What is an absolute moral?

Question

Do they exist? What is an example?

How is saying there are no absolute morals the same as saying there is no absolute truth?

Answer 1

The closest I can come is: "Do not murder an innocent without a very good reason."

(Ie: A baby that carried a virus that would wipe out all life on the planet might be considered "a good reason.")

Answer 2

An absolute is anything that has no exceptions. "All" and "None" really mean the same thing because they are all inclusive. An absolute moral would have to have to include everyone in every situation. The minute you find an exception, it is not an absolute.

I don't think they exist because few absolutes actually do. A = A.

Answer 3

An absolute moral? Morals are man-made...there is the right and wrong way - but to make a rule of some kind around it is a moral. Every rule has an exception.

~ Eric Putkonen

Answer 4

Moral absolutism is the belief that there are absolute standards against which moral questions can be judged, and that certain actions are right or wrong, devoid of the context of the act. "Absolutism" is often philosophically contrasted with moral relativism, which is a belief that moral truths are relative to social, cultural, historical or personal references, and to situational ethics, which holds that the morality of an act depends on the context of the act.

According to moral absolutists, morals are inherent in the laws of the universe, the nature of humanity, the will or character of God, or some other fundamental source. Moral absolutists regard actions as inherently moral or immoral. Moral absolutists might, for example, judge slavery, war, dictatorship, the death penalty, or childhood abuse to be absolutely and inarguably immoral regardless of the beliefs and goals of a culture that engages in these practices.

In a minority of cases, moral absolutism is taken to the more constrained position that actions are moral or immoral regardless of the circumstances in which they occur. Lying, for instance, would always be immoral, even if done to promote some other good (e.g., saving a life). This rare view of moral absolutism might be contrasted with moral consequentialism—the view that the morality of an action depends on the context or consequences of that action.

Modern human rights theory is a form of moral absolutism, usually based on the nature of humanity and the essence of human nature. One such theory was constructed by John Rawls in his A Theory of Justice.

Answer 5

An absolute moral would be a moral rule that was considered inviolable - i.e. there would be no conceivable circumstances in which it would not apply. It's really a subjective matter. Someone could say "I would never kill a person regardless of the circumstances" but until you've lived through all possible circumstances (which of course you never can) it's impossible to know whether some extreme set of conditions would change your mind.

Answer 6

Yes there is an absolute moral, that being the 10 commandments. They are black and white. To say that morals are relative is a contradiction. Consider this...Those who say that there are no absolutes are often very adamant about their belief. If they say that they are absolutely sure, then they are wrong because their own statement is an absolute. If they are not 100 percent sure, then there is a chance that they are wrong and they are risking their eternal salvation by trusting in a wrong belief. God tells us that there is an objective, absolute truth that is not subject to man’s interpretations or whims, on which we can base our eternity. That truth is the Word of God (John 17:7).

And contrary to popular belief truth is absolute, it exists whether you believe it or not so there is a HUGE contradiction when someone tells you it is relative. Just because you choose to believe the truth as it suits you doesn't make what you believe as true. Perception of truth does not make it truth. Those who believe it is relative will tell you that it is wrong to lie, cheat, steal, etc. except....(fill in the blank). Often times they will fill in the blank with something that justifies times when that person has lied, cheated and/or stolen something.

Answer 7

A myth. There is no such thing.

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To anyone about to make the comment, "But isn't that an absolute statement?" The questioner asked about absolute morals, not absolute truths.

There is only one absolute truth and it is this sentence, because all other 'truths' are relative.

There, no contradictions.

Answer 8

They don't really exist.

An example might be "don't murder", but even these are mutable and the definitions change depending on the culture and situation.

An absolute moral would exist across cultures and be effective in every situation.

Answer 9

The Bible says that it is an abomination for a man to lie with a man as with a woman, or a woman to lie with a woman as with a man (Lev. 18:22; 20:13). When people exchange the truth of God for a lie, and begin to worship the creature instead of the Creator; they are given up to evil. When values are turned upside down and moral anarchy appears, men burn with lust for other men and women burn for women, and they will receive in their own bodies the punishment for their actions (Rom 1:22-27) From a biblical standpoint, the rise of homosexuality is a sign that a society is in the last stages of decay.

Answer 10

If you say that absolute morals do not exist then you making an absolute. And you are making your self a fool

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