Right or Wrong

Right or Wrong?

Right or Wrong? How many times must an individual be faced with those three words in a lifetime? What makes them choose one or the other? Is the right choice always necessarily the moral choice? Who decides what is right or wrong? These are all relevant questions in this struggling issue in life. Could the belief in karma be enough for one to lead a "good" moral existence? The finger is always pointed towards one's self interest and one's outcome of their decisions. In Thomas Nagel's paper, Right and Wrong, Nagel attempts to explain the differences and the thoughts behind right and wrong decisions. He makes references to personal benefits, religion, and punishments of decision-making. Nagel's paper truly defines thought processes as well as how human beings come to decide life choices and pathways for their futures.
As children we are taught right and wrong. We know that if we take a cookie from the cookie jar before dinner; that is wrong. How did we learn this? Punishment from our parents is usually a good reference to learn from. We knew that if those cookie's were touched before dinner, a time out or no desert at all was given. Eventually, we continue to learn through middle childhood and early adulthood. Most of us learn that if we hit other children on the field or do not share, our teachers become the teachers of right and wrong. If that homework is not completed on time, the failing grade will be given. Then in the long run, we start to discover media and what our society considers right and wrong. We see that if someone commits a crime, the law takes effect and the offender is punished. We learn through trial and error, but what goes on internally? What is the thought process that makes us choose?
At first Nagel references his paper to any individual faced with an ultimatum. As a friend comes to a familiar face with a poor decision, you become stuck in the middle. You have the choice to make a right decision, or a wrong one. If an... [continues]

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