Robin Wilton's esoterica

       
 
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24 Sep · Sat 2005

The practicality of splitting moral hairs


Is this morally better or morally worse? "Israeli forces plan to resume targeted killings of militants and seal off the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the officials added." BBC News article It felt as though something would change, with the cessation of Israeli occupation of the Gaza strip and its return to some form of nominal self-determination, if not independence. In the event, it seems that the problem is this: from the Israeli perspective, the withdrawal was itself a sufficient condition for the Gaza Palestinians to cease to be a problem. From the Palestinian perspective, it's one of a necessary but insufficient set of conditions. Trouble is, causality and morality are very different beasts. I'm sure there is some moral difference between extra-judicial assassinations in an occupied territory and extra-judicial assassinations in someone else's territory. I'm not sure I can see it yet, though.
Posted by racingsnake @ 09:52 PM GMT+00:00

The sacred and the public


Strangely, most people I ask these days have not heard the story of Brer Rabbit and the Tar Baby. That might be an English thing... I wasn't brought up in England. It's a shame, though, because it's not only a great story and fable, it's also a fabulous metaphor - especially in this age of blogs, trolls, flame wars and the like. So at the risk that this will turn out to be a swing at a tar baby... I think I may have found an antidote to Ann Coulter. There is a somewhat 'theist' notion that different religions can be thought of as separate paths up the same mountain. It's one I have found congenial in the past. However, in this thought provoking piece, A.C. Grayling, Birkbeck College Professor of Philosophy, succinctly argues that this view can only logically be held by someone who is not a follower of any of those particular paths, which is obvious once it's pointed out, but still profound. He extrapolates this into the social and, more tellingly, the political context. If there's an argument against the public sector expression of religious views, this is it, not the clammy hind-brain rantings of la Coulter.
Posted by racingsnake @ 08:37 PM GMT+00:00
 
 
 
 
 
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Such views as I express in this blog are based on my own opinions, experience and judgements. They do not necessarily represent the policy or views of my employer. It is not my intention to offend readers in any way. If you find anything on this blog offensive, please contact me in the first instance.
Robin Wilton
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