20120310 (J)

March 10, 2012

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Morality

Moral Scales: Morality ISTMRN is the network of a person’s scales of good and bad. Moral scales can be thought of as having 3 characteristics: defining high-low (good-bad) end points, or “fuzzy” boundary regions straight, curved, irregular, or exponential slopes between high and low assignment of all particular things, ideas, thoughts, and actions to a place (or fuzzy “region” on the curve. Within each individual such scales shift some with the winds of current thought, some anchored in belief. Like a ski area, each anchor may have several paths to a single other anchor or more commonly, several. The scales often intersect, often causing thoughts to shift to another path at the intersection. When reading the “elevation” (scale of “right” and “wrong”) from intersecting paths at the point or zone of intersection often gives different answers to the question of elevation or "goodness". Similarity of these moral scales define communities of friends and foes. Ed wants simple. I see complex. Different “goodness-badness numbers” at intersection points lead to moral contradictions and there are many in each person's moral network of intersecting good-bad scales. However, most elevation readings agree quite well given rise to “moral systems”. An example of moral contradiction is, “Kill for Jesus or country” opposed to “Thou shalt not kill”. Its “elevation” read off the ten-commandment’s scale (in many minds the absolute convergent end point of all scales) is different than its position on the national security or family security scales. So by what “scale” do I measure the “higher” good, when two or more moral scales intersect? Confusion, confusions, so many seem to plead,                                                            SOMEBODY PLEASE         tell me what to believe is good and bad. I will believe almost anything to get out of this confusion!” And there are lots of people and organzitions that have the answers. So ISTMRN many find solace in “believing” and validation in a community of like believers. Why do I want to be so evangelistic myself and share my concept of “goodness” (there is none) with others? Ego.