How Do You Define Morality?

[DanaC]

From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.

That line sums up my basic philosphy of life and underpins my moral code.

[skysidhe]

Originally Posted by DanaC

From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.

That line sums up my basic philosphy of life and underpins my moral code.

Originally Posted by Griff

The Golden Rule

Originally Posted by 9th Engineer

And in your infinite wisdom you are capable of actually knowing what those are?

Originally Posted by Pie

"Mirror neurons" (aka empathy) are what allow us to "know" what someone else wants/needs. If you can't make an educated guess at what is going on in someone else's head, you're probably autistic or have some other such disorder.

Originally Posted by Griff

Is it because DanaC's philosophy crosses the line from personal to active imposition of her beliefs on others?

[wolf]

Originally Posted by DanaC

From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.

That line sums up my basic philosphy of life and underpins my moral code.

I knew you were a commie.

That's doomed to failure, of course, because of the inevitable human confusion between "needs" and "wants."

[Spexxvet]

Originally Posted by wolf

I knew you were a commie.

That's doomed to failure, of course, because of the inevitable

conservative

Originally Posted by wolf

human confusion between "needs" and "wants."

[orthodoc]

Originally Posted by DanaC

From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.

That line sums up my basic philosphy of life and underpins my moral code.

I can understand some people reacting strongly on reading this, either from emotional reaction or from frustration (or both). Those with family who survived (and didn't survive) the horrors of communism in Russia, which began with the philosophy stated above, will react as strongly as WWII holocaust survivors would to a statement of Nazi belief. (NB I am not directly comparing communism with Nazism here, just comparing survivor reaction.) Their families have lived that social construct and suffered under it.

The trouble is that someone does have to decide what each person shall contribute, and what each person shall 'need'. That's absolute power, something we've been trying to liberate ourselves from (as a system of government) for quite a while.