Introducing Philosophy Through Pop Culture. Группа авторов. Читать онлайн. Newlib. NEWLIB.NET

Автор: Группа авторов
Издательство: John Wiley & Sons Limited
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Жанр произведения: Философия
Год издания: 0
isbn: 9781119757184
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according to cultural moral relativism, the intolerance of the Nazi party was morally justified. Of course, you probably do not agree … despite what Colbert's “child‐safe Nazi” video might have made some think,18 and the fact that Valkyrie taught us that there were “some good Nazis.”19 Thus, cultural moral relativism is hard to swallow.20

       like our Founding Fathers, I hold my Truths to be self‐evident, which is why I did absolutely no research. I didn't need to. The only research I needed was a long hard look in the mirror.

      – Stephen Colbert

      From the introduction of I Am America (And So Can You!)

       [They] cannot be mistaken in what they feel. [This is how] they support themselves and are sure reason hath nothing to do with what they see and feel in themselves: what they have a sensible experience of admits no doubt, needs no probation … It is its own proof and can have no other.

      – John Locke

      Thinking from the gut should not be confused with “appealing to intuition.” Philosophers will sometimes use their own intuition as a litmus test; if an argument or position is contrary to their intuition, then the argument or position is thought to be faulty. But the intuitions in these cases are almost universally accepted and thus are thought to point to facts. For example, a philosopher might argue, “Jimmy's (Colbert's director's) ethical theory can't be right because if it is, that would mean that it can be acceptable to torture babies just for fun – and that can't be right.”

      If the intuition is not as universally accepted as “baby torture = wrong,” the philosopher will not think the theory is refuted, but merely point out the theory's cost. “Esteban Colberto's (Colbert's Cuban alter ego's) ethical theory implies that discrimination can be okay; so if you accept that theory you will have to abandon your intuition that discrimination is always wrong.” (This might be said in a debate about affirmative action – which, of course, Colbert would never have taken part in since he said he was colorblind and literally unable to tell the difference between the colors black and white – although he did still discriminate against bears.) Philosophers will sometimes defend gut feelings with an argument. But good philosophers will never let their gut be the last word. If their argument fails and their gut is disproven, they reject what it says in favor of the truth.