X-Message-Number: 15150
From: "Dani Kollin" <>
Subject: RE: CryoNet #15123
Date: Thu, 21 Dec 2000 16:39:32 +0200

<SNIP>
I think that the predispostion to act in accordance with ethical
rules also is built-in.  That is, the main difference between some
people who regularly act ethically and those people who rarely do
so does not arise from religious indoctination nor from their early
upbringing.  I submit that instead, the emotional rewards and
punishments that follow your acting either honestly or dishonestly,
kindly or unkindly, and so on, are for the most part wired into your
genome, and were in clear evidence by the time you were five or six
years old.

Perhaps. But The question behind it all is what determines what is an
ethical act? Is female castration "ethical"? To those that do it the anwer
is an unequivicable "yes".
The Romans used to throw girl babies down the toilet upon birth with nary a
thought. Perhaps they even thought it was the "right" thing to do. Was it?
Today we'd say "no". But why? Judeo/Christian morays infused within the
fabric of our society? So while I don't neccessarily argue that ethics may
in fact be built in the question is by what standard? Some argue the 10
commandments, others argue Nature, yet others argue Reason.

Dani

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