Science of Morality, Anyone?

[coberst]

Science of Morality, Anyone?/

Where, in American culture, is the domain of knowledge that we would identify as morality studied and taught?

I suspect that if we do not quickly develop a science of morality that will make it possible for us to live together on this planet in a more harmonious manner our technology will help us to destroy the species and perhaps the planet soon.

It seems to me that we have given the subject matter of morality primarily over to religion. It also seems to me that if we ask the question ‘why do humans treat one another so terribly?’ we will find the answer in this moral aspect of human culture.

The ‘man of maxims’ “is the popular representative of the minds that are guided in their moral judgment solely by general rules, thinking that these will lead them to justice by a ready-made patent method, without the trouble of exerting patience, discrimination, impartiality—without any care to assure themselves whether they have the insight that comes from a hardly-earned estimate of temptation, or from a life vivid and intense enough to have created a wide fellow-feeling with all that is human.” George Eliot The Mill on the Floss

We can no longer leave this important matter in the hands of the Sunday-school. Morality must become a top priority for scientific study.

[Patheya]

coberst!
what do you get from sending these posts? Why do you do it? Its a personal question, but I'm really interested.

[coberst]

I am convinced that we (citizens of the USA) must become more intellectually sophisticated quickly if we wish to save the species from self destruction.

We have developed a technology that places in our hands far more power than we have the sophistication to manage safely; the present economic crisis is an example.

I am a self-actualizing self-learner and I am confident that only if many more citizens become such self-learners will we have any chance of saving our species and perhaps even the planet.

I read lots of stuff and write as an aid to learning. I post many of my writings in the hope that my readers will become engaged with the idea of the post and with the idea to become self-learners.

[Patheya]

Originally Posted by coberst

I am convinced that we (citizens of the USA) must become more intellectually sophisticated quickly if we wish to save the species from self destruction.

We have developed a technology that places in our hands far more power than we have the sophistication to manage safely; the present economic crisis is an example.

I am a self-actualizing self-learner and I am confident that only if many more citizens become such self-learners will we have any chance of saving our species and perhaps even the planet.

I read lots of stuff and write as an aid to learning. I post many of my writings in the hope that my readers will become engaged with the idea of the post and with the idea to become self-learners.

I understand. Thank you for caring.

[Thomas Knierim]

In Europe, ethics is part of the philosophy curriculum, which is taught in high schools. I am not sure if one could call it "science of morality"; it's more an investigation of historical ideas that surround morality. Isn't philosophy taught as a high school subject in the US?

Cheers, Thomas

[Akamu]

Originally Posted by Thomas Knierim

In Europe, ethics is part of the philosophy curriculum, which is taught in high schools. I am not sure if one could call it "science of morality"; it's more an investigation of historical ideas that surround morality. Isn't philosophy taught as a high school subject in the US?

Cheers, Thomas

Philosophy was not even offered in my highschool, nor am I aware of it being taught at any other highschool in my city. If you ask the average teenager here, they wouldn't be able to tell you what philosophy is.

[the_aphid]

Originally Posted by Thomas Knierim

In Europe, ethics is part of the philosophy curriculum, which is taught in high schools. I am not sure if one could call it "science of morality"; it's more an investigation of historical ideas that surround morality. Isn't philosophy taught as a high school subject in the US?

Cheers, Thomas

I haven't heard of philosophy being offered in any Canadian high schools either. Once I took my first philosophy course in University (as an elective) I couldn't help by wonder why such a course wasn't mandatory in high school alongside mathematics, chemistry, biology, english, etc.

[coberst]

We have inherited certain moral instincts from our non human animal ancestors. These moral impulses are essential for our social harmony and for our survival as a species. We have allowed religion to take command of these matters and have failed to focus our rational abilities on these matters. A study of our history shows the disaster that has resulted. We have developed a technology that places great power in our hands and we lack the sophistication, especially in matters of morality, to control such great power.

We have the ability to perform a systematic and disciplined study (science) of any domain of knowledge. I am aiming for a science of morality and thereby to remove the impression that this is a responsibility only for theologians and priests. If we do not get a handle on this matter we will surly self-destruct before long.

[coberst]

Originally Posted by the_aphid

I haven't heard of philosophy being offered in any Canadian high schools either. Once I took my first philosophy course in University (as an elective) I couldn't help by wonder why such a course wasn't mandatory in high school alongside mathematics, chemistry, biology, english, etc.

I think that one can properly say that CT (Critical Thinking) is philosophy lite. CT should be taught in K-12 but is done so in few if any schools. The core of CT is Logic 101, which is the fundamental course in the art and science of reasoning.

We must make judgments constantly in our life and it is a disgrace that our (USA) educational system fails to teach CT which can be called the art and science of good judgment.

I am convinced that this slight in our educational system is intentional. Those who determine public policy want an uncritical and docile citizenry so that they can more easily gain their selfish goals.

[sonrisa]

I have to agree with you here Coberst. I thought dubya was/is unqualified to be Prez, but this last election cycle takes the cake!! How did we end up with an even more unqualified doofus?!!? Cuz people bought some idiot dog & pony bs about change?!!? What sort of change? Am I gonna like this so-called change? Will it be beneficial to me in the long run? Or even the short run? Did anybody get any straight answers? Then there was all the misogyny going on, but that's another topic. How much you wanna bet this "change" turns out to be same old same old? We're in for a rough 4 years.