Do we need Ethics and Morals?

[rigney]

Yesterday I was watching the sad state of affairs our nations highest court is trying to unravel for us. During the telecast a bit of humor came up. Seems that powerful New York school moguls have decided that some words in their present day curriculum are not conducive to good learning for some students, so they are going about changing the leapords spots for everyone. I'll not try convincing you as to how I feel about it, and while the following is a bit of a read, it's well worth the time. I would certainly like your input.

 

http://open.salon.com/blog/annie_keeghan/2012/03/26/news_flash_new_york_educators_reject_dinosaurs

[questionposter]

Yesterday I was watching the sad state of affairs our nations highest court is trying to unravel for us. During the telecast a bit of humor came up. Seems that powerful New York school moguls have decided that some words in their present day curriculum are not conducive to good learning for some students, so they are going about changing the leapords spots for everyone. I'll not try convincing you as to how I feel about it, and while the following is a bit of a read, it's well worth the time. I would certainly like your input.

 

http://open.salon.co...eject_dinosaurs

 

Ethics in Morales in general we need in order to have a society. Modern society is built on the specialization of workers, but workers can only specialize if they have enough resources to not constantly spend energy looking for food themselves, which can only happen by working together.

I guess in my opinion I would say the ancient religions served their purpose in bringing people together and advocating just being nice, but nowadays we need something more advanced.

Edited March 31, 2012 by questionposter

[rigney]

Ethics in Morales in general we need in order to have a society. Modern society is built on the specialization of workers, but workers can only specialize if they have enough resources to not constantly spend energy looking for food themselves, which can only happen by working together.

I guess in my opinion I would say the ancient religions served their purpose in bringing people together and advocating just being nice, but nowadays we need something more advanced.

 

The real issue is whether or not we teach to enforce the knowledge of our children, or undercut that knowledge by deleting words, phrases and history from their curriculum that we find unnecessary and don't want them to know or even hear. Words like, dinosaurs, cookies, cake, piggy bank, slavery and war, among many others. Religion has done little in creating a more civilized world, but Ethics, Morals, Truth and History have, and will continue to do so as long as they are allowed to guide us. Edited April 1, 2012 by rigney

[questionposter]

The real issue is whether or not we teach to enforce the knowledge of our children, or undercut that knowledge by deleting words, phrases and history from their curriculum that we find unnecessary and don't want them to know or even hear. Words like, dinosaurs, cookies, cake, piggy bank, slavery and war, among many others. Religion has done little in creating a more civilized world, but Ethics, Morals, Truth and History have, and will continue to do so as long as they are allowed to guide us.

 

No, the issue is that people can't be afraid to explore and grow. I'm pretty sure religion is a large reason why many people aren't just going around and killing people and stealing everything. Perhaps in modern times more people are realizing they can function morally without a religion to follow, but there's still many people who think otherwise.

[Phi for All]

The real issue is whether or not we teach to enforce the knowledge of our children, or undercut that knowledge by deleting words, phrases and history from their curriculum that we find unnecessary and don't want them to know or even hear. Words like, dinosaurs, cookies, cake, piggy bank, slavery and war, among many others.

I'm a fan of education. I don't agree with hiding knowledge. When my child was old enough to understand what we were saying, we told her that bottles and jars that weren't in the pantry or refrigerator were never for drinking or eating, that they most likely had solutions in them that would harm her. We never had any poisoning incidents. I know parents who tried to hide the chemicals in their house without explaining and when their children eventually found them they had no idea they were poisonous (no permanent damage occurred, no thanks to the parents).

 

I can't even imagine trying to strike the word dinosaur from schools. Not teaching about slavery simply means that the next person who gets the idea of forcing someone to work for you will have no context to judge for themselves why it's wrong. Showing how the wrong way is wrong is every bit as important as showing why right is right. I also think identifying moral grey areas is important, if only to show why accepting responsibility for your actions is important. You should be able to break the speed limit for your own reasons as long as you're willing to accept the consequences your actions may bring about, whether it's a traffic ticket or a ten-car-pileup with injuries.

 

I'm pretty sure religion is a large reason why many people aren't just going around and killing people and stealing everything. Perhaps in modern times more people are realizing they can function morally without a religion to follow, but there's still many people who think otherwise.

I absolutely hate the thought that there are so many people out there whose morals revolve around their (steadfast? semi-solid? tenuous? wavering? critically compromised?) faith that a deity will punish them if they kill or steal from people.

[rigney]

I'm a fan of education. I don't agree with hiding knowledge. When my child was old enough to understand what we were saying, we told her that bottles and jars that weren't in the pantry or refrigerator were never for drinking or eating, that they most likely had solutions in them that would harm her. We never had any poisoning incidents. I know parents who tried to hide the chemicals in their house without explaining and when their children eventually found them they had no idea they were poisonous (no permanent damage occurred, no thanks to the parents).

 

I can't even imagine trying to strike the word dinosaur from schools. Not teaching about slavery simply means that the next person who gets the idea of forcing someone to work for you will have no context to judge for themselves why it's wrong. Showing how the wrong way is wrong is every bit as important as showing why right is right. I also think identifying moral grey areas is important, if only to show why accepting responsibility for your actions is important. You should be able to break the speed limit for your own reasons as long as you're willing to accept the consequences your actions may bring about, whether it's a traffic ticket or a ten-car-pileup with injuries.

 

 

I absolutely hate the thought that there are so many people out there whose morals revolve around their (steadfast? semi-solid? tenuous? wavering? critically compromised?) faith that a deity will punish them if they kill or steal from people.

 

Until there is an absolute congruous relationship between nations, there can be no harmony among people. Today we find so many reasons to blame others for the worlds ills, we fail to realize our own involvement as being part of the problem. Morals and ethics supersede both God(s) or Scientific initiatives. Edited April 1, 2012 by rigney