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re: What is morality?
azstrummer — (archived)

I think morality is simply ethics with a flavor of personal philosophical bias thrown in. When I come up against moral issues I try to tackle them from the ethical and quality of life end.

I think basic ethics defines those essential standards required to live with more than just yourself. It's the inclusion of others that turns our actions into something we have some accounting for. I've found that treating others around me well tends to give a warm fuzzy. My overwhelming guess is that's an inherited programmed trait related to basic survival skills.

The other issue is quality of life which may or may not include interaction with others. I know that I have traits that would make it attractive to me to sit around all day as a alcoholic, gluttonous, masturbating buffoon. No worries, just looking for ways to gratify myself. However, the quality of life that might be derived from that lifestyle would quickly erode as my weight would pile up, my health would wane, and hair would grow out my palms. That quality of life requires a big picture view that includes the future, one that demands some limitations and some sacrifice to balance the quality and quantity.

There's no need for religious tenets to see this picture. In many ways it simply confuses the issue since there are so many sets of rules to choose from. Without someone else defining the limitations it seems to me it all boils down to a life dedicated to a comfortable survival.

Art

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