Philosophy Now Forum

A) Butterflies are also symbols of freedom, innocence etcetera. I could smash any stone I like with a big hammer and would not be called immoral, but then if I go to Mecca and smash the black stone (meteorite) of the Kabba it would be considered highly immoral.

B) Butterflies don't bite or sting and are pleasant to see. It would seem more moral to kill a venomous spider as there is a chance it may bite someone nearby.


The thumbs up for squashing rats comes basically from the fact that they carried a disease (though it was actually the flea on the rat) which had devastating implications, especially the Black death. And butterflies don't eat crops.


(Warning: a guy looks like he carelessly steps on a mouse or two in this video)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCOorXAjVno

Morality is essentially based on survival drives particular to our species

Bernard wrote:A) Butterflies are also symbols of freedom, innocence etcetera. I could smash any stone I like with a big hammer and would not be called immoral, but then if I go to Mecca and smash the black stone (meteorite) of the Kabba it would be considered highly immoral.

B) Butterflies don't bite or sting and are pleasant to see. It would seem more moral to kill a venomous spider as there is a chance it may bite someone nearby.


The thumbs up for squashing rats comes basically from the fact that they carried a disease (though it was actually the flea on the rat) which had devastating implications, especially the Black death. And butterflies don't eat crops.


(Warning: a guy looks like he carelessly steps on a mouse or two in this video)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCOorXAjVno

Morality is essentially based on survival drives particular to our species

You morality has NOTHING to do with survival drives!

Butterflies lay evil eggs on all crops, their caterpillars eat and destroy many important food crops.

Bernard wrote:A) Butterflies are also symbols of freedom, innocence etcetera. I could smash any stone I like with a big hammer and would not be called immoral, but then if I go to Mecca and smash the black stone (meteorite) of the Kabba it would be considered highly immoral.

B) Butterflies don't bite or sting and are pleasant to see. It would seem more moral to kill a venomous spider as there is a chance it may bite someone nearby.

Sometimes a reply looks like it's intended as a joke but I'm never entirely sure around here.

i think he was being ironic.

chaz wyman wrote:i think he was being ironic.

Well I thought so but with some of the opinions expressed on here lately I was afraid to assume anything.

read it again

Before I sink
Into the big sleep
I want to hear
I want to hear
The scream of the butterfly

I'm a monkey's Uncle if morality has nothing to do with survival drive.

Bernard wrote:

Before I sink
Into the big sleep
I want to hear
I want to hear
The scream of the butterfly

I'm a monkey's Uncle if morality has nothing to do with survival drive.

What you said was 'essentially based', I think that is going too far, mainly because most morality has no interest in survival, and it is not even clear that a 'survival drive' is a useful or easily identifiable phenomenon.
But further than that - how do you account for loving destructive butterflies?
Why is it wrong to kill all lions and tigers and bears?
How come we find it horrible that some cultures each dogs and cats?

PS - you are a monkey's uncle and so am I.

There are naughty butterflies like there are dark angels, but on the whole these are exceptions.

My recent family history has no occurrence of bestiality, as far as I am aware.
Look, Darwin's theory was one of the greatest scientific leaps ever. I have no problem there. Why would I? I don't really know anyone who seriously believes otherwise, and never have. You seem at times a trite paranoid.


Morality is about making judgements of what is right and wrong, and these judgments are on the whole made as a matter of convenience. Its inconvenient to have serial killers roaming around, so we judge them as bad and lock them up, rightly. If we didn't have our agreed upon and immediate black and white judgments, our social order would not be able to be systemized and structured. Some areas of morality are still grey, while others are returning to grey.

Bernard wrote:There are naughty butterflies like there are dark angels, but on the whole these are exceptions.
.

Rubbish!! All butterflies are caterpillars that eat plants. Most plants are useful to man, therefore butterflies are evil.

God help us!
http://www.google.com.au/search?q=death ... 24&bih=653

Bernard you sure you want a god to help? what about a goddess? lol

Could be something in it. Do you keep one supplied in your handbag? Or should one never question the contents of a lady's accoutrement without serious cause? Is 'lady' sexist these days? Its so confusing!

Bernard wrote:God isn't even an it.

And a goddess is the female version of not an it.

Damn, you got to that statement before I deleted. You're quick! I thought some Christian or other might be offended.