Philosophy Now Forum

Society If we live in a responsible society, and not a free for all. The only question about gambling is whether it is good for society. If not it should be largely removed. It is for Society to decide and not an authoritarian government. But then we appear to be living in a kleptocracy and not a de...

The idea that everything ever done is either ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ can be employed to destroy history. To apologise for the past as being archaic is crass. Britain banned institutional slavery, which is a source of pride. It had been a norm throughout history at some level. Are we to apologise and pay ...

Apologise for he past as archaic? To apologise for the distant past for being archaic is absurd. Britain banned institutional slavery, which is a source of pride. It had been a norm throughout history at some level. Are we to apologise and pay restitution, for the burning of heretics. Ask for forgiv...

HAIDT It has been mentioned elsewhere that, in The Righteous Mind, Jonathan Haidt famously argued that there are six key aspects of moral judgement: care/harm, fairness/cheating, loyalty/betrayal, authority/subversion, sanctity/degradation, and liberty/oppression. People use these according to inbor...

Ten Thousand Years of Civilization and Philosophy A radio debate between philosophers recently about the existence or not of Evil was unbelievable. It is still undecided after aeons of history. We cannot stand outside the world and universe calmly dividing it into good and evil. There is nothing out...

Reith Lecture: Freedom from Fear [or oppression] The talk on this subject was largely about the Ukraine war, rather than about ethical values. In fact Fear is not an ethical value, but a necessary emotion in face of danger. As with love and hate, something very desirable as in our loving what is ‘go...

Reith Lectures: Freedom from Want Taken at its face value, without adornment, or qualification. Freedom from Want is a totally mean aspiration. For a whole country or society, it is a minimalist value of survivalism. If society has nothing then it cannot survive. Within a society Freedom from Want e...

Reith Lectures Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Worship, Freedom from Want, Freedom from Fear. These lectures deal with what may be termed social ethics in the common reductionist or piecemeal way. No doubt the four most pressing concerns we have today. But there are many more ethical values than freed...

Rights and Duties Has the time come for UN Rights to be modified so as to include resposnsibilities or duties. More significantly, modified to reflect what kind of society they are directed at. It is obvious that Authoritarian states do not have human rights above the level of survivalism for the se...

Archaeology & Geology Can archaeology tell us anything about ethics. Modern technology employed in archaeology has enabled surviving written history to be considerably expanded and many semi-mythical dates to be corrected. The prime examply is that ‘creation’ or the beginnings of universal exist...

Remarkably! Some people do not believe Christianity is an authoritarian rule book. Nor in contrast is it the modern populist global love-in. Rather it is an egalitarian responsibility to a positive altruist ethic. All aspects of health and welfare in Britain, should be according to need as practicab...

The UN Human Rights charter is still an excellent document, but does it appear to skate over the Great Divide of today. The individual and Community. The rights of people as autonomous individuals as against rights for societies of mutually responsible people. That is setting aside the virtual lack ...

Ethics of Chaos It is patently obvious that the ethical norm relates to the society we espouse. If that is a world based on personal autonomy then ethics will be attuned accordingly. If the world is authoritarian with demagogues as demigods then another ethic rules. As a third social tendency, if th...

Diversity and Globalisation Cultural-racial diversity is a popular slogan. Usually in reference to how a country such as Britain is populated. The usual justification for whatever is happening rather than any philosophy. It is tied up with globalisation, which tends to be seen in only one way – as a...

Profit and Loss There is a cynical view of commerce. That when goods are bought and sold, the seller makes a profit, therefore the buyer makes a loss. Those who have will have more and those who do not will have less. But that relates to a static body of goods and is a complete travesty. Commerce sh...