Hello, dear Escapist member. How you doing? Feel like a bit of debating? Great! I'm planning on setting up a weekly discussion thread that will try to cover several topics of Philosophy and other abstract things. I hope to make this become a regular thing here at the Escapist, but only with consent from the community.
The only rules I ask to be followed is that posts are constructive to the discussion and be more then one sentences. This includes your own ideas/theories/beliefs or arguments for/against another poster's idea.
I don't want you to think this means you have to be a serious, sophisticated gent, sipping tea through your well-groomed mustache while adjusting your monocle. But you can give a little respect to the discussion. This means no flame wars starting or anti-blank rants of hate. Keep it nice but smart.
As host, I will both give the Question, give some starting thoughts, and play Devil's Advocate (aka, I will take both sides of an argument to point out flaws or ask questions so that you can improve you point.) I will try to make the Questions as new and unique as I can, or you can post your own ideas we can try. I'll start with just simple questions that will make more discussion then debating, but if their's some good feedback, I'll move it to more serious debates.
If you think this would be done better without the Weekly added (meaning just posting like a regular shmoe with no schedule) or if better rules can be set up, please PM me or
The only rules I ask to be followed is that posts are constructive to the discussion and be more then one sentences. This includes your own ideas/theories/beliefs or arguments for/against another poster's idea.
I don't want you to think this means you have to be a serious, sophisticated gent, sipping tea through your well-groomed mustache while adjusting your monocle. But you can give a little respect to the discussion. This means no flame wars starting or anti-blank rants of hate. Keep it nice but smart.
As host, I will both give the Question, give some starting thoughts, and play Devil's Advocate (aka, I will take both sides of an argument to point out flaws or ask questions so that you can improve you point.) I will try to make the Questions as new and unique as I can, or you can post your own ideas we can try. I'll start with just simple questions that will make more discussion then debating, but if their's some good feedback, I'll move it to more serious debates.
If you think this would be done better without the Weekly added (meaning just posting like a regular shmoe with no schedule) or if better rules can be set up, please PM me or
it.
Now one with the Question!
What do Morals do for us?
Morals are what we define as Good or Bad, and will either form them from other's beliefs or our own.
One could argue that Morals is what defines us as humans. We can choose to do or not do things simply because it is right/wrong. Animals will only kill to survive, yet a human can choose to be merciful (sparing a life even when it might not be deserved) or cruel (killing thousands based on race/creed, depending on his/her morals.
Others could argue it's a unique survival trait. After all, many people have the ability or resources to easily dominate and destroy their less apt neighbor, Survival of the Fittest quickly descending to Who's Got the Biggest Gun? So perhaps Morals keep us from being in constant war and needless fighting, saving lives of those Nature would otherwise have gotten rid of.
And you can always say that Morals are just a side-effect of the life. We do things that can cause positive effects or negative effects, so we just label the actions that cause them as good or bad.
Enjoy the discussion.
Now one with the Question!
What do Morals do for us?
Morals are what we define as Good or Bad, and will either form them from other's beliefs or our own.
One could argue that Morals is what defines us as humans. We can choose to do or not do things simply because it is right/wrong. Animals will only kill to survive, yet a human can choose to be merciful (sparing a life even when it might not be deserved) or cruel (killing thousands based on race/creed, depending on his/her morals.
Others could argue it's a unique survival trait. After all, many people have the ability or resources to easily dominate and destroy their less apt neighbor, Survival of the Fittest quickly descending to Who's Got the Biggest Gun? So perhaps Morals keep us from being in constant war and needless fighting, saving lives of those Nature would otherwise have gotten rid of.
And you can always say that Morals are just a side-effect of the life. We do things that can cause positive effects or negative effects, so we just label the actions that cause them as good or bad.
Enjoy the discussion.