Right vs. Wrong; Legal vs. Illegal; Good vs. Bad

[Tanya Voytus]

We had a great conversation in class today, students, and I hope that
we can keep that topic going here.

Although I think we covered what was important concerning trolling,
and cyberbullying, something that we didn’t get to discuss in depth
that I’d like to hear your thoughts on is what I brought up concerning
the differences between Right vs. Wrong (with the capital letters,
think more in universal terms) and Legal vs. Illegal.

A major part of philosophy is seeking out the true definitions of
words. How can we discuss something if we don’t first know what it
is? So, what I’d like you to do is offer up some definitions for
these words (one, or more if you like).

Let’s get philosophizing!

[Mr. Fletcher]

I would believe that a major aspect in defining these words is to ask
which of these can be universally applied. If we look at Legal and
Illegal, these are institutionalized words and can be applied to any
population under a single controlling body. However, looking at Good,
Bad, Right and Wrong will have less roots in a concrete world. Can
Right and Wrong be applied universally? Are they cultural, regional,
personal, or even possibly too abstract to be real? How about Good and
Bad? Where do these concepts stem from? Are they based in actions,
intentions, consequences, or something else entirely. I don't want to
jump into these all myself, but this is where I am starting with this
subject.

[lexabym...@aol.com]

I was thinking about this a lot today and it was really hard for me.
There are so many factors that go into those two words. It's all about
perspective and I don't feel like I can put an absolute definition
into either of them. I started by thinking of something like the death
penalty. Is that right or wrong? Well, it all depends. It's so
complicated and I know that's not a straight answer, but for now, it's
all I've got.

[Stephen Fischer]

I believe that people know the difference between Right vs. Wrong.
But, just because something is right doesn't make it wrong, and vice
versa. It all depends on the scenario at the time. If you are given a
certain situation, and it focuses on split-second thinking, you make
the best decision at the current time. In an instant, you react, and
whether the outcome is good or bad, you thought, at the time, it was
the Right thing to do.
--
Regarding Legal vs. Illegal, should cyberbullying, for example, be
Illegal? That's where complications start to appear. You can't
implement a law making something Illegal, that is almost impossible to
monitor. There are so many variables in that aspect. Can you know
someone's feelings behind the screen of a computer? Do you know how
their lives are beyond that computer screen? Don't get me wrong, I
wish cyberbullying wouldn't happen, but as terrible as this sounds,
you can't help everyone, even over the internet. If there was a law
passed for cyberbullying to be legalized, I would be all for it. It's
just, how would you monitor every forum, social media website, or
places to chat amongst other individuals (AOL Messenger, Chat rooms,
etc.)?

[Mr. Fletcher]

From Dylan

"Right and Wrong aren't just simple ideas. They have so many factors
that they are constructed from. We all have our own answer for what is
right, and for what is wrong? Why are they different? Because we each
have our own basis for defining right and wrong. Each and every human
has created their own set of principals- morals, values, and ethics.
These different factors have many different vantages. I cannot even
begin trying to explain how these different ideas form our individual
basis. To further explain this, I would need to have an understanding
about this assignment and what to touch on vs. What not to......thanks"

[Tanya Voytus]

What you're showing is good. You're open to ideas, and you realize
that there's no absolute or correct answer to really any of these
questions. It's all about how it fits into your world. You should
keep asking questions and thinking these things through in your head.
A good method is to throw out your ideas - what specifically did you
think about when you thought about whether the death penalty was right
or wrong? - and let others respond. Sometimes if you throw out your
ideas, you could incite something in someone else, and you can help
each other reach a more solid answer. Good post.

[Tanya Voytus]

You say "people know the difference between Right and Wrong". Does
that mean everyone has the conception? What we talked about in class
is how we all felt sort of "icky" about what that man wrote on the
girl's memorial site. We felt that it was wrong, but couldn't explain
for sure WHY it was wrong. Also, sometimes people do actions that
they deem right and others deem wrong (e.g., flying a plane into the
Twin Towers in the name of a personal god). How do we account for
that? Do they know what Right is? Do you? I agree with you, though,
that Rightness of an action or event is subject to the circumstances
surrounding it. I'm not sure that split-second thinking always comes
up with the best choice, though.

Legality is a different issue entirely. Here's something to think
about - should politics and government be driven by Morality?

On Sep 25, 5:29 pm, Stephen Fischer <stephen.fischer.1...@gmail.com>
wrote:

[Tanya Voytus]

Some questions to steer you in a direction: Is there anything that
can be universal in Morality? Does the understanding of Morality come
from the head or the heart (logic or emotion)?

On Sep 26, 9:40 am, "Mr. Fletcher" <mr.fletcher.sage...@gmail.com>
wrote: