[MD] The Moral Landscape

[ARLO J BENSINGER JR]

[Steve quotes Harris]
Because I think that right and wrong are a matter of increasing or decreasing
well-being--and it is obvious that forcing half the population to live in cloth
bags, and beating or killing them if they refuse, is not a good strategy for
maximizing human well-being.

[Arlo]
I'm not that familiar with Harris, but I've made the argument before using
Csikszentmihalyi's notion of Flow; that which decreases one's ability to "flow"
is negative, that which increase flow opportunities is positive.

Flow, from Wikipedia, is "a state of concentration or complete absorption with
the activity at hand and the situation." It is the experience of the mechanic
when he is one with the machine, or the painter as he is one with the canvas,
or the sculptor when he is one with the rotisserie.

You can look at the above and say that forcing women to live in a bag restricts
their opportunity to find and engage in flow activities. However, the voluntary
act of donning this garb would be excluded, as perhaps the willful pursuit of a
personal ascetic is where one may find flow (as in a monk who willfully
secludes himself in a monestary, or a nun who wears a near identical garment
(except for the face, in most cases) and practices chastity).

We can also look at social law and codes as that which enables the maximum
amount of flow opportunity for the greatest number of people. In this case, one
can never have "total freedom", because one shares the world with other beings
with the same moral rights (I am not "free" to drive down the left side of the
road (in America) because "I want to", as such an act would potentially
injure/kill others thus reducing their flow opportunities. Moreover, agreeing
to (and enforcing) traffic rules greatly enhances flow, as it maximizes travel
ability and ensures quick, safe movement- both things which increase flow
overall).

This is just an aside, as from what I've read I think I pretty much agree with
you and Harris.