Define Right And Wrong
DarkATi
Revelation 22:17 Join Date: 2003-06-20 Member: 17532Members, Reinforced - Shadow
Revelation 22:17 Join Date: 2003-06-20 Member: 17532Members, Reinforced - Shadow
in Discussions
I'm interested to know how you define "right and wrong". What makes something right? What makes something wrong? Who, if anyone, taught you right and wrong? Have you stuck to those teachings? How will you teach your children right and wrong? If questioned by an alien (terrestrial or otherwise <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo--> ) on right and wrong, what would you say?
I'll post my views later on, I'm interested in what you all think! <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Discuss.
~ DarkATi
I'll post my views later on, I'm interested in what you all think! <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Discuss.
~ DarkATi
Comments
Wrong is something that opposes my beliefs or I would feel bad about doing.
I was brought up as a Catholic for show (grandparents, etc. all devout) but my parents are actually atheist/pantheist.
So, it's all relative according to me. If I'm right, I'm right, and it stays that way until I'm proven wrong. And proving things is almost impossible when it comes to morality.
Wrong will cause generations to wane in the forseeable future.
I decided on this myself, actually.
I was influenced by my Mother who is one of the most moral people that I'd ever met. She used to take me to church (she was a methodist) but it didn't influence my morals at all, it just made me laugh.
I have never once strayed from my morals actually although I've been sorely tempted.
I hope to teach them by example, by trusting them to make up their own minds and giving them all the information they need to face any choice they need.
If questioned by an Alien I'd say the same I've just written, possibly with hand gestures.
That's right <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
I'll post my views later on, I'm interested in what you all think!
Discuss.
~ DarkATi<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<b>What makes something right or wrong? </b>
Society normally determines what's right and wrong, whether it's because of a particular religion or local, state and federal laws.
<b>Who, if anyone, taught you right and wrong?</b>
My parents taught me right and wrong, and their values came from their parents, and the religion they practiced. Yhe U.S Army even played a small part in it.
<b>Have you stuck to those teachings? </b>
For the most part yes. My parents did a fine job.
<b>How will you teach your children right and wrong? </b>
Reward and punishment works the best, or it did for me, as evidenced by how my wonderful daughter turned out.
<b>If questioned by an alien (terrestrial or otherwise <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo--> ) on right and wrong, what would you say?</b>
"Gimmee a shotty comm!" <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
<!--QuoteBegin-CForrester+--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (CForrester)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->If it's stealing, it's wrong. Otherwise, it's fine. (A lot of things can be defined as stealing. Murder, rape, etc...)<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Along with CMEast's post: do what you want to yourself, but don't do harm to others.
"Gimmee a shotty comm!" <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I'd have to agree with that <!--emo&::asrifle::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/asrifle.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='asrifle.gif' /><!--endemo-->
It sounds like a bit of "fight the man" anti-establishment propogander, but "right and wrong" are essentially the beliefs of the most powerful person/people in a given country / area.
For me personally, I don't have any guilt doing anything, except to those who are already have had something done to them, if they're very young, or very old and experienced. I don't know why, I just feel really bad for these people. If it's anyone else, I could kill them and not give a f**k.
That's absolutely true - you are only able to comprehend what you can understand. For those kids working in sweat shops, if they were born there, they don't know that it's wrong... They don't have any will to leave, because they don't know of anything else.
What is defined as right is to be judged by the person, but it should treat people as an end and not a means, and the person should only make judgements which he would be willing to make a universal law to be applied to everyone.
So in the case of suicide bombers, they're always wrong because they are taking the lives of others.
I've used that logic as well, because you can't take the lives of others and act all high and holy about it.
But suicide bombers aside, what about the situations when the choice isn't between right and wrong, but between wrong and wrong? What if you have to take the life of one man to save another? Sometimes you have to do a wrong to prevent one.
Let's just take the suicide bomber again: If somebody is running towards you with dynamite strapped to themselves, you have to shoot them to save yourself (and possibly others). You have committed a wrong by killing a fellow man, but it was a necessary wrong.
If we define right and wrong as absolutes, then right is defined as 'what a man should always do' whereas wrong is defined as 'what a man should never do.' But that's not how reality works. In the real world, we are sometimes forced to do something that is wrong. And occasionally, refusing to do that wrong will result in an even greater wrong being done. Sometimes, the most right choice is still wrong.
You haven't commited a wrong, there is nothing inherently wrong with killing a person or, in fact, in any other action. As I said, right is subjective, not objective.
And Kant... <i>almost</i> has a very appropriate name. He's Mr 'Catagorical Imperatives' guy and so instantly loses in my book. These things aren't set in stone, whether one was brought down from a mountain or not.
Stickman: No, right isn't decided by anyone else. The powerful may try and stop you from doing what is right or may try to change your opinion but they cannot 'set' right and wrong for you. It doesn't matter if they are your king, your pope or your mom. There is no moral authority except yourself.
Right and wrong are like a set of railroad tracks, twisting and turning with different sets of rails branching off. One way is right... one way is wrong. To use religion as a way to define what is right and wrong is the same as taking the same direction at every one of these crossroads...
Left. Left. Left. Left. Left. Left... You may be right for now, but eventually you'll drive right off the tracks.
That's your opinion, not mine. I happen to think that it is always wrong to kill. But sometimes it is the lesser evil.
Be a good person is about choosing the correct path in life as much as you can, it isn't about being less evil and hurting less people than everyone else.
Not if you consider it possible to 'be cruel to be kind'.
Be a good person is about choosing the correct path in life as much as you can, it isn't about being less evil and hurting less people than everyone else. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Well, I agree with you there: Only the most simple things tend to be completely "right." Much more often, it's a cobination of the two.
"Seriously, what's up with you guys and all the anal probing?"
Not really relevant as far as morality goes, but it's something I'd like an answer to.
Edit: More on topic, it depends on your view of right and wrong. It's sort of like good vs evil and right vs wrong, I suppose. Traditionally, whoever has the biggest club can decide what's "right".
I don't necessarily think about what is right and what is wrong. Usually, they're both right <b>and</b> wrong at the same time to me. To other people though, their decisions on what is 'right' or what is 'wrong' are heavily influenced by their upbringing and their lifestyles. I'll take an example between a vegetarian and non-vegetarian.
The vegetarian believes that eating meat (and any derivatives of it) is wrong. However, the non-vegetarian will say it's alright. Those who are share the same views as the vegetarians go to his side. The same happens to the latter as well.
If anything, right and wrong really don't exist. They are just beliefs that we want to hold dear to, shaped into our minds as 'the right', and 'the wrong'. When we see something that doesn't fit into our beliefs, 'the right', we often come to the conclusion that it is wrong. This was certainly true in the past when religions were a major part of everyone's lives.
I could also take an example on these forums too. Some people think some certain words shouldn't be on the filter, yet some people do want them on the filter.
Not that I want to question the rules or anything though <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Not if you consider it possible to 'be cruel to be kind'. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Unless you are taking a more objective view of 'hurt' where hurting someone in the short term can save them loads of hurt over the course of their lives.
lol: I can't actually think of any action which doesn't have even one possible negative point (although it might be very slight).
I was influenced by my Mother who is one of the most moral people that I'd ever met. She used to take me to church (she was a methodist) but it didn't influence my morals at all, it just made me laugh.
I have never once strayed from my morals actually although I've been sorely tempted.
I hope to teach them by example, by trusting them to make up their own minds and giving them all the information they need to face any choice they need.
If questioned by an Alien I'd say the same I've just written, possibly with hand gestures. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Tell that to the oil companies...
Right involves doing what you must to complete a given task in the most efficient manner whilst not infringing the rights of others.
Wrong is NOT burning OPEC at the stake.... >_>