Comments on: CliffsNotes: The Morality Comment Thread (Part 2) http://www.radioopensource.org/cliffsnotes-the-morality-comment-thread-part-2/ Christopher Lydon in conversation on arts, ideas and politics Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:09:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Marc McElroy http://www.radioopensource.org/cliffsnotes-the-morality-comment-thread-part-2/#comment-87774 Marc McElroy Mon, 16 Apr 2007 20:23:14 +0000 http://www.radioopensource.org/?p=1025#comment-87774 Thanks Lumiere... However when I said that most professors don't know which end of a computer to blow into I meant it litterally, as in ZERO computer literacy among many older teachers, and much less internet access. So the students exersize the age old Soviet tradition of stealing other people's words. Something like, "they pretend to grade us, and we pretend to write.." Anyway the question is are these people born with a moral compass and then society teaches them otherwise? Thanks Lumiere… However when I said that most professors don’t know which end of a computer to blow into I meant it litterally, as in ZERO computer literacy among many older teachers, and much less internet access. So the students exersize the age old Soviet tradition of stealing other people’s words. Something like, “they pretend to grade us, and we pretend to write..”

Anyway the question is are these people born with a moral compass and then society teaches them otherwise?

]]> By: herbert browne http://www.radioopensource.org/cliffsnotes-the-morality-comment-thread-part-2/#comment-87773 herbert browne Mon, 16 Apr 2007 18:50:51 +0000 http://www.radioopensource.org/?p=1025#comment-87773 Yo. Lumiere... re "plagiarism"- maybe you should pitch a show on "hilarious software"! (still laughing... hard to type). ^..^ Yo. Lumiere… re “plagiarism”- maybe you should pitch a show on “hilarious software”! (still laughing… hard to type). ^..^

]]> By: herbert browne http://www.radioopensource.org/cliffsnotes-the-morality-comment-thread-part-2/#comment-87772 herbert browne Mon, 16 Apr 2007 18:46:57 +0000 http://www.radioopensource.org/?p=1025#comment-87772 (from AlanK) .."The latter (evolved) is a descriptive approach to morality, trying to say what it is, how it developed, whereas the former (god-given) is a normative approach, trying to tell us how we ought to act.." Isn't a "normative" attempt to describe morality self-referential? I mean, Morality is about "what ought to be"; and Normativity is about "what ought to be.." In both cases, I see no more (or less) "relativism" than that which you impute to an evolved morality [(ibid) "In this regard, I do not see how the denial of God can lead to anything except moral relativism.."], since "God" is a culture-specific reference point. I agree that we may be examining two different subjects... and also feel that the (alleged) 12yo commentator, Frederick, nailed it. (What was the saying, re "out of the mouths of children..?) I'd also reiterate my own, admittedly hypothetical, proposal that what we call "the Maternal instinct" is a major 'driver' of the process that we call "morality"... ^..^ (from AlanK) ..”The latter (evolved) is a descriptive approach to morality, trying to say what it is, how it developed, whereas the former (god-given) is a normative approach, trying to tell us how we ought to act..”

Isn’t a “normative” attempt to describe morality self-referential? I mean, Morality is about “what ought to be”; and Normativity is about “what ought to be..” In both cases, I see no more (or less) “relativism” than that which you impute to an evolved morality [(ibid) "In this regard, I do not see how the denial of God can lead to anything except moral relativism.."], since “God” is a culture-specific reference point.

I agree that we may be examining two different subjects… and also feel that the (alleged) 12yo commentator, Frederick, nailed it. (What was the saying, re “out of the mouths of children..?) I’d also reiterate my own, admittedly hypothetical, proposal that what we call “the Maternal instinct” is a major ‘driver’ of the process that we call “morality”… ^..^

]]> By: Lumière http://www.radioopensource.org/cliffsnotes-the-morality-comment-thread-part-2/#comment-87771 Lumière Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:03:14 +0000 http://www.radioopensource.org/?p=1025#comment-87771 Marc McElroy Says: Once the teachers catch up technically, Here ya go: http://www.plagiarism.com/screening.htm Marc McElroy Says: Once the teachers catch up technically,

Here ya go:

http://www.plagiarism.com/screening.htm

]]> By: Marc McElroy http://www.radioopensource.org/cliffsnotes-the-morality-comment-thread-part-2/#comment-87770 Marc McElroy Sun, 15 Apr 2007 07:55:36 +0000 http://www.radioopensource.org/?p=1025#comment-87770 How about calling it: "CliffsNotes: God Given or Evolved." I recently explained what CliffsNotes were to some college students here in Moscow, because it came up in a reading. They were THRILLED with the idea of reading "War and Peace" in 70 pages. Which brings up a larger point, the moral code for students here is lacking. To cut and paste a paper together off some web pages is rather common. Especially since you're adverage 60 year old porfessor still doesn't know which end of a computer to blow into, and probably won't read your paper anyway. So... I say evolved, because I have found the missing link when it comes to acedemic morality. Once the teachers catch up technically, and they will, it will close the gap and force a new stage in that evolution. How about calling it: “CliffsNotes: God Given or Evolved.”

I recently explained what CliffsNotes were to some college students here in Moscow, because it came up in a reading. They were THRILLED with the idea of reading “War and Peace” in 70 pages. Which brings up a larger point, the moral code for students here is lacking. To cut and paste a paper together off some web pages is rather common. Especially since you’re adverage 60 year old porfessor still doesn’t know which end of a computer to blow into, and probably won’t read your paper anyway. So… I say evolved, because I have found the missing link when it comes to acedemic morality. Once the teachers catch up technically, and they will, it will close the gap and force a new stage in that evolution.

]]>