[MD] Marsha's Relativism

[skutvik at online.no]

Steve and All.

21 Aug. you wrote:
 
> I wasn't saying that a moral claim is no different from a statement
> of mathematical fact. What I was suggesting is that there is no
> difference in what we mean by the word 'true' in the sentences "it
> is true that slavery is wrong" and "it is true that 2+2=4."
> Obviously, the sentences are very different, but I think 'true' is
> used in the same way in both. Do you agree or do you think that
> there is a difference in usage of 'true' in these two sentences?

We must understand what the Greek TRUTH was, namely SOM (the 
intellectual level IMO). People from time immemorial knew intuitively 
that 2+2=4 and applied it on calculations of all kinds, they also intuited 
the well-known "logic gates" (I'm a bit rusty on this, but one is "If so, 
then") Thinking is based on it.  However, people of old did not regard 
this as "truth" or speculated on realities in which this don't apply.           

The Greek development was the emergence of an OBJECTIVE reality 
the first stage of which was Truth  different from Appearance and then 
the various stages  as described in ZAMM, but always the permanent, 
immutably, imperishable part as opposed to the apparent, seemingly, 
perishable  fleeting part (with the prefix "just") . So you see  "Truth" is 
this Objective Reality and from this the various academical disciplines 
grew. 

The intuitive calculation that the Egyptians and Babylonians (just) 
applied without speculating why 2+2 added to 4 or why the squares of 
the legs of a triangle were = the square of the hypotenuse .. etc. 
became subject to Greek "theorems" that proved why it had to be that 
way .. OBJECTIVELY. So you see, Steve, 2+2=4 only BECAME a truth 
after the notion of TRUTH  arrived on the scene. 

Similarly slavery only became morally wrong after intellectual value 
had made it on to the Western scene (objectively seen all humans are 
born free and have equal rights ...etc)  the American and French 
revolutions milestones in this development. Then it became "true that 
slavery is wrong". Before that no discussion if slavery was wrong from 
any higher principle existed, it was tradition. Religions (the semitic 
types at least ) are very "tolerant" regarding inequality, the Old 
Testament Christendom was behind the old social order of kings, 
nobility and serfdom in Eorope.   
      
Bodvar