Quote:
Originally Posted by Angela  Who says there's a father goal? In fact, who says there has to be a goal at all? |
I have a few thoughts on this which I can't justify in this reply but are worth considering and if you want to find justification I can offer the sources of my arguments.
It could be argued that without a teleology, and an account of what we think is good and bad that derives from that teleology, we are in a severely deprived state. Without an objective understanding of good and bad we are left with moral debates that cannot be settled.
Abortion
Euthanasia
Crime and punishment
Foreign policy
Whether person A deserves to receive what they have earned or whether priority should go to ensuring person B has basic "human rights" and reduce A's salary in order to give B what they need.
You've heard all the arguments for and against. You know that there is no "right" answer. It's because it comes down to choosing which values mean most to us and eventually it is a matter of "opinion". Nevertheless we act as if we have objective reasons for holding our opinions in spite of this fact. It is a facade of objectivity.
Ever noticed that so much of political debate involves "unmasking" the opposition? Well ultimately everyone can be unmasked as having fictional arguments for holding their viewpoint and in the end the loudest voice in these very shrill debates will "win."
Without a socially assented to concept of the true end of human life we are left with emotivism. In emotivism the distinction between manipulative and non-manipulative behaviours is lost, as well as the distinction between power and authority. Emotivism fosters manipulative social relationships, a government devoid of real authority and these incommensurable moral debates. What's more without a knowledge of our place in the world, many people feel (rightly or wrongly) that their life is devoid of meaning.
What can provide meaning? What could be the ultimate telos of human life? Becoming aware of God. Whether this appreciation be found through meditation, reading Eckhart Tolle's books or good old religion, it doesn't matter. Subordinate to the appreciation of God/oneness/The Now would be human virtues. These are characteristics that we could praise as being beneficial to providing a peaceful society, with economic growth and good living standards. Law exists simultaneously. Anybody who breaks the law can be considered to have signed themselves out of society because they clearly don't share the common goal. People are not punished for a lack of virtue but there is no praise to be found in it.
We therefore have a metaphysical telos and a practical account of the virtues to which we can aspire to mould our character.