Saturday, December 04, 2010

Philosophical query: to be ignored by almost all

Let X be an action, such that to X is morally forbidden, but not because Xing is intrinsically evil but rather because there is a high probability of harm to others and/or to self were one to X. In fact, let us assume that there is nothing evil per se at all in Xing. There might even be near possible worlds in which Xing would not be evil at all. That is, X is extrinsically, but not intrinsically evil. In addition, Xing is enjoyable.
Is it morally wrong to revel in thoughts of Xing? If so, why? Is it merely because one could not morally X? 

4 comments:

Unknown said...

If one is merely reveling in the intrinsic properties of Xing, then I can't see what such thoughts would be morally wrong. For there is a sense in which you /could/ morally X, given that you say about there being close possible worlds in which Xing doesn't have the harmful consequences or associations that it does have in teh actual world. Given that Xing is, in fact wrong, one ought not revel in thoughts of Xing in the actual world (or in other world where X is also evil, even if only extrinsically).

Jesus J. Ruiz said...

Can you give an example(s) of Xing?
I want to understand this.

Tyler Hower said...

KT: I'm not sure I got the scope of your reveling in the actual world comment. Is it that it would be immoral for me to revel in the idea of doing the action-in-the-actual-world or that it would be immoral-in-the-actual-world to revel in the idea?

JR: Imagine that I am an HIV-positive married man who enjoys the thought of having unprotected sex with my wife, because of the deeper and more intimate connection that it forms with her. Of course, there is nothing per se immoral in having such sex with her, but given the high likelihood of harm to her, it would actually be wrong to do it. Were the world just a little different, there'd be nothing at all wrong with it, but it is in fact wrong. Is it wrong for me to fantasize about it and enjoy the fantasy?

Unknown said...

http://www.xing.com/mobile isn't immoral. It reminds you of birthdays & stuff.

(I had to) But since you suggested I'd ignore it, I had to comment. Fantasy's are only useful for a brief period, otherwise, they can become evil distractions from the important things. Reveling in thoughts of X, sounds more like a adolescent response to the denial of the reality, and an commitment to embrace the fantasy grudgingly.

I do think it's morally wrong to embrace fantasies grudgingly, because you're only hurting your imaginary friends and yourself.