saving the world, writing my thesis, etc.
i'm going to post this now because i want the feedback, even though it's not as complete as it could be. i may flesh it out as time goes on and if people want clarification.
note: i make some potentially broad and unsupported claims, such as that it's a myth that we're in iraq to spread democracy. because i'm only using these claims for the sake ( Read more... )
note: i make some potentially broad and unsupported claims, such as that it's a myth that we're in iraq to spread democracy. because i'm only using these claims for the sake ( Read more... )
But our minds are evolved, and therefore the idea that we should, let alone could be logically consistent is likely false.
Take morality, for instance. We've evolved to be moral beings because this is personally advantageous to us. We have evolved an entire neural structure specifically for empathy. We are born empathetic. But of course, we're also born hungry. I eat meat because I enjoy it. I wouldn't be able, right now, to go out and kill a bunny rabbit. This makes perfect sense- I have never lost my empathy for bunny rabbits. The fact that I will eat one also makes perfect sense, as I am hungry and like the taste of bunny rabbit.
This is not really contradictory, but by your definition is "cognitive dissonance." So what would be your solution? To extrapolate morality?
The simple fact of the matter is that people are only concerned with the morality of the actions they commit because ( ... )
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i don't think cognitive dissonance is abnormal, though i do think it can be morally problematic. i.e., with cognitive dissonance, people can indirectly contribute to practices that they would otherwise feel guilty about contributing towards.
But our minds are evolved, and therefore the idea that we should, let alone could be logically consistent is likely false.
i would like to see you and an economist in a room together, that would be fantastic :). but yes, i generally agree with you: people are not logical much of the time.
This is not really contradictory, but by your definition is "cognitive dissonance." So what would be your solution? To extrapolate morality?say that you had to kill and prepare your own food. as you said, you do not think you would be able to kill a bunny rabbit at the moment. but if you were hungry enough, you might do it. because you said you are empathetic toward ( ... )
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The cognitive dissonance point actually works the other way, I think. If people are forced to chose between their principles and their actions, very often they change their principles and decide that on second thought, they don't care about animals, don't care about justice, etc. Tribal societies have historically tended to be very violent.
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hmm. i would like to see more formalized data on this, though i would believe it. i do know that my mom was raised on a farm, and she has the loosest moral standards toward animals of anyone i interact with on a regular basis.
The cognitive dissonance point actually works the other way, I think. If people are forced to chose between their principles and their actions, very often they change their principles and decide that on second thought, they don't care about animals, don't care about justice, etc.
dammit, you may be right if we're talking about people who cannot have cognitive dissonance, and who are forced to choose between principles and actions. which is somewhat disheartening, but it makes perfect sense and is beneficial in a lot of ways.
Tribal societies have historically tended to be very violent.i never said there were any absolute moral truths that all societies should or should want to adhere ( ... )
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Perspectives change. I mentioned to you that I went up to Ukiah a few days ago with my friend Ian to visit his sister Zephyr and her husband Rain, who are trying to live sustainably off the grid. When we were there, Rain told us about how, the first time he had to kill a mouse, he cried. But after a couple years of trying to grow their own food in the hot, dry climate, he's lost his sympathy for rodents - he can drop a mouse into a bucket, watch it drown, and hardly feel anything.
People don't have to fight for their food anymore, and I think that makes it a lot easier to idealize how food should be obtained.
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