Is morality just codified human preference? Or is it given and absolute? How are our notions of right and wrong related to our evolved psychology and semantics?
These are some of the difficult questions Eliezer Yudkowsky tackles in a series of posts that I feel compelled to link to. So, here they are. Do read them in the same order.
The articles are long and the arguments presented in the form of dialogues. Thus the reading takes some effort, which, however is amply rewarded. I should add Yudkowsky’s disclaimer that his own position on the matter is not represented by any of the parties depicted in these articles but will be elaborated in a follow-up post.
It is probably fair to say that the linked articles contain no new revelations (at least none that I haven’t myself derived). However their greatness lies in the way the central arguments and rebuttals have been crystallised, presented and clarified. Looking forward to the next one!
Empirical evidence is proof that when men cannot sit down and come to an agreement they take up clubs to force a decision. And it so happens that fairness is irrelevant in either case.
In “Is Morality Given?”, Subhan asks-
“If morality is this mysterious given thing, from beyond space and time – and I don’t even see why we should follow it, in that case – but in any case, if morality exists independently of human nature….”
Well, it does not.
Is morality preference? Yes, it is definitely the subject matter of considered choice, but not plain desire.
Gave me a headache.
[...] July 29, 2008 by Abhishek Earlier today, Eliezer Yudkowski wrote the final post of his long series of articles on the nature of morality which I had blogged about here. [...]