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OP
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There's such a good discussion going on about what a "thing" is, it made me think of a companion thread:
A friend of mine, a philosophy prof in Philadelphia, did his dissertation (have I got that right?!) on the human concept of "right." (eg, how do we know what is right?) He explained it to me thus: we were having coffee together and he picked up his mug and said, "For example, we call this a coffee mug, or just a mug. We have all agreed to call it this. We wouldn't call it an earwig. But how do we know or understand what is right?" That's as far as I remember the conversation, but I think the gist of his point was, do we have a universal right? on what is it based? how did we determine it? if we don't, how DO we know what is right and what is wrong?
Since that long-ago conversation, I've had the pleasure of proofing some of his papers for him. The world of philosophy is a very deep one, I learned....Holy cow! some of the intricate discussions philosophers get into, with regard to what is ethical and what isn't, etc. I'll post some (the bare bones, that is) if anyone is interested.
Meanwhile: How do we determine what is right?
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Whatever accomplishes the greatest good for the greatest number is right.
Philsophy gives me a headache.
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Whatever accomplishes the greatest good for the greatest number is right.While doing harm to a minority? It then becomes wrong to the minority. Philsophy gives me a headache.Perhaps this tells us why few philosophers had many children! 
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stranger
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stranger
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On this forum we have two (at least) self-appointed experts on what's right. If you want to know determine what's right for discussion on this board, ask Sick and Tired, he makes all those decisions himself. If you want to know what's right on any other level, ask Keiva, he's just never wrong. The only problem with these two sources of ultimate right is this - if everyone is right, what's left?
Those who think they know everything are always the enemy of those who do.
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Carpal Tunnel
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"For example, we call this a coffee mug, or just a mug. We have all agreed to call it this. We wouldn't call it an earwig. But how do we know or understand what is right?" ...
He answers his own question we have all agreed to call it that
It is Consensus - a shared body of view.
Then he goes off on a tangent about what is right !
From what I have seen and heard of philosophy professors, they ask questions to which they have already formulated the answers they want to hear. (the "correct answer.")
The discussions then are really arguements where each tries to bring the other around to giving the pre-determined (aka correct) answer.
What is really unconscionable is when they pose these questions to youngsters and do nothing to increase their knowledge but instead just embarrass and humiliate them ... unless, that is, one lucky youth stumbles on the "correct" answer ... but don't worry the Prof has yet another twist in waiting.
Arrgggghhhhh
OTOH (people) all agreed to call it this and why they did and how they did and the evolution of words in language and all attendant mysteries are what this place is about.
Send him here to discuss WORDS ... tell him to take his philosophy questions elsewhere - to discombobulate those who give a rat's asterisk!
Dr Bill is right - it is headache-making - to say nothing of the nausea.
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journeyman
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journeyman
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If you want to know what "right and wrong" is not, consider this: which holy (i.e. unchangable, unquestionable) books have condoned slavery? (Answer - most of them.) Is slavery now an acceptable practice? (Of course not.) Then you know there is no "absolutes" in right and wrong. What actually is right and wrong (as others have pointed out) is hard to say.
Cheers,
Bryan
You are only wretched and unworthy if you choose to be.
Cheers,
Bryan
You are only wretched and unworthy if you choose to be.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Whatever accomplishes the greatest good for the greatest number is right.
Philsophy gives me a headache.Ah, Bill, utilitarianism. Great stuff. Your entire constitution is based on it, so we can see precisely where you stand on constitutional matters!
The idiot also known as Capfka ...
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OP
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Dr Bill (and wow and others!) are RIGHT - this is no place for a philosophy thread. Sorry bout dat. I just find it an intriguing question....particularly given how wedded many people in this ol' world are, to being right. Ever noticed how some people know they're in the wrong, and yet they very much resent having it pointed out to them? A cyclist wrote a letter to our local daily paper t'other day that illustrated exactly this. Someone in a car nearly cut him off, and he gently pointed this out to the man - who growled and muttered and said he didn't cut the cyclist off. The whole conversation was related in the letter and it really was interesting. Same thing happens with road rage. Who hops out of his car and shoots or punches the other driver? Why, the aggressor. Some people don't like having it pointed out to them that they were wrong about something. Some people are pretty good about it, though....the same letter to the ed. talked about another situation in which someone passed the writer on the left on a cycle path (this was in North America, for those who drive on the wrong side - well, it's not the right side, is it!  ) and he politely pointed it out to her - and she acknowledged she was in the wrong, and apologised. Good for her! 'K, enough of my pedantic ramblings about right and wrong.
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old hand
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pedantic ramblings
Pedantic? From Latin pedis; of the foot, + antic? You have tricky feet?
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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...this is no place for a philosophy thread
Whaddya mean? This is exactly the place for a philosophy thread...especially when it seeks to define specific terms, but especially if we are talking about "right and wrong" (one of the most miscellaneous subjects on the planet)
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