[Vision2020] Bubba's questions: A suggestion.

Wed, 4 Feb 2004 08:31:18 -0800

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Bubba,

Please pardon the delay in answering the questions you posed about morality,
right and wrong, etc.  The mountain has been nice lately.

I cannot give a complete, accurate, or perhaps even satisfying answer to
your question.  Because of the complexity of the problem and the fact that
philosophers, theologians, ordinary persons such as you and I have thought
about, postulated, asserted, debated, etc. about such matters for thousands
of years, it is doubtful that anyone could give you an answer at present
that would withstand completely a critical examination.

Some questions about what you should do have answers that are not only
simple but would be almost universally agreed upon.  Other questions raise
issues so difficult that it would be hard to get agreement between two
people with similar viewpoints.

However, if you are really interested in pursuing this matter perhaps some
recommendations may assist you.

The first is to acquire a highly developed crap detector.  What follows is
greatly oversimplified, but perhaps a little bit helpful.

As you wend through life, people will attempt to persuade you to accept all
kinds of claims.

Examples:

The world is oblate.

You ought to marry Jasmine.

The Klein-4 group is abelian.

God is love.

Dr. Watson's (of Sherlock Holmes) first wife died of a drug overdose.

The queen of Alaska dyes her hair.

The Yugo is the finest car available.

Iran has weapons of mass destruction.

Measles is caused by a herpes type virus.

When someone makes an assertion, at least three questions are immediately
relevant:

What does the assertion mean, if anything?

How can I tell if the assertion is true?

Is the assertion in fact true true?

An extended explanation of the above is beyond this note, but you get the
idea.  It is important to see that the second question is a question about
method:  What method(s) are applicable when trying to determine the truth of
an assertion.

The questions you have raised comprise part of the subject matter of
philosophy.  Therefore, my second recommendation is to read and think about
material that would be found in a primer on ethics written by a philosopher
or philosophers.

Because original source material in this subject is sometimes extreme
difficult reading, as an introduction it would more likely be helpful to
read a primer with an explanation and critical examination of several
ethical theories including perhaps a small amount of source material.

Perhaps, a faculty member or retired faculty member (Nick Geier) from UI or
WSU on this list could make a recommendation of an ethics primer currently
in print.  (if not, contact me off list and I I'll try to find one.)

Reading an ethics primer will probably start you on an exciting but
frustrating quest.  It will certainly give you a hint of the complexity of
the subject you have expressed an interest in.

A warning:  Everyone including writers of ethical primers (and all other
material) has their own unique set of experiences, perspectives, agendas,
etc. which color the way they present material.

A book covering the same ethical theories written by the Reverend Douglas
Tonapharts of the Bible Believers Baptist Church is likely to be much
different from one written by Dark N. Evel of the Latter-Day Demonic
Society.

Writers also have different levels of education and expertise.

A book written by Ima Doktor of Harvard University is likely to be more
accurate that one written by Pretty Offal, Second Assistant Launcher of the
Greater Bovill Skeet Shooter's Grange.

I hope that this has been helpful.  If you have further questions about how
to proceed on your journey, please ask.

Wayne Fox

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<DIV>&nbsp;
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Bubba,<?xml:namespace =
prefix =3D o ns =3D=20
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" =
/><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Please pardon the delay in =
answering=20
the questions you posed about morality, right and wrong, etc.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; The mountain has been nice=20
lately.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">I cannot give a complete, =
accurate, or=20
perhaps even satisfying answer to your question.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; Because of the complexity of =
the problem=20
and the fact that philosophers, theologians, ordinary persons such as =
you and I=20
have thought about, postulated, asserted, debated, etc. about such =
matters for=20
thousands of years, it is doubtful that anyone could give you an answer =
at=20
present that would withstand completely a critical=20
examination.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Some questions about what =
you should=20
do have answers that are not only simple but would be almost universally =
agreed=20
upon.&nbsp; Other questions =
raise issues=20
so difficult that it would be hard to get agreement between two people =
with=20
similar viewpoints.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">However, if you are really =
interested=20
in pursuing this matter perhaps some recommendations may assist=20
you.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">The first is to acquire a =
highly=20
developed crap detector.&nbsp; =
What=20
follows is greatly oversimplified, but perhaps a little bit=20
helpful.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">As you wend through life, =
people will=20
attempt to persuade you to accept all kinds of=20
claims.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Examples:<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">The world is=20
oblate.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">You ought to marry=20
Jasmine.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">The Klein-4 group is=20
abelian.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">God is=20
love.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Dr. Watson=92s (of =
Sherlock Holmes)=20
first wife died of a drug overdose.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">The queen of Alaska dyes =
her=20
hair.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">The Yugo is the finest car =

available.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><FONT size=3D5>Iran has weapons of mass=20
destruction.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><FONT size=3D5>Measles is caused by a =
herpes type=20
virus.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p><FONT =
size=3D5>&nbsp;</FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p><FONT =
size=3D5>&nbsp;</FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><FONT size=3D5>When someone makes an =
assertion, at=20
least three questions are immediately =
relevant:<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p><FONT =
size=3D5>&nbsp;</FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><FONT size=3D5>What does the assertion =
mean, if=20
anything?<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><FONT size=3D5>How can I tell if the =
assertion is=20
true?<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><FONT size=3D5>Is the assertion in fact =
true=20
true?<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p><FONT =
size=3D5>&nbsp;</FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><FONT size=3D5>An extended explanation of =
the above=20
is beyond this note, but you get the idea.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: =
yes">&nbsp;=20
</SPAN>It is important to see that the second question is a question =
about=20
method:<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>What method(s) =
are=20
applicable when trying to determine the truth of an=20
assertion.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p><FONT =
size=3D5>&nbsp;</FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><FONT size=3D5>The questions you have =
raised comprise=20
part of the subject matter of philosophy.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: =
yes">&nbsp;=20
</SPAN>Therefore, my second recommendation is to read and think about =
material=20
that would be found in a primer on ethics written by a philosopher or=20
philosophers.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p><FONT =
size=3D5>&nbsp;</FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><FONT size=3D5>Because original source =
material in=20
this subject is sometimes extreme difficult reading, as an introduction =
it would=20
more likely be helpful to read a primer with an explanation and critical =

examination of several ethical theories including perhaps a small amount =
of=20
source material.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Perhaps, a faculty member =
or retired=20
faculty member (Nick Geier) from UI or WSU on this list could make a=20
recommendation of an ethics primer currently in print.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; (if not, contact me off list =
and I I=92ll=20
try to find one.)<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Reading an ethics primer =
will probably=20
start you on an exciting but frustrating quest.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; It will certainly give you a =
hint of the=20
complexity of the subject you have expressed an interest=20
in.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">A warning:<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; Everyone including writers of =
ethical=20
primers (and all other material) has their own unique set of =
experiences,=20
perspectives, agendas, etc. which color the way they present=20
material.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">A book covering the same =
ethical=20
theories written by the Reverend Douglas Tonapharts of the Bible =
Believers=20
Baptist Church is likely to be much different from one written by Dark =
N. Evel=20
of the Latter-Day Demonic Society.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Writers also have =
different levels of=20
education and expertise.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">A book written by Ima =
Doktor of=20
Harvard University is likely to be more accurate that one written by =
Pretty=20
Offal, Second Assistant Launcher of the Greater Bovill Skeet Shooter=92s =
Grange.=20
<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">I hope that this has been=20
helpful.&nbsp; If you have =
further=20
questions about how to proceed on your journey, please=20
ask.<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Wayne =
Fox<o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p><FONT=20
size=3D5>&nbsp;</o:p></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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