BS: major religions-homophobia II

Subject: RE: BS: major religions-homophobia II
From: Wolfgang
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 12:41 PM

How does one research morality?

Mostly in surveys, but sometimes in experiments as well.

Honestly, Alex, there are lots of scientific papers on that topic, but not in the sense you obviously mean. I completely agree that what is right or wrong is not a question for science (I agree with everything after your first line).
However, which people find which acts moral, whether there is a common hierarchy of morality across cultures or not, how the feeling of morality develops with age, in which way religious conviction has an influence on opinions on moral, and many more questions that are at least in principle amenable to an empirical answers have, of course, been studied by social scientists.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: BS: major religions-homophobia II
From: mousethief
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 12:47 PM

Granted, W. Absolutely no question about that. But it's a red herring to the question I asked. Social scientists (is that an oxymoron or what?) can't tell us what's right or wrong, only what certain groups of people BELIEVE is right or wrong.

Alex

Subject: RE: BS: major religions-homophobia II
From: Wolfgang
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 12:53 PM

In what way should 'social scientist' be an oxymoron?

They can tell much more, they can tell how the beliefs relate to other areas of belief and from that predict with some accuracy the moral convictions of some persons that has not been surveyed, they can tell about conditions under which moral behaviour is more or less probable,...

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: BS: major religions-homophobia II
From: mousethief
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 01:09 PM

It was a joke, son, a joke. Scientists being sometimes persons who have awkward social skills.

Subject: RE: BS: major religions-homophobia II
From: Bill D
Date: 28 Feb 01 - 04:57 PM

"How does one research morality?"

well, one reads MANY opinions, both famous ones and plain ideas in the general literature. Then one tries to discern whether and to what extent those ideas are practiced in society; and throughout it all, one examines one's own belief system to see if it follows any of the common threads and whether it it comfortable, internally consistant and subject to practical scrutiny.

Of course, this process is seldom 'done' like this, and IF done, would move back & forth between 'research' and subjectivity....but it should be possible to apply studies and information to one's own situation to aid in decisions in life.

I did something like this...I didn't do it in one short, coherent burst of **research**, but I added up studies in comparative religion, psychology, physics, astronomy, philosophy, political science, sociology,...etc....plus my own experiences, and developed a view of morality.

Like Kant, I think it can be argued that some moral principles can be derived logically, and because I see so much variation in principles derived from various forms of authority, I don't feel that I can base my moral principles directly on any of them.

Therefore, I see a problem with the statement.."What is right or wrong doesn't admit of scientific discovery or explanation. It's a function of a society's religious and other BELIEFS." ...If an entire society believes it is 'right' to execute heretics, or circumcise women, or expose witches by dunking them in the river, I will have to disagree. These are INHUMANE acts based on flawed attitudes and superstition, and an educational system which allows members of a society to examine them critically and openly will eventually erode such insanity. The problem is, insanity which is more circumspect and less obviously harmful gets protected and/or ignored.

Subject: RE: BS: major religions-homophobia II
From: GUEST,Anally Intentive
Date: 01 Mar 01 - 12:29 AM

But there's nothing like a decent bit of bum, all the same.

Yaw haw!

Subject: RE: BS: major religions-homophobia II
From: Bill D
Date: 01 Mar 01 - 02:23 PM

there goes the neighborhood.......

Subject: RE: BS: major religions-homophobia II
From: GUEST,re: Dr Laura ..do as I say not as I did
Date: 01 Mar 01 - 04:56 PM

There used be a page on the internet of Dr Laura posing for a Porno picture, she sued and sued and sued to have that and the Porno Mag who first published it silenced.

Apparently, she used be Catholic but converted to Jewish, and I suppose like lots of other Bimbos out there this like her Porno escapade was due to her appeptite for money.

I shudder to think what she might have done in Berlin 1940?, lots of Bimbos in those days were faithfull Party Followers. I feel genuine pain for the Synagoge to which she lends her support, as I do for the unfortunate community where she dwells.

BTW Did you ever notice that she always refers to Children as MY son, MY daughter. It is typical of prevaricators that they trip themselves up and she is no exception.

Subject: RE: BS: major religions-homophobia II
From: Amos
Date: 01 Mar 01 - 09:49 PM

Morality as a cultural code can only be researched through comparative anthropology. Anything in a cultural code of rules may have genuine value contributing to the well being of individuals or the group, or it may not. Lots of cultural morals (or is it morays) have no basis other than persistance -- they are opinions insitututionalized. Some are things that once meant better survival and no have no bearing due to advances, for example, in hygeine or food-handling practices. Many are just bizarre and arbitrary, their context and meaning having long since disappeared from view; all that is left is the superstition, yet folks will hold on to them harder than a terrier on a rat.

Researching actual ethics, meaning how one recognizes right action, best value for life, is another question altogether. It seems to be an inherent quality of life to greater or lesser degree. A sense of justice, similarly, although it may be colored by local practices, seems to be almost innate. Kid slearn very very early to protest unfairness, even when it doesn't involve them directly. There's a rich field of discovery for you. But you'd have to get your arms around the difference between the two things first. Make a helluva thesis!

A