Musicmystery
Posts: 16538
Joined: 3/14/2005 Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Anarrus quote:
ORIGINAL: Musicmystery If we all simply decide for ourselves, then "ethics" is reduced to nothing more than personal whim. Tal Tim, I'm trying to understand this statement a little better. Moral relativism as I understand it, allows for individual relativism. My understanding of the Gorean ethos allows for individual relativism, infact it seems to be a crucial part of it. By your statement, are you rejecting indvidual relativism in complete favor of cultural relativism? If so, isn't the cultural relativism of current western society so much of what Gorean ethos rejects? Help me out here. Iwyw Anarrus Tal Anarrus, Sure, be glad too. Thinking and deciding for ourselves is, of course, fine, but that does not mean that all ethics are subjective--if they were, they would simply be arbitrary decisions (logically speaking), not a system of ethics at all, at least not any likely to be recognized as such. Truth is, we DO share a number of common values, and although there's room for individual application of those values, when someone steps too far outside them, we don't merely shrug and say, "Well, it's his choice." We expect a man to live up to his word, for example. When one doesn't, we don't say, "Oh, his ethics are different." Instead, we see him as dishonorable. And many men have complied lists in past posts of common Gorean values. And this is a strength about Goreans. I can have political differences with my friend Thadius, for instance (and others of course--just picking one example), and we learn more about why the other holds those views, even if neither of us are swayed. Yet we still respect each other. Why? As Thadius put it once (paraphrasing), "we probably agree on more issues than not--just that those issues haven't come up." What unites us is stronger than what might otherwise divide us. So we think independently, yet we do share an ethos, a common view of how to best live this life. We look at each other and see "Gorean." I'm reminded of passages in Norman such as "There is fellowship among warriors" [of warring cities]. Caste cuts across city lines and spheres of influence, and while cities have Home Stones, the CASTES have the Codes. In essence, I suppose, on Earth, we are of different places and persuasions, but we are all of the Gorean "caste," and share at least similar Codes. Or in Earth terms, a similar ethos---one which includes respect for individual thought. I wish you well, my friend! (And I haven't forgotten your invitation---as soon as I get caught up! Thanks!) Tim
< Message edited by Musicmystery -- 9/14/2008 7:14:31 AM >
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