Morality; innate or learned? (Introduction)

by David Turell , Monday, January 19, 2015, 14:38 (3574 days ago) @ Balance_Maintained


> Tony: Earlier in this discussion, Rom said that morality was no different than what he wanted, and here David makes the statement that it is just a concept. 
> 
> This is where I differ with you guys. While morality might be 'just a concept', I think it is based on our flawed understanding of something that is very real. The concepts of 'sin', 'wickedness', 'evil', or simple wrongness are all based on something very simple. Either something is functional or it misses the mark and is dysfunctional. Function and dysfunction are fairly absolute. There is an very specific way things work, and deviations from the way things work causes problems, it becomes dysfunctional. 
> 
> Our concept of morality is based on our communal experiences and knowledge of function and dysfunction, flavored by our own experiences and desires. So it is certainly something that we have learned. If you don't show love for your fellow man, things go horribly wrong. They become dysfunctional (war, greed, murder, jealousy, envy, spite, anger, etc). The 'concept of morality' that we learn is what works and what doesn't. Unfortunately, like most human conceptions, our information is limited and our understanding deeply flawed, so we tend to screw it up.-You have fleshed out the concept of morality beautifully. Children learn this by teachings and experience.