While spacing out in a networking class a few years ago, it occured to me that morality is a lot like network protocols, or in general, computer protocols for multiple agents that compete for resources or cooperate on a task. A compiler assumes that a program will be written in a certain language. A programmer assumes that the compiler will implicitly coerce ints to doubles. If the two cooperate, the result is a compiled executable. Likewise, when I go to a store, I don’t expect to meet a pickaxe murderer at the door, and the manager expects me to pay for the groceries. Those who do not obey these rules get the “25: to life” error.
Morality is a protocol for social networks. Some traditions of morality are arbitrary; It really doesn’t matter whether people drive on the right or on the left. However, some moralities are so bogus that societies using them wouldn’t last a week. If anyone drives on the left, EVERYONE had better drive on the left. It’s possible to create a workaround for any one action (there used to be societies of cannibals!), but some complete moralities are sufficiently broken that you won’t find any affluent civilizations that use them.
Moral progress/error cannot be judged in absolute terms, relative to the Bible. It must be judged based on the desires of the participants of the social network. However, this might be a two-parameter function, the other parameter being the definition of “participant”.
How’s this?
And screw Belldandy. The Lord of Nightmares can kick her ass.
While spacing out in a networking class a few years ago, it occured to me that morality is a lot like network protocols, or in general, computer protocols for multiple agents that compete for resources or cooperate on a task. A compiler assumes that a program will be written in a certain language. A programmer assumes that the compiler will implicitly coerce ints to doubles. If the two cooperate, the result is a compiled executable. Likewise, when I go to a store, I don’t expect to meet a pickaxe murderer at the door, and the manager expects me to pay for the groceries. Those who do not obey these rules get the “25: to life” error.
Morality is a protocol for social networks. Some traditions of morality are arbitrary; It really doesn’t matter whether people drive on the right or on the left. However, some moralities are so bogus that societies using them wouldn’t last a week. If anyone drives on the left, EVERYONE had better drive on the left. It’s possible to create a workaround for any one action (there used to be societies of cannibals!), but some complete moralities are sufficiently broken that you won’t find any affluent civilizations that use them.
Moral progress/error cannot be judged in absolute terms, relative to the Bible. It must be judged based on the desires of the participants of the social network. However, this might be a two-parameter function, the other parameter being the definition of “participant”.
How’s this?
And screw Belldandy. The Lord of Nightmares can kick her ass.
(My god can beat up your god?)