@jmaxi
First of all - your point about personal qualifications. It's a cheap shot, I'll admit it. Still, there's more to philosophy than simply expostulating. Hence the use of the term "my philosophy" is as senseless as the term "my physics". You can't help yourself to waffle and call it philosophy just because most people don't have the wherewithal to argue the toss.

Justifying your position - even defending it - can come later. I'm still trying to make sense of what it is, though - and whether you have one at all. Waving vaguely at Milgram and saying "Wooooo! Corporations!" simply won't cut it. (Incidentally, why associate corporations with amorality? A businessman has certain duties - to himself, to his shareholders, to society, and so on. That he pursues profit isn't a dereliction of duty; the question is not whether he should do the right thing, as what the right thing is.)

You write:
"I do use the word faith, however I do not mean blind faith, my faith is reached through asking questions until reaching an understanding that I can choose to believe that It's all a big fluke/cockup and live a wasteful self centred hedonistic life or to believe in Good/Bad, Right/Wrong, Nice/Nasty etc. ie aesthetics and that the latter makes me a damn sight happier than the former!"

I don't understand this point about choosing to believe. I don't see what choice has to do with anything. There are certain things that we might be forced to believe or reject - on pain of incoherence for example. Choice doesn't really enter the question. If something is true, then we ought to believe it. If not, not. No choice.

Your stuff from "It's all a big fluke..." to "... than the former!" doesn't make any sense at all. What are you saying? (Note that if your happiness is the criterion by which you judge things, then you're being exactly the hedonist - and the self-centred hedonist at that - that you claim to reject. Note, too, that to base any kind of claim about morality on an appeal to happiness is to embrace hedonism.)

You are right to say that it's good to think. Who could possibly gainsay that? I'm puzzzled about what you mean by "progression", though. To what? Judged by what standard?
( Enzyme is powered by sunlight, Fri 16 May 2008, 12:51, Reply)