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Essays, Opinion, & Commentary |
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March 13, 2006 by Gary Novak
"Absolute" Morality can be Defined. While absolute is not a good term to use, it's general meaning as "nonrelative" morality is definable in terms of objective analysis. The question is whether there is an objective reality and standard involved, which makes the subject nonarbitrary; or whether subjective standards are appropriate, and therefore the subject is arbitrary. The objectivity (nonarbitrariness) of morality is definable. Reactions which occur in minds are observable, and this creates the basis for objective moral analysis. It is observable that people feel threatened by anything which destroys life; and therefore, immorality can be defined as "that which destroys life." Consequently, morality is that which sustains life. Observable consensus on morality and justice (synonyms) follow these lines. The subject of semantics cannot be avoided. People can define words however they want; but appropriate communication requires using words the way they are usually used or to state a different meaning. People can define morality in a variety of ways, as long as they clarify the meaning. The question is whether there is a definable concept which people are usually referring to when using the term morality. Therefore, the more important task is to determine the significance of morality. Significance means, what are the surrounding realities which provide the evidence? The evidence is in the concerns and reactions. People are concerned about anything which destroys life. Because of this concern, anyone who destroys life must conceal, deny or justify such action. The perpetrators judge themselves by their need to conceal, deny and justify the act. This reaction in the perpetrator can be used as a test for immorality, which is suitably called sin. The reaction is quite visible, which allows it to function as a good indicator or morality. This method of defining or judging morality not only allows the perpetrators to judge themselves, it creates a universal criterion, because the forces which create the reaction are universal. What people feel threatened by is always the same everywhere. The reaction is created by the universal nature of threat to life. The terms morality and justice are synonyms but sometimes applied to slightly different subjects. Justice is a slightly more secularized term for morality, and it was the earlier concept, being referred to before the subject of morality became highly refined and resulted in another label. For these reasons, the term justice is used for the more universal characteristics of morality. It is observable that whenever an injustice is perpetrated, a counterforce of justice builds up against it, until the source of injustice is subdued. It is this force of justice which causes perpetrators to conceal, deny and justify the injustice. In other words, a force develops in the mind of the perpetrator of injustice to counter the force of justice. What then is the nature and source of the universal force of justice which develops in response to every injustice? It is the concern that develops whenever people feel threatened by the destruction of life. It is often assumed that evil persons do not have any concern about justice or morality. But their reactions show the opposite. They are highly sensitized to truth, which means the reactions are strongly developed in their minds. They try to show an appearance of not being concerned, but it can only be sustained in a sheltered environment of like-minded persons. In the presence of everyone else, they must conceal, deny and justify their sin. There are some persons who truly show no reaction to behavior which would normally be considered to be wrong. An example is primitive cultures, which can include such things as cannibalism, or even such simple things as nakedness. Learned behavior and culture can obscure the justice. The test of justice is, what would the reactions have been without the conditioned behavior? No reaction, no sin. Similarly, there are various conditions of reduced awareness, which is sometimes biological, such as brain damage. Persons who are not aware of what they are doing are not assumed to be guilty. Yet they can do things which destroy life and are normally viewed as wrong. The concept of right and wrong always exists in an objective sense, because the first test of justice is the universal force based on concerns for life, and the reactions in the perpetrators are secondary. It is for this reason that the US Constitution says certain rights are "self evidence and inalienable." Such rights are universal. When applying the usual, but inexact, terminology, this would mean such rights are absolute. Defying such rights is among the most basic and serious of injustices. Basic rights and freedoms are self-evident and inalienable, because people cannot properly control their lives without them. Impositions prevent people from solving their problems, because the persons making the decisions are removed from the persons suffering the consequences. It's like one person driving an automobile, and a different person looking at the road. Injustices divide life into conflicting pieces which don't fit together. The self-evident and inalienable characteristics of justice stem from the fact that the requirements for life are observable in the objective realities of life.
Gary Novak received a masters degree in Microbiology in 1970, specializing in yeast physiology. But mental pain forced him into isolation on the family farm in South Dakota. Mental pain is not the same as depression or schizophrenia. It is caused by memories containing pain being too close to the surface and contacted by external distractions. On the farm, he began doing mushroom research and writing moral philosophy. He's always been inclined to think in abstract or analytical terms. From his youngest days, h recalls his brother often saying, "it's the old philosopher again." Visit his website "Science Criticism" at www.nov55.com.
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