RE: MD MoQ platypuses

From: Platt Holden (pholden@sc.rr.com)
Date: Sun Sep 21 2003 - 14:42:31 BST

  • Next message: Platt Holden: "RE: MD MoQ platypuses"

    Hi Patrick,

    Platt
    > > But, the problem with the principle of "what matters is the > >
    situation
    > > at hand" or "situational ethics" is that it quickly leads to the
    > > principle of "anything goes."
    > >
    > > I don't see anything in Rorty that would negate his adherence to the
    > > "anything goes" principle other than a gang saying what's moral are
    > > the the gang's rules.
    > >
    > > Do you find in reading Rorty any situation where he would step in and
    > > say, "That's wrong" -- I mean besides his rule that it's wrong to
    > > invoke general moral principles?

    Patrick
    > Okay, the extreme relativistic stance, anything goes, every idea equals
    > every other idea in it's value, etc. But when one comes to the
    > conclusion that there is no one single objective truth out there, it
    > doesn't mean that there is no truth at all.

    The question still is, "Do you find any situation where Rorty would
    step in and say 'That's wrong.'"? Since you conclude there is some
    truth somewhere, the next question is, "Like what?"

    > Don't you agree, for example
    > (forgetting Rorty's point of view for a moment (where I only glanced
    > at)) that the Good doesn't exist as such, but that there are different
    > forms of very high quality in different settings? That the one good
    > quality is not equal, is incommensurable (to use a fancy word again)
    > with another good quality?

    I believe Good does exist "as such" as Dynamic Quality. And yes, there
    are different forms of high quality in different settings as Pirsig
    points out repeatedly by referring to his hierarchy of quality levels.
    High quality for a smallpox germ is not high quality for a you or me.

    Greetings reciprocated (to use a fancy word) :-)
    Platt

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