Re: Rights and Morality: The Primethic Decision

Kennita Watson (kwatson@netcom.com)
Thu, 2 Oct 1997 08:33:21 -0700


>> I distinguish "moral" from "ethical". I see ethics as being pro-survival
>> (at least for the person holding them). Morals are handed down from a
>> "higher authority" and as such I tend to ignore or laugh at them.
>>
>> Kennita
>
Lee Crocker responds:
>I can't find anything to support these particular definitions; every
>dictionary I have defines "ethical" and "moral" in terms of each other,

Did I say _one_ word about dictionary definitions?

>Because these definitions are so vague, I think it makes little sense
>to maintain any distinction unless glossed for a particular argument
>and limited to that argument.

Actually, I'm attempting to create a de facto meaning, if not definition,
but I at least thought that I was explicit about that. Hm -- I guess I
left out the additional "As I see it" before morals -- sorry.

I have enough faults -- please don't attribute ones I don't have out of
frustration at other people having them, OK?

Thanks,
Kennita (in a fit of pique -- one of the three QA engineers I lead quit
yesterday with 0 days notice and I'm still recovering)

Kennita Watson | The bond that links your true family is not one of blood,
kwatson@netcom.com| but of respect and joy in each other's life. Rarely do
| members of the same family grow up under the same roof.
| -- Richard Bach, _Illusions_