Rational morality

[cleanhippie]

Here’s a great video. It’s not short (31 mins) but its well worth watching right through – or downloading and watching later. Even watching several times, the speaker is so eloquent and precise with his language. In it Scott Clifton gives a thorough critique of the Christian apologetics understanding of morality. He also gives a good outline of secular morality – a rational, objectively-based morality.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWNW-NXEudk&feature=channel_video_title

-snip--

Clifton stresses morality is important because it determines how we behave and how we interact with others. In the video he sets out to answer four questions:

-What do we specifically mean by words like “right,” “wrong,” “moral,” “immoral,” etc.?
-Why are our definitions useful and applicable, and why do they represent how the vast majority of people see these words, whether they realise it or not?
-How can we objectively determine what is “right” and what is “wrong” without appealing to personal taste or subjective opinion?
-Why ought we to do right and not do wrong?

He answers the first question by defining “right” by that which promotes the health, happiness and well-being of humans, or minimises unnecessary human pain or suffering. And “wrong” of course is the converse.

http://www.secularnewsdaily.com/2011/11/03/rational-morality/

[midnight]

1. K&R I think when we provide equality for everyone we can stop

dancing around these injustices...

[cleanhippie]

2. Equality is all we want.

[Kurmudgeon]

3. And yet we're judged as individuals.

[cleanhippie]

4. I'm not sure what you mean.

[Jim__]

5. You would seriously recommend that people listen to that tripe?

First of all he spends about three quarters of his time attacking Christian apologetics - without any reference to any Christian apologist, any specific apologist statement, or any apologist text. IOW, three quarters of his time is spent attacking straw men.

Second, he's proposing a half-baked utilitarianism - he says: morality is the science of maximizing social and societal well-being (he doesn't tell us how he is differentiating social and societal). There are two main problems with a utilitarian morality: first, it does not recognize the sanctity of the individual; second, we need a moral calculus to determine when an act is beneficial and when it isn't. He doesn't even appear to be aware of the issues.

I could on with his ridiculous attempts at definitions - for instance, his definition of murder would include killing someone in self-defense; but it's not really worth responding to this half-baked tripe.

[Lost-in-FL]

6. Great video...

and eye candy! Great way to learn something. :hide: :yoiks:

[laconicsax]

7. Rec'd to zero. n/t