[Xmca-l] Re: Anniversary for Sakharov's Essay

[Andy Blunden]

I happy to say, Annalisa, that if you "pulled out
conditioning by human society" nothing would be left of
ethics and morals at all. In a sense, ethics and moral are
what is not cause and effect.

Andy

------------------------------------------------------------
Andy Blunden
http://www.ethicalpolitics.org/ablunden/index.htm
On 23/07/2018 1:12 AM, Annalisa Aguilar wrote:
>
> Thanks Andy!
>
>
> OK. I accept that there is a historical conditioning to
> these words "moral" and "ethics", arising from language
> roots, Latin and Greek respectively, and then also that
> their meanings (connotations) shift over time. Sure,
> that's fine.
>
>
> But what are meanings to which the words point? and what
> do those meanings have in common? What is their substrate?
>
>
> What you have shared doesn't alter my assertion (with my
> assistance provided by a dictionary) that "moral" is
> particular and "ethics" is systemic.
>
>
> Regardless, what are these words pointing to that were you
> to pull out conditioning by human society, by history,
> what would be left? It would be cause and effect. No
> different than if I throw a ball up into the air, the ball
> will eventually come down to earth. If I plant a seed and
> provide it the right conditions of good soil, sunshine and
> water, the sprout emerges.
>
>
> If I do X then Y will happen. If you do X then Y will
> happen too.
>
>
> and this necessarily sets up an argument particularly if
> you say
>
>
> If you do X then Y will happen, but if I do X then Z will
> happen.
>
>
> The distraction is what letters you set into the places
> where X, Y, and Z stand in the above sentences. The truth
> of these statements (what they have essentially in common)
> is cause and effect.
>
>
> This is so pervasive that we take it for granted. It is
> like watching our eyes.
>
>
> We understand this connection between cause and effect
> intrinsically, at the same time, this understanding is not
> because we are human, even if the way we make sense of it
> is through mind and language, which are very much  (human)
> tools at our disposal.
>
>
> Kind regards,
>
> Annalisa

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