Thursday, September 16, 2010

Lost soul seeking moral code

I have iGoogle News, and it pulls this article out. Why is this on my list of news? Those that should show up on this list should be something particularly important for the day.

So this gentleman is saying we should toss every moral ideas from religious text we have and embrace scientists such as Galileo, Sir Isaac Newton, Louis Pasteur and Charles Darwin, because science can make people make progress.

Sure, I admire each of the scientists here.

He says, "Science, freedom and the pursuit of personal profit -- if we can learn to embrace these three ideas as ideals, an unlimited future awaits."

Sure, I agree. WE ALREADY embrace these ideas now, not in the future.

From reading this, I sense the author wants to seek moral rules... but can't find it, and embrace science instead.

Hmm, makes me wonder.. DO YOU KNOW ANY SCIENCE?

Science... tells you how things work. Scientists experimented and discovered (many, perhaps not yet all) rules within the world, such as things drop at 9.8 m/s^2.

It doesn't tell you moral: is it a right thing or wrong?

Moral is human collective wisdom... something passed from generations to generations.
I suggest the authors to pick up some classic text, such as those from Plato, Socrates, Aristotle to find out what ideas they have. Look BEYOND those religious text or classic Greek text.
Also look at eastern philosophy such as Confucius. Don't restrict yourself to any particular text.

Good news is: you do or do not have to agree with any of the great philosophers.
Discuss moral questions... to your professors. This is part of a great education.

Moral... is it right or wrong? There are white/black areas, and there are gray areas worthy of discussion. But science does not tell you moral.

No comments: