Skronk wrote:galanter wrote:** "You believe that since the United States has so much power in the world, it has a responsibility to keep the world safe." That's pretty close to it for me.
Where exactly does this "responsibility" come from, Galanter?
I think this is a very interesting question. Somewhere on this board there was some discussion of the relationship of God to morality. For believers the reality of morality is easy...it comes directly from the ground of all being, God.
But for non-believers I tend to think morality is much more difficult. Most of us non-psychopaths have strong feelings of empathy that seem to be intrinsic to our being. And indeed there are reasons to believe that empathy has a strong biological and genetic basis. But that just explains where those feelings come from. It doesn't provide a *rational* basis for morality.
In the late 20th century this lack of a rational basis for morality was partially responsible for the birth of post-modernism and it's various cousins. So for someone like Foucault there is no objective basis for morality, there is only discourse and power.
But most here, from what I've seen, find such a view unattractive and simply don't believe in radical relativism. Most feel morality is real, and while they may not be able to provide ultimate rational proof, they are comfortable with a morality which is akin to "do on to others as you would have them do unto you." Perhaps this feeling is an expression of a biologically hardwired sense of empathy.
So for those folks, the golden rule folks, I'd offer the following which I posted on another board a while back.
"I'm going to give you the boiled down simple version. I'm not unaware of the complexities and nuances, but I want to give you the essence of my feelings on this matter.
First, you have to understand that there have actually been 2 wars in Iraq. The first one was to bump off Saddam. The second one is to fill the vacuum with something just and good.
For the first one...
I believe in the golden rule, and if I was an Iraqi living under Saddam for 25+ years I'd want some help in getting his boot off of my throat. And indeed that was the wish of most Iraqis. And thus doing so was a moral good.
For the second one...
I believe in the golden rule, and if I was an Iraqi living in the current circumstances I'd want the US to stay long enough to prevent Iran, Al Qaeda, the internal militias, and others from creating a slaughter that will make the current carnage look like a day at the beach. And indeed that is the current wish of most Iraqis. And thus doing so is a moral good."