What makes an action immoral?

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LuckyR
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Re: What makes an action immoral?

Post by LuckyR »

True, there has been a "work ethic" historically in the West. Though it is declining in influence and as you acknowledge even in it's heyday it was a popular but voluntary movement.

As to higher education, it was originally invented for rich folks who were unlikely to "work" in the traditional sense.
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Re: What makes an action immoral?

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popeye1945 wrote: February 7th, 2021, 5:44 am evolution, Yes I do see your point, I was disenchanted with how much of my childhood was taken up with public education of such poor quality. So little taught in such a lengthy period. I think however one must look at it as the legal systems do in measuring guilt and thus punishment, the weighing element being intent. To say all suffering is child abuse is stretching the point somewhat, although I do appreciate your general perspective. I have a rather simple formula for judgeing my own action, is this action going to relieve suffering or will it produce more suffering in the world. We are all part fools, intent is good mediating consideration.
'We are all part fools', is very True indeed. Some, however, like 'me', are FAR MORE part fool than "others" are.
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Re: What makes an action immoral?

Post by popeye1945 »

Evolution, It would seem we are on the same page here!
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Doctor Williams MA PhD
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Re: What makes an action immoral?

Post by Doctor Williams MA PhD »

Greetings.
In a nutshell perhaps deliberation time as associated with some level of reasoning which might not be free of rhetoric while still bound by logic, or intelligence. I hope you find this helpful.
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Re: What makes an action immoral?

Post by A Material Girl »

Doctor Williams MA PhD wrote: November 28th, 2023, 10:13 pm Greetings.
In a nutshell perhaps deliberation time as associated with some level of reasoning which might not be free of rhetoric while still bound by logic, or intelligence. I hope you find this helpful.
Dr. Victor Williams, M.A., Ph.D.
Dr. of Metaphysics
(850)274-7472
Because healthy people can tell the Good from the Evil, therefore what makes an action immoral is an intention, or a motivation, of an actor, IMHO.
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LuckyR
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Re: What makes an action immoral?

Post by LuckyR »

A Material Girl wrote: December 27th, 2023, 9:55 pm
Doctor Williams MA PhD wrote: November 28th, 2023, 10:13 pm Greetings.
In a nutshell perhaps deliberation time as associated with some level of reasoning which might not be free of rhetoric while still bound by logic, or intelligence. I hope you find this helpful.
Dr. Victor Williams, M.A., Ph.D.
Dr. of Metaphysics
(850)274-7472
Because healthy people can tell the Good from the Evil, therefore what makes an action immoral is an intention, or a motivation, of an actor, IMHO.
Actually sick people can tell what they call Good from what they call Evil. That's the problem.
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Re: What makes an action immoral?

Post by Zanne Crystle »

When we consider whether an action is moral, we look at whether it causes harm, suffering, or injustice to others. To determine this, we evaluate whether it respects the well-being, rights, and dignity of individuals or communities. People usually think that breaking the law is automatically immoral but I think it depends on various factors. Societies create laws to maintain order and protect individuals. Generally, following the law is morally right. However, there may be cases when breaking the law is justifiable, such as civil disobedience against unjust laws or when following the law would cause greater harm.
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Re: What makes an action immoral?

Post by Pattern-chaser »

LuckyR wrote: December 29th, 2023, 2:51 am Actually sick people can tell what they call Good from what they call Evil. That's the problem.
Yes, all of us, even those who have various illnesses or conditions, can tell good from evil, even though, as you say, their recognition sometimes differs from the consensus. More than that, even the craziest axe-murderer has good reasons for doing what they do, even if those reasons are not clear to others.
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LuckyR
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Re: What makes an action immoral?

Post by LuckyR »

Pattern-chaser wrote: January 7th, 2024, 10:05 am
LuckyR wrote: December 29th, 2023, 2:51 am Actually sick people can tell what they call Good from what they call Evil. That's the problem.
Yes, all of us, even those who have various illnesses or conditions, can tell good from evil, even though, as you say, their recognition sometimes differs from the consensus. More than that, even the craziest axe-murderer has good reasons for doing what they do, even if those reasons are not clear to others.
Alas, good and evil are subjective terms thus folks can violate community ethical standards yet follow their personal moral code.
"As usual... it depends."
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Re: What makes an action immoral?

Post by popeye1945 »

What makes an action immoral, it seems to be, the degree that the action brings harm to your particular like kind/read species-specific.
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Re: What makes an action immoral?

Post by Xenophon »

popeye1945 wrote: January 18th, 2024, 1:19 am What makes an action immoral, it seems to be, the degree that the action brings harm to your particular like kind/read species-specific.
Of course, one can get into a pretty good verbal tussel about just where to draw the boundary for one's "kind." Myself, I'd include most stray dogs and cats I meet while excluding an awful lot of bipeds claiming to be my "brother humans." The mere fact that I could (theoretically) mate with a creature strikes me as a slender pretext to extend moral responsibility towards it. So slender as to verge on presumption.
"Mankind has no destiny. Only some men do: to recover lost divinity."---Miguel Serrano
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Re: What makes an action immoral?

Post by popeye1945 »

You are speaking of an extended concept of the self, which society is in itself. Ideally it should be extended to all life forms, even to those whom we deem dangerous, and/or ugly. Compassion is dependent upon one identifying one's self with the self in others, no identification with, no compassion, and compassion is the seed of morality. I have known people who had no compassion for animals, and even as a child, I knew how to avoid such individuals. I thought it was not a large jump from cruelty to animals to cruelty to humans, for I saw, and see the self in all creatures, even in the very ugly.
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Re: What makes an action immoral?

Post by Xenophon »

popeye1945 wrote: January 18th, 2024, 2:21 am You are speaking of an extended concept of the self, which society is in itself. Ideally it should be extended to all life forms, even to those whom we deem dangerous, and/or ugly. Compassion is dependent upon one identifying one's self with the self in others, no identification with, no compassion, and compassion is the seed of morality. I have known people who had no compassion for animals, and even as a child, I knew how to avoid such individuals. I thought it was not a large jump from cruelty to animals to cruelty to humans, for I saw, and see the self in all creatures, even in the very ugly.
"Society"? I didn't say nothing about no stinking society (shades of the Sierra Madre.) Why would I want to extend it to all life forms? I draw the line at viruses, rabid dogs, and a great many aggressive or parasitical humans. Why would I want to include everything? There is (ideally?) some difference between ethics and a vacuum cleaner.
"Mankind has no destiny. Only some men do: to recover lost divinity."---Miguel Serrano
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Re: What makes an action immoral?

Post by popeye1945 »

Xenophon wrote: January 18th, 2024, 2:29 am
popeye1945 wrote: January 18th, 2024, 2:21 am You are speaking of an extended concept of the self, which society is in itself. Ideally it should be extended to all life forms, even to those whom we deem dangerous, and/or ugly. Compassion is dependent upon one identifying one's self with the self in others, no identification with, no compassion, and compassion is the seed of morality. I have known people who had no compassion for animals, and even as a child, I knew how to avoid such individuals. I thought it was not a large jump from cruelty to animals to cruelty to humans, for I saw, and see the self in all creatures, even in the very ugly.
"Society"? I didn't say nothing about no stinking society (shades of the Sierra Madre.) Why would I want to extend it to all life forms? I draw the line at viruses, rabid dogs, and a great many aggressive or parasitical humans. Why would I want to include everything? There is (ideally?) some difference between ethics and a vacuum cleaner.
I understand you feelings, you have a great deal of company.
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Re: What makes an action immoral?

Post by popeye1945 »

Nietzsche, "Immorality is making other creature's lives more difficult than they otherwise/naturally would be."
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