Are you a good person?

[Ibrahim]

If you cannot obtain objective knowledge of morality, how can you claim it is or is not inherent in the material world. Conversely, if you do obtain it, the claim that the material world bears out its existence is shown to be false. No?

Quote Originally Posted by Druidic

So many intellectual decisions are dictated by our emotions. And when it comes to the physical, the intellect can only obfuscate. Little more.

Okay, I was initially wrong. What you're arguing is "ethical sentences serve merely to express emotions" (i.e., Emotivism). Am I correct?

However, this is still a form of Moral Anti-Realism because those moral utterances do not reveal objective moral facts in a purely physical world. Those ethical sentences lack truth value because they do not express genuine facts beyond feelings of disapproval or approval.

Quote Originally Posted by Ibrahim

If you cannot obtain objective knowledge of morality, how can you claim it is or is not inherent in the material world.

I feel as if we have enough empirical data to know the material world is blind and indifferent, so this fact would stand regardless of not being able to attain objective knowledge of morality.

[ToALonelyPeace]

No, in most cases I know I am not. I have some unorthodox beliefs which are at least strange to most people. Take killing a dog or cat for example. Most people would vehemently refuse to kill and eat them because dog and cat are considered pets, and people don't want to eat what they love. For me, this should be the opposite. To consume the one I love is the final union, and I will have a part of them forever. Why should I let the worms eat my beloved instead of me? Taken to the extreme, this leads to cannibalism. Of course, I also don't see why cannibalism is any more wrong (given I die a natural death and have given consent to be eaten) than donating my body to science for medical students to poke around.

Quote Originally Posted by ToALonelyPeace

No, in most cases I know I am not. I have some unorthodox beliefs which are at least strange to most people. Take killing a dog or cat for example. Most people would vehemently refuse to kill and eat them because dog and cat are considered pets, and people don't want to eat what they love. For me, this should be the opposite. To consume the one I love is the final union, and I will have a part of them forever. Why should I let the worms eat my beloved instead of me? Taken to the extreme, this leads to cannibalism. Of course, I also don't see why cannibalism is any more wrong (given I die a natural death and have given consent to be eaten) than donating my body to science for medical students to poke around.

So long as you value the consent of others who're not under any influence, then I don't see the issue with such a belief.

I think the backbone of modern society lies in consent. Most actions people consider unethical, in this day and age, is based on consent. The issue with animals is that they are unable to give consent, which adds a complex dimension to this question.

There was a German who did something similar to a human, but he received consent firsthand.

[Druidic]

Mithras, I am just a humble student of the Fourth Way. I believe the universe is blind and indifferent. Our physical reality isn't. There's nothing 'indifferent' about moments of pure pain...or pure joy for that matter.

A small part of the universe is alive; and, for better or worse, we're part of that.

Quote Originally Posted by Druidic

There's nothing 'indifferent' about moments of pure pain...or pure joy for that matter.

Yes, within one's mind, but my point is that pain doesn't reflect objective moral properties outside oneself in a purely physical world.

Regardless, one of my values is compassion, and I have engaged in charitable actions (e.g., donating to charities, etc.) However, this does not make me a good person for the reasons given hitherto.

I was just relating these questions to the topic "Are you a good person?".

[Revenant]

Am I a good person? I try to keep my evil side in check most of the time. I hope that counts.

[Dr. Bantham]

Yes?

I'm not even sure I'm a person. My mental health is so abjectly poor that I can't trust my senses regarding whether I just ate cornflakes this morning.

[qcrisp]

Quote Originally Posted by Druidic

A man caught between the couplers of two freight cars does not spend his last minutes reflecting unpon Nietzsche.

If so, he simply isn't a good enough philosopher.

http://modernstoicism.com/features-s...m-logotherapy/