Moral trump card: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 09:21, 25 January 2024

Regardless of whether they admit it or not, any system of ethics has an implied ethical calculus.

Anything considered an absolute moral good or evil within an ethical system, where it is unacceptable under any circumstances, can be considered to have infinite moral value in the utilitarian ethical calculus.

The presence of infinity really messes with your equations, as anyone familiar with math knows. In reality there are no infinities in utilitarianism because any action can only have a finite impact on human happiness. Except maybe blowing up the universe. Destroying the entire universe would be infinitely bad. Everything else is finite.

In the quality of life versus quantity of life moral quandary, the notion of "thou shalt not kill" is the quintessential moral trump card. If the fetus counts as a human life, then abortion is murder, and you can't beat murder so we take the trick.

The Obligatory and Prohibited are Trump Cards, but 99.9% Prohibited is still pretty cut and dry.

These moral absolutes often lead to morally outrageous outcomes while bolstering the believer with a false sense of righteousness. By playing the trump card, they appear to be taking a principled moral stance, when they actually just lack nuance.

For more card-based metaphors see The Gambler or listen to this song.

Grateful Dead - Loser (Live Cornell 1977)

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-Regardless of whether they realize it or not, any system of ethics has an implied [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethical_calculus ethical calculus].
+[[File:Moral-trump-card-ace-hearts.jpg|thumb|The Moral Trump Card]]
+Regardless of whether they admit it or not, any system of [[ethics]] has an implied [[wikipedia:Ethical_calculus|ethical calculus]].
-Anything considered an absolute moral good or evil within an ethical system, where it is unacceptable under any circumstances, can be considered to have [[infinite]] moral value.
+Anything considered an absolute moral good or evil within an ethical system, where it is unacceptable under any circumstances, can be considered to have [[infinite]] moral value in the [[utilitarian]] ethical calculus.
-In the [[quality of life versus quantity of life]] moral quandary, the notion of "thou shalt not kill" is the quintessential Trump Good.
+The presence of infinity really messes with your equations, as anyone familiar with [[math]] knows. In [[reality]] there are no infinities in [[utilitarianism]] because any action can only have a finite impact on human [[happiness]]. Except maybe blowing up the [[universe]]. Destroying the entire [[universe]] would be infinitely bad. Everything else is finite.
-Given that these moral absolutes serve as a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump_(card_games) Trump card] that so often leads to morally outrageous outcomes while bolstering the believer with a false sense of moral righteousness, to the point that you will even elect [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump Trump] who is the embodiment of moral outrage and false righteousness in their service, they will be referred to here as a "Trump good".
+In the [[quality of life versus quantity of life]] moral quandary, the notion of "thou shalt not kill" is the quintessential moral [[wikipedia:Trump_(card_games)|trump card]]. If the fetus counts as a human life, then [[abortion]] is murder, and you can't beat murder so we [[wikipedia:Trick-taking_game|take the trick]].
+[[File:Ethics-Morality-Grid.png|thumb|The Obligatory and Prohibited are Trump Cards, but 99.9% Prohibited is still pretty cut and dry.]]
+These [[moral]] absolutes often lead to morally outrageous outcomes while bolstering the believer with a false sense of righteousness. By playing the trump card, they appear to be taking a principled moral stance, when they actually just lack nuance.
+For more card-based [[metaphors]] see [[The Gambler]] or listen to this song.
+{{#ev:youtube|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdexAK_KDrE||center|Grateful Dead - Loser (Live Cornell 1977)|frame}}