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If you steal from a dishonest person and then redistribute the loot to people (including yourself) who may or may not be the original owners, you are stealing. This falls under the category of two wrongs do not make a right.
quote:
Sorry, moral perfection is not a ridiculous concept. It is an unattainable goal.
quote:
But just because it is unattainable doesn't make it ridiculous or wrong.
Toby - If you are just trying to pick a fight, go find someone else. I made it very clear that although society is a major influence on what an individual regards as moral or immorral, ultimately this is an individual viewpoint. I don't believe that there is an innate right or wrong, or good or bad. I also never said this in spite of your attempts to twist what i said around to sound this way. All of my statements are predicated on that belief. I don't believe that there is innate right or wrong, or good or bad. I also never said this in spite of your attempts to twist what I said around to sound this way.
The opinions expressed aren't pronouncements from a diety or almighty, they are just my beliefs (which puts them about as far from divine as is possible).
As such, your sarcastic, condescending and insulting replies are not only unnecessary, but tend to support my case, since we are from basically the same society, yet have strongly opposed bleiefs on this subject.
I haven't attacked your opinions on this subject, because I respect your right to have opinions that I believe are wrong. Actually, I can't really say what your opinions on this except by inference, since you have merely asked questions or attacked answers that you don't like - not exctly mature or constructive (of course this is only my opinion).
I guess my beliefs come down to the fact that by setting a standard that is higher than I can reasonably achieve, I am constantly trying to improve myself.
Can you say the same about whatever standard you subscribe to?
quote:No, I'm not trying to pick a fight.
Originally posted by bradhaak
Toby - If you are just trying to pick a fight, go find someone else.
quote:
I made it very clear that although society is a major influence on what an individual regards as moral or immorral, ultimately this is an individual viewpoint.
quote:
I don't believe that there is an innate right or wrong, or good or bad.
quote:
I also never said this in spite of your attempts to twist what i said around to sound this way.
quote:
All of my statements are predicated on that belief.
quote:
I don't believe that there is innate right or wrong, or good or bad. I also never said this in spite of your attempts to twist what I said around to sound this way.
quote:
The opinions expressed aren't pronouncements from a diety or almighty, they are just my beliefs (which puts them about as far from divine as is possible).
quote:
As such, your sarcastic, condescending and insulting replies
quote:
are not only unnecessary, but tend to support my case,
quote:
since we are from basically the same society, yet have strongly opposed bleiefs on this subject.
quote:
I haven't attacked your opinions on this subject, because I respect your right to have opinions that I believe are wrong.
quote:
Actually, I can't really say what your opinions on this except by inference,
quote:
since you have merely asked questions
quote:
or attacked answers that you don't like
quote:
- not exctly mature or constructive (of course this is only my opinion).
quote:
I guess my beliefs come down to the fact that by setting a standard that is higher than I can reasonably achieve, I am constantly trying to improve myself.
quote:
Can you say the same about whatever standard you subscribe to?
You are either trying to pick a fight or you are dumb as a post. I have a high enough opinion of you from some of your more reasonable posts to not believe the latter. That leaves the former.
To spell it out for you one more time. The statements that I made are for my particular moral system that was framed by my environment and personal opinions. Within that personal belief system stealing is an absolute wrong. You can feel differently. I don't care.
I will freely admit that my personal opinion of absolutes is at odds with a belief that morals are societal and environmental. I don't have a problem with this since it works for me. If you have a problem with it that is too bad.
If you disagree and want to convert me to your way of thinking, don't waste your time. If you want to actually attempt to communicate instead of rip, I would love to listen to your opinions and beliefs - not your opinions of my beliefs.
I am very happy that you feel that by setting 'reasonable, measurable goals', things are going so well for you. Personally, I find that people with lesser ambitions do attain them. Makes you wonder how they would have done if they had really pushed doesn't it.
quote:That would definitely qualify as a false dichotomy (although I've never really measured the intelligence of a post, so the latter could be true on some not yet established plane of reality
Originally posted by bradhaak
You are either trying to pick a fight or you are dumb as a post.
).quote:
I have a high enough opinion of you from some of your more reasonable posts to not believe the latter. That leaves the former.
quote:
To spell it out for you one more time. The statements that I made are for my particular moral system that was framed by my environment and personal opinions. Within that personal belief system stealing is an absolute wrong.
quote:
You can feel differently. I don't care.
quote:
I will freely admit that my personal opinion of absolutes is at odds with a belief that morals are societal and environmental.
quote:
I don't have a problem with this since it works for me. If you have a problem with it that is too bad.
quote:
If you disagree and want to convert me to your way of thinking, don't waste your time.
quote:
If you want to actually attempt to communicate instead of rip,
quote:
I would love to listen to your opinions and beliefs
quote:
- not your opinions of my beliefs.
quote:
I am very happy that you feel that by setting 'reasonable, measurable goals', things are going so well for you.
quote:
Personally, I find that people with lesser ambitions do attain them.
quote:
Makes you wonder how they would have done if they had really pushed doesn't it.
quote:I see that I could have saved a lot of time by reading the whole thread instead of reading new posts in a thread I had evidently missed part of, especially when viewed in light of the previous statement...
Originally posted by bradhaak
Read carefully. I have said that yes I have done this. Yes I have installed software illegally. The difference is that I have never knowingly stolen the use of any software. [...]
quote:
A few times I have installed completely illegal versions of expensive software to make sure that they would do what I needed before buying them. After evaluating the software, I have either removed it from my system, or purchased a legal copy. When I say evaluate, I mean that specifically I have verified features and functionality. I have not used the software to perform the specific tasks that I needed the software for until after I have purchased a legal copy.
If you had read further, you would have seen where I stated completely honestly and openly that I don't live up to my own standards and I don't believe that anyone can. This would fit within the concept of imperfection. I have specifically said that by my own standards, I have failed and fallen onto the side of'immoral' many times in the past and will do so many times in the future.
I don't see this as hypocritical, just slightly idealistic. I don't believe in lowering my standards to make myself look better (I'm not trying to imply that you do either).
!#$^%!#$*^#@^(@^#@$^(!#$*% internet explorer!!!
I had this long reply, hit "tab" by accident, then hit backspace to "delete" the tab. In IE, backspace=back?!?!?! WFT???!?!?!?!
After that, yes, MS deserves to be pirated!

*sigh*
dammit!
Ok.....
bradhaak
I disagree with the idea of moral absolutism. Subscribing to moral absolutism blinds you to alternate ideas and makes you think you stand on a higher field than those around you, allowing you to "condemn" them. See the quote below.
Also note that I don't absolutely deny the absolute. I'm not sure that I--or anybody--could come up with even a hypothetical that would allow me to accept incest, rape, mass murder, etc. It's a thorny issue.
toby
goddamn. You and me buddy, let's run for president and VP. You can be president first.
Dave
Nice you see you writing on something that isn't tech related!
First off, the steak hypothetical sucks. yep...
Ok, I disagree with your interpretation of Zarathustra. While I do admit that in many places Z is arguing that the overman does, in fact, demand an absolute rationality, I think that this is an intermediate step. The whole point of the overman is the overcoming, and I believe that rationality fits into that category. Reread the stuff in section two where he's railing against scholars and the like.. it's in there.
One of Nietzsche's main projects was the destruction of systems. A system (I usu. think of bureaucracies in a very metaphorical sense here because of my affinity for Kafka and because it's in vogue now to hate red tape and corporate evil) is death. Once you subsume yourself to a system, you cease to be a human being. Thus, the overman is constantly overcoming all systems. For now, rationality is still an excellent tool for overcoming, but it too must be overcome. Even overcoming must be overcome....
I had so much more, but it's late and I've got more work to do....
to all
My views, in short (because I'm pissed that my VC magnum opus was just lost because of stupid button mapping and because it's late):
quote:
Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Third Part, On Old and New Tablets, #10
"Thou shalt not rob! Thou shalt not kill!" Such words were once called holy; one bent the knee and head and took off one's shoes before them. But I ask you: where have there ever been better robbers and killers in this world than such holy words?
Is there not in all life itself robbing and killing? And that such words were called holy--was not truth itself killed thereby? Or was it the preaching of death that was called holy, which contradicted and contravened all life? O my brothers, break, break the old tablets!
__________________
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quote:
Originally posted by bradhaak
I don't live up to my own standards and I don't believe that anyone can. This would fit within the concept of imperfection. I have specifically said that by my own standards, I have failed and fallen onto the side of'immoral' many times in the past and will do so many times in the future.
I don't see this as hypocritical, just slightly idealistic. I don't believe in lowering my standards to make myself look better (I'm not trying to imply that you do either).
__________________
Don't like somebody? Click "Profile" on a post and then click "Ignore "so and so's" posts". Voila!
quote:
Originally posted by dietrichbohn
But how can you be sure of those standards, what if they themselves are destructive?
__________________
-Joshua
Abortion: Darwinism at its finest.
quote:
Originally posted by dick-richardson
What if there is such a thing as a conscsence?



... Problems with conscience: mine doesn't equal yours, yet I often feel justified in making judgements on the basis of it. Or I don't, and don't think anybody can, in which case it's pretty meaningless.....arg.... arg... this is your brain, this is your brain on ethics. Any questions?__________________
Don't like somebody? Click "Profile" on a post and then click "Ignore "so and so's" posts". Voila!
quote:
Originally posted by dietrichbohn
What if it is nothing more than a social construct, designed by those in power for the express purpose of maintaining their power?
__________________
-Joshua
Abortion: Darwinism at its finest.
quote:
Originally posted by dick-richardson
Let's say that conscience is put there by God to reflect His desires. Let's say that conscience is able to be ignored (free will and all). What evidence would there be? I propose that the evidence would be:
1. societal morality that is very clear on a few issues (rape, incest, murder) due to the inability to rationalize these acts
2. societal morality that is quite fuzzy on everything else - and is dependent on the circumstance (stealing) due to the ability to ignore the conscience and rationalize the behavior.
quote:This may even hold for more extreme examples. A lecture I attended contained one of the more extreme examples. The prof was arguing that moral utilitarianism is an insidious poison that, once allowed in, infects all ethical constructs. Some things, he argues, are just plain wrong, and you can't form a hypothetical that would allow for mediating that. He takes rape as an example:
Let's also say that a behavior that goes against the conscience doesn't necessarily mean that the end result is immoral.
quote:
If my theory holds true, then Robin Hood remains a hero, stealing an attackers weapon is okay, and there is a difference between pirating software from MS vs. BlueNomad.
__________________
Don't like somebody? Click "Profile" on a post and then click "Ignore "so and so's" posts". Voila!
quote:
Originally posted by dietrichbohn
mine doesn't equal yours,
__________________
-Joshua
Abortion: Darwinism at its finest.
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