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Daily Dose of Reason -
Ethics
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Written by Michael J. Hurd, Ph.D.
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Wednesday, 28 January 2009 00:00 |
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 An explanation tells you the cause of something. An excuse tells you why a person had no other choice except to act as he or she did.
For example: "I treated you badly because I was drunk." Being drunk explains the lack of rationality; but it doesn't excuse the choice to become drunk. Or: "I am nasty to my husband because my parents were nasty to me." That explains where the nastiness was learned; but it doesn't excuse the choice not to learn new habits and attitudes.
People who merge excuses and explanations into one are using psychology, science and reason to evade (or rationalize away) the reality of choice. Sometimes we have no choice, but most of the time we do. It's helpful to find explanations for things so that we can make better choices in the future--not so we can ignore that choices exist. |
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Daily Dose of Reason -
Ethics
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Written by Michael J. Hurd, Ph.D.
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Friday, 09 January 2009 00:00 |
 The worst kind of people are the ones who claim "there is no right or wrong", in theory -- while in practice, treat their word as right and expect you to do the same. It goes beyond hypocrisy. It's intimidation and even dictatorship. Their claim that there is no objective knowledge leads to a condition of both personal and intellectual chaos. If there's no certainty, then how can there be serenity? Force, intimidation and rabid emotionalism fill the void where certainty should have been. It's a myth that people who assert objective truth are authoritarians. The real authoritarians are the liars who claim there is no truth -- as a "truth," no less. |
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Daily Dose of Reason -
Ethics
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Written by Michael J. Hurd, Ph.D.
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Monday, 29 December 2008 00:00 |
 Being on time isn't for the sake of the other person. It's a reflection of your own self-respect, and of your own mental and physical organization. You'll find that people who are habitually late, and who don't care about it, are simply out of focus, and have low standards. You'll find that people who are habitually late, and who feel guilty about it, are concerned about others, but not for themselves. They are "codependent" types caring for the world while neglecting themselves. If someone is habitually on time, they have already told you a lot about who they are -- and what they aren't. |
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Daily Dose of Reason -
Ethics
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Written by Michael J. Hurd, Ph.D.
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Thursday, 25 December 2008 00:00 |
 In theory, Christmas is supposed to be about selflessness. In practice, Christmas is about giving and receiving presents. Those who condemn Christmas for being "selfishly materialistic" are ignoring that Christmas is about the giving AND receiving of presents. Christmas, as we know it, implies that both giving and getting are equally valuable, and that there can be rational self-interest in giving (to one whom you love) as well as getting. I know that Christmas is supposed to be based on the ethic of suffering, self-sacrifice and giving up. Those who like that ethic will continue to complain. I propose that we leave Christmas as it is -- and take another look at the prevailing ethic. |
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Daily Dose of Reason -
Ethics
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Written by Michael J. Hurd, Ph.D.
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Monday, 15 December 2008 00:00 |
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 "She did me this favor, expecting nothing in return."
Most of us consider this a GOOD thing. I don't. If someone does something nice for me -- free of charge, and not asking for an exchange -- then I assume one very important thing: That I have already paid them, in some way. Otherwise, they should never have done it. |
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