What do you think about my views? ( Quasi-Utilitarian ) - Page 3

VetLegion · January 14, 2003, 16:51

Azazel, I appologise for not reading the entire thread, but just one question.

How do your views affect keeping your word? Is it ok for you to break it to 'increase general happiness'?

If it is then your utilitarian views suck

Az · January 14, 2003, 16:58

If somehow it would it would be ok. but I hardly see a way in which they could.

Zoid · January 15, 2003, 04:54

Azazel, please excuse the lateness of my post. I´ve been movin in to my new office (I will post some pics soon

). I think we have similar views on utilitarianism. As Spock says in Star Trek II right before he sacrifices himself to save the ship: "Sometimes the good of the many outweigh the good of the few, or the one"

Damn, where´s that pointy eared smiley?

Az · January 15, 2003, 12:38

It's not late to challenge my opinion, KX.

VetLegion, one correction: there are many instances in which braking a promiss is a good thing, and not just from a purely utilitarian perspective.

Zoid · January 16, 2003, 05:27

Quote:

Originally posted by Azazel

It's not late to challenge my opinion, KX.

Do you want me to play the devil´s advocate?

Az · January 16, 2003, 05:37

Go ahead. I rarely play the devil's advocate, but I know how much fun it is.

Ben Kenobi · January 16, 2003, 05:51

"I think that ships are a terrible invention. look at how sailing caused slavery, and the deaths of millions of native americans. the japanese used ships in warfare, to attack pearl harbor. It's terrible, terrible. the germans used U-boats.

Terrible, JUST TERRIBLE. I think we should ban ships and scrap this field of science, to be banned for eternity." -Azazel

Point well taken. Science is neither moral or immoral, it matters how the technology is used.

However, you have to notice I was comparing two different forms of scientific research, the discovery of penicillin with the discovery of nuclear power. Nowhere do I argue science is entirely bad!

How should science be conducted, what areas should we spend money on? I argue, along with Einstein that there were much better areas to focus research than along nuclear power. Or do you believe nuclear power would have been developed without massive investment?

Az · January 16, 2003, 06:01

I think that you're ignoring the fact that GR has lots of non military applications. esp. for the medium and the distant future.

Zoid · January 16, 2003, 14:07

Quote:

Originally posted by Azazel
Go ahead. I rarely play the devil's advocate, but I know how much fun it is.

OK, here goes

Utilitarinism sucks and you are a naive young man who doesn´t understand how the world works and people think. People are basically egoistic self serving individuals. That is why socialism will never work.

Ayn Rand said that in the 50´s already...