posted on Jan, 29 2010 @ 05:43 PM
OK ATS...here's a challenge for you: Is it possible to draw up a universal moral/ethical code? And if so, what kinds of items would it contain?
Here are the parameters as I see them:
-It must be basically acceptable to all religious faiths and also to atheists/agnostics.
-It must maintain a good balance of detail and generality. That is, if it contained only the injunction "Be good," not many would argue. But what
exactly is "good?" It needs to be more specific than that. However, if it is TOO specific ("thou shalt not backpedal on a tricycle whilst playing a
kazoo, except for the third Thursday of every month"), it cannot possibly be "universal."
-By "universal," I am thinking "among all humans on earth." The ambitious among you can perhaps stretch the net farther, to include other forms of
life or potential extra-terrestrial intelligence, for example. But I think we have enough trouble agreeing among ourselves to start with.
-There will always, ALWAYS be somebody who refuses to agree with any injunction, so by "universal" I don't necessarily mean "100% agrees, all the
time." But it should strive to be as close to this ideal as possible.
-All known forms of life must consume energy to survive, must defend their bodily integrity, and must compete with each other and with other species
for energy, space, and so on. Given this, it seems to me some violence and conflict is an inherent part of the process of life itself. Thus, the
ethical purity of any moral code will be strained by the demands of reality. Nevertheless, we can try to get as close to ethical ideas as possible.
-If this thread attracts any interest to begin with, I suspect it will soon tend towards squabbling and disagreement. That's OK. However, in the
interests of "universal morality" itself (that is, if you think it is possible), the concept is probably most effectively approached with as broad a
mind as we can muster.
Will you accept the challenge, ATS?
[edit on 1/29/10 by silent thunder]