Quote:
Originally posted by Not Me
I disagree. Our morals are innate. Whether we choose to abide by these morals or not is influenced by environment.
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I agree that our basic moral principles are innate. Like Ayn Rand, I buy the idea that the moral is that which serves life, and I think that impulse is a natural one.
It's the application of that principle that we need to learn.
An immoral act has to be an intentional one. A mistake can't define immorality. If I don't understand that brocolli is a sentient being, my eating it isn't evil - it's uninformed. If I don't understand that people consider women to be actual humans, fully as worthwhile as men, than my not hiring one as my bank vice president is a mistake, not evil. When everyone around owns slaves, (and this one is a closer call, admittedly), and accepts it as natural, I think there's a strong argument for the mistake explanation. However, as the issue is discussed and fought out and the points and counterpoints made clear, one can't claim ignorance, and the mistake moves closer to being a knowing one.
