Is there such thing as objective morality? (1 Viewer)

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    SystemShock

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    Short answer: no.

    Long answer...
    I was watching a video of Frank Turek speaking at some university, and thought about starting a drinking game, taking a shot every time he said "objective morality" and raised his arms to the heavens. But then I had a second thought: that I may die of alcohol intoxication. Still, I continued watching. At one point, a student asked him about the morality of commanding Abraham to kill his son: the student claimed it was cruel to do so, and cruelty is immoral. Turek yet again raised his arms to the heavens and declared everything God says or does is perfect and objectively moral, even if we flawed, chuck full o'sin meat bags think of something as immoral, since he can do anything he wants with us.

    But in the spirit of the classic moot "can God make an object so heavy not even he can lift?", can God make contradicting statements about a specific issue, and both remain objectively moral?

    As example, let's look at the so called Law of Retaliation:
    Exodus 21:24, 25 - eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, a burn for burn, wound for wound, blow for blow.

    But, in the New Testament, it is written that Jesus said:
    Matthew 5:38, 39, 40 - You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. If someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also; if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.

    In the simplest way I can put it: at first, blow (slap) for blow was ok, then blow for blow became not ok.

    I think it is very obvious that retaliation can't be moral and immoral at the same time.
     
    Last edited:
    I think the two terms are inherently contradictory ?

    A 'morality' - or a moral code - is a manufactured (usually consensual) frame of reference. Almost by definition, it cannot be truly, philosophically, objective ?
     
    Without getting into “Scripture” belief systems arise from a host of potential sources including but not limited to the various groups on associates with themselves, parents, religion, philosophy(s) etc. Conclusions are arrived at, assertions made and emotional defenses developed again based on internal reactions to external inputs. Society creates “moral” codes in some instances and enforcement of these codes is either mores or state-controlled violence/force.

    Man is inherently limited by not knowing what another human is thinking/feeling.
     

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