Objective morality (was RE: FAI (aka 'Reality Hacking'))

From: Phil Goetz (philgoetz@yahoo.com)
Date: Sun Jan 30 2005 - 06:21:49 MST


> > So I was continuing to try to come up with ideas
> to
> > make objective morality work. And eventually it
> > seemed to me that the only possible way it can
> work is
> > to directly tie the laws of morality to the laws
> of
> > physics in order to define an 'ultimate goal'
> (telos)
> > that is truly universal (holds at all times and
> > places). The goal 'move towards the Omega Point
> in
> > the optimal way' is the only possible one I know
> that
> > could fit the bill.

Nothing about the Omega point strikes me as moral.
It strikes me as morally neutral, since it is
supposed to recreate all life, good and bad.
It also strikes me as a crackpot idea that
we shouldn't be spending our time on.

If you think physics and morality are conjoined,
then you must think increasing entropy is morally
virtuous. Thus, you are obligated to destroy as
many things as you can, kill people, act randomly,
etc. I would suggest that if there is any
"universal morality" it would be that the (local)
decrease of entropy and creation of order is
the good. In that case, morality is in some
sense opposed to physics.

- Phil Goetz

                
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