As I said: “Only specific applications of tools have moral status.” The action of dripping liquid into my eyes has moral status. The chemical formula of the liquid, whatever it may be, does not. The only chemistry really relevant to morality is the chemistry of our brains that assign moral status to other things.
I know other formulations of “what is morally significant” are possible and sometimes seem useful, but they also seem to lead to the conclusion that everything is morally significant—e.g. assigning moral value to entire universe-states—which does away with the useful concept of some smaller thing being morally significant vs. amoral.
As I said: “Only specific applications of tools have moral status.” The action of dripping liquid into my eyes has moral status. The chemical formula of the liquid, whatever it may be, does not. The only chemistry really relevant to morality is the chemistry of our brains that assign moral status to other things.
I know other formulations of “what is morally significant” are possible and sometimes seem useful, but they also seem to lead to the conclusion that everything is morally significant—e.g. assigning moral value to entire universe-states—which does away with the useful concept of some smaller thing being morally significant vs. amoral.
Right. Which is the same as the point I was originally making: At least one chemical process has moral significance.
That’s true. It seems I’ve been arguing past you or at a strawman. Sorry.