[MD] Capital Punishment

[Platt Holden]

Hi Ham, 

> Although I agree that Morality is important, and Arlo was justified in
> changing the title of this thread to Capital Punishment, I'm not going
> to
> give up on the Quality vs. Value issue.

Being away from the debate for awhile I've lost track of just what you mean
by the "Quality vs. Value issue." Offhand I'd say that what I value more
than something else has more quality than that something else, and that to
choose the quality thing or action over the alternative(s)is a moral choice.  
Do you agree?

About Kant I appreciate your quoting at length from Wikipedia to remind us
of that philosopher's huge influence on moral questions. Especially
influential has been his categorical imperative: 

> " 'Act only according to that maxim by which you can at the same time
> will
> that it would become a universal law'."
> 
> Notice that the word "absolute" doesn't appear anywhere in this
> position
> statement.

I looked up "categorical" in my trusty Merriam-Webster dictionary and found
it defined as "absolute, unqualified." So even if the word "absolute" isn't
mentioned, the meaning of the term "categorical" is clearly the same.

> I am in full agreement with Kant's concept of the "human
> individual as a rationally autonomous self-conscious being with full
> freedom
> of action and self-determination."

I think you would have to agree that at the inorganic level (consisting of
atoms and the like) and the biological level (consisting of breathing
and the like) the individual doesn't have "full freedom of action and
self-determination." Even at the social level (or context), individuals are
not free to do whatever they wish without risking punishment.

> If you accept this definition, then
> I
> think you would have to conclude that autonomy is an "absolute
> principle"
> insofar as it applies to "free choice" in a relativistic world.  Any form
> of
> slavery works against this principle, hence is immoral by definition.

Here you invoke an absolute while previously you've denied the existence of
absolutes except for Essence. Am I just being honery? (I've been accused of
such in the past and hope to avoid that impression in the New Year.)

> Can morality be absolute?  No.

Isn't slavery by your own lights absolutely immoral?

> Good to have you back, Platt.

Thanks. Good to be back. I missed my daily dose of intelligent conversation.

PLatt


-------------------------------------------------
This mail sent through IMP: http://horde.org/imp/