Apr
15
Random Thought
It seems to me that all of Western Civilization can be boiled down to just a few very basic ideas. To wit:
- Right and Wrong (or Correct and Incorrect) exist as objective, absolute elements of the universe. E.g. the statement that 2+2=4 is RIGHT or CORRECT and the statement 2+2=5 is WRONG or INCORRECT
- Human beings, through a variety of means, have the ability to gain insight into the nature of Right and Wrong. Chief among these tools are science, reason, logic, and introspection. E.g. simple study of math, observation, and the use of elementary logic shows why 2=2=4 is CORRECT and 2+2=5 is INCORRECT.
- Propositions 1 and 2 are equally valid for both the physical realm as well as the moral. Just as there are physical rules to the universe that human beings can discover, so too are there rules to the moral universe that can be discovered.
- Human beings have an imperative to conform their actions to these rules: human beings should try to be RIGHT or CORRECT. This is not a normative statement because all sane humans have an innate drive to do what they believe is RIGHT.
- 5 Whenever new evidence is discovered that might alter one’s understanding on the nature of Correct and Incorrect (or Right and Wrong) that evidence is evaluated and ultimately internalized into a newer, more precise understanding.
- When new evidence alters our understanding of Right and Wrong human actions also must change to reflect that new understanding.
In my opinion, the last two propositions are really what sets Western Civilization apart and made the West an historically dominant force for the past few hundred years. It is that Western Civilization is open to self criticism, to revision, and experimentation; that new ideas are constantly developed, tested, and if found significant are added to the collective knowledge of the civilization. And that the civilization readily adapts in light of this.
