Quote:
Originally Posted by Skybird
The novel last but not least also is a political and a philosophical work. Right and wrong in context of the characters in this book have a lot to do with freedom, dignity, and security, as these things can be concluded on by libertarian views on guaranteeing private property and its safety to the owner. Also, in context of the book, creating value versus parasitic behavior of claiming rights for the working results of others.
Beyond the book, I think that there are many things that we can declare consensus on regarding whether they are right or wrong. Some of that is covered in basic rules of some philosophies and religions. Do not steal. Do not murder. Do not rape. Do not do against others what you would not accept to be done to you. Do not be intentionally cruel for the sake of enjoying it. And so on, basic stuff like that. While some values are indeed depending on cultural context, I also think that some things are so obvious and basic in their value for us as we define ourselves as humans, that I refuse to negotiate any possible relativizing of them (speaking generally, not meaning you specifically).
The full quote beyonds "distinguish between right and wrong" leads to all this, doesn't it, implicitly refusing a too far-reaching relativizing of good and evil.
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Well, that is understandable from a modern point of view, however when one starts adding contexts to it then you run into a problem. What is a person? Is a person of a different nation different to you? Are they worthy of receiving the same treatment that you? What is deemed right and wrong has changed so much over the past several centuries that it has made a mockery of the statement. Murder and rape were perfectly rational undertakings on civilians in war right up until about two hundred years ago, and indeed even more recently in some nations.
In three hundred years from now, I am sure that there will be some things that we do right now that will be seen as wrong, and cruel, just as we view slavery now compared to how we would have viewed it in the early 1700s.