Relativism and Morality Lenn Goodman
RELATIVISM AND MORALITY
Lenn Goodman offers a very good argument about his idea of the things that are wrong. I agree with his argument that four of the things that we should look to in whatever being we worship are “(1) genocide, politically induced famine, and germ warfare; (2) terrorism, hostage taking, and child warriors; (3) slavery, polygamy, and incest; and (4) rape and female genital cutting.” (Goodman, Project Muse, pg 88) When Goodman talks about genocide, famine, and germ warfare, he said that “All living things make claims to life.” and “Murder is wrong because it destroys a human subject.” These are both excellent arguments about why genocide should be universally wrong. Goodman argues that warfare is not always wrong. I disagree with him about this. How many lives have been lost due to war, whether it be germ warfare or any other type of warfare? If war is universally wrong, then the subjects of a community will not need to be protected from other communities or countries. I believe that many wars could be avoided if the four areas Goodman discusses are followed universally. Genocide and famine happen because of fear and hatred. If it is embedded in the customs and traditions of every culture that genocide and political famine are wrong, I believe it will be easier to enforce a loving community and not one that is filled with fear and hatred. The next topics that Goodman discusses are terrorism, hostages and child warriors. All of these things can be avoided if it is universally accepted that warfare is wrong. The best example of terrorism that I can think of was the attack on the world trade center on
9-11. If the world was a more accepting place, and religious views were accepted, no matter what they are, terrorism and war would be decreased. If the world would accept that war was wrong, there would be no terrorism, hostages, or child warriors. This all relates back to my opinion of terrorism happening because of fear.
Lenn Goodman offers a very good argument about his idea of the things that are wrong. I agree with his argument that four of the things that we should look to in whatever being we worship are “(1) genocide, politically induced famine, and germ warfare; (2) terrorism, hostage taking, and child warriors; (3) slavery, polygamy, and incest; and (4) rape and female genital cutting.” (Goodman, Project Muse, pg 88) When Goodman talks about genocide, famine, and germ warfare, he said that “All living things make claims to life.” and “Murder is wrong because it destroys a human subject.” These are both excellent arguments about why genocide should be universally wrong. Goodman argues that warfare is not always wrong. I disagree with him about this. How many lives have been lost due to war, whether it be germ warfare or any other type of warfare? If war is universally wrong, then the subjects of a community will not need to be protected from other communities or countries. I believe that many wars could be avoided if the four areas Goodman discusses are followed universally. Genocide and famine happen because of fear and hatred. If it is embedded in the customs and traditions of every culture that genocide and political famine are wrong, I believe it will be easier to enforce a loving community and not one that is filled with fear and hatred. The next topics that Goodman discusses are terrorism, hostages and child warriors. All of these things can be avoided if it is universally accepted that warfare is wrong. The best example of terrorism that I can think of was the attack on the world trade center on
9-11. If the world was a more accepting place, and religious views were accepted, no matter what they are, terrorism and war would be decreased. If the world would accept that war was wrong, there would be no terrorism, hostages, or child warriors. This all relates back to my opinion of terrorism happening because of fear.