tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1462488453822156883.post2644735964438568752..comments2024-03-29T18:49:49.469+11:00Comments on loon pond: At last, a change of pace and a crisis in religion ...Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1462488453822156883.post-37914392201237911252018-06-10T14:26:19.151+10:002018-06-10T14:26:19.151+10:00With much sympathy, Anony - as much as any male ca...With much sympathy, Anony - as much as any male can genuinely feel.<br /><br />I cannot shake the thought that your situation is a heartfelt conflict between the two most prominent 'theories' of morality:<br /><br />1.. Kant's deontology<br />2. Bentham/Mill's utilitarianism.<br /><br />Deontology: the rightness or wrongness of actions does not depend on their consequences but on whether they fulfill our duty. Kant believed that there was a supreme principle of morality, and he referred to it as The Categorical Imperative.<br /><br />Utility: Utilitarianism is a normative ethical theory that places the locus of right and wrong solely on the outcomes (consequences) of choosing one action/policy over other actions/policies. As such, it moves beyond the scope of one's own interests and takes into account the interests of others.<br /><br />It seems to me that the academic researcher you mention is very clealry committed to deontology, at least in the case of abortion, whereas you are following a more empathetic utilitarian conviction. Personally, I'm completely on your side here.<br /><br />However, the problem is (a) what exactly is the "categorical imperative" in this (and most other) case(s) and (b) how does one calculate a 'utility function' anyway (see 'the Trolley Problem, for instance).<br /><br />In this case I reckon your 'utility function' view is the right choice, but the only problem is that people will switch back and forth between deontology and utility depending on which one gives them the answer they're intuitively happiest with. So your lovely academic may, or may not, do that; but if she does then a certain interpretation of that as a form of hypocrisy is hard to avoid.<br /><br />This is all very depersonalised but that seems to be a property of discussions about 'morality' - especially of the 'comparative morality' kind - as far as I can see.GrueBleennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1462488453822156883.post-57433216004560402272018-06-10T12:32:05.251+10:002018-06-10T12:32:05.251+10:00Thank you for your candour, Anon. I have not hear...Thank you for your candour, Anon. I have not heard that sentiment expressed before, so it is cause for contemplation.Mercurialnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1462488453822156883.post-58374217999683612922018-06-10T10:15:58.305+10:002018-06-10T10:15:58.305+10:00“sidewalk counsellors”? That truly is an awful thi...“sidewalk counsellors”? That truly is an awful thing to say and even more awful if she believes it. It indicates that in that absence of any deserved smiting by her God, who really needs to do more smiting, she needs some counselling. Perhaps I could stand on her sidewalk and tell her how to become a better human being?<br /><br />When I was doing a PhD in psychology early in this century, there was an academic who was a lovely person and a very good lecturer and researcher in her area of expertise but when it came to abortion, she was quite loopy and irrational and could not be convinced that all women would not deeply regret their decision and suffer for the rest of their lives.<br /><br />I shared my story with her and explained how if when I was younger and even more foolish and prone to making bad choices, I had been unable to have a termination, it would have meant a huge upheaval of the lives of several people who did not deserve to have their lives disturbed in such a way, and there would have been no chance that the child would have been born into a secure and loving environment. <br /><br />One of the things that these anti-abortionists think is a telling point is to ask people if they would have wanted their mother to have aborted them. In fact if I had the choice I would choose to have been aborted and to not to be here; to not have the problems that I have had all my life because of the lack of a decent upbringing. <br /><br />My mother would have had a better life also and I would not deny her that so that I could have the experience I did have of insecurity and a lack of support in my early life.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1462488453822156883.post-24180684229781379542018-06-10T09:19:01.759+10:002018-06-10T09:19:01.759+10:00Brian Morris: "ACNC [Australian Charities an...Brian Morris: "<i>ACNC</i> [Australian Charities and Not-for-profit Commission]<i> registers more than 60,000 charities, of which <b>only 40% are religious</b>. The majority are secular charities that do equally good work</i>."<br /><br />Never forget that the "religious" will lie, and lie, and lie again, to push their favourite beliefs. Well done Shanners !GrueBleennoreply@blogger.com