Moral assertions and sense perception
''I believe that each person's morality is his own value system. Morality is the sense about what is good and what is not.''
This is the most simple definition I can give of morality. I think it's a sound definition that does not allow mulptiple interpretations or double meaning. It stands as it is.
Everyone has it's own value system and acts accordingly. Through our morals and actions we also reflect what we value and how. While we all value quite different things in life, or even contrary, there is also I believe a solid common ground that we hopefully stand as it comes to a realistic appreciation of what is good and what is not. There are common values among us all and actually they are pretty basic and solid and that is conforting. There is also much evil too. This is contradictory.
I consider these as facts:
- There is good and bad regardless of the frame of reference ( individual morality).
- We reflect our convictions through our morality.
- Personal choice is also involved regarding the shaping of the frame of reference.
These three facts stand also as they are. They are not based on each other and no fact is a prerequisite to any. What they actually imply are three notions:
- Authenticity
- Ability
- Choice
In my conviction, part of the contradiction I mentioned before stems from attempts that try to place a different weight on each of the the afforementioned notions. In fact there is a different weight in every notion but in order for them to work properly in conjuction the weight should reamain fixed. I believe that the notion of authenticity, the is, outweighs the other two notions. If ability or choice had the upper hand that would mean that my convictions could ultimately determine what is good or what is bad. I think someone could easily see the problem and the danger here.
In addition, since we are all unique human beings we all have a unique frame of reference. This is determined by our lives/ experiences/ choices. Yet this uniqueness implies neither difference nor comparison. We all live in the same world and our unique perception through reasoning and sensing has led us to some basic held convictions about the nature of goodness. This is the common ground!
I don't think there is much room for relativism here!
I'd like to say thank you @endlessknot for your article Arguing About Ethics: Part 1 and for the discussion that followed! You inspired me to take the time and write down some thoughts too :)