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In a society should each person determine for himself what is good and bad or what is right or wrong? How is a standard to be determined for everyone since we all don't agree?

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Sheldon  Cooper Profile
Sheldon Cooper answered

Of course-should I let you determine for me what's wright or wrong ? No

I determine that for myself

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Sheldon  Cooper
Sheldon Cooper commented
a God gave me nothing ,
Evolution and my parents
Made me , and my parents
Taught me right from wrong,
Sheldon  Cooper
Sheldon Cooper commented
I don't need to reject what is not confirmed.
CalTex - Doug Morgan
I've gotta agree with Sheldon here. I have seen real damage done to society because of religion. Of course, the theists will engage in the "no-fault argument" -- that if bad is done in the name of religion then it is the fault of man, but anything good done in the name of religion is from God. That is just confirmation bias. I have even been told that as an atheist, anything I do that is good is because God allowed it. So much for the concept of free will.
Tom  Jackson Profile
Tom Jackson answered

Well, I guess the answer might depend upon the stage of your society.

If a group of US Marines landed on one side of an unoccupied island in the middle of the ocean, and a group of ISIS militants landed on the other, how do you propose they would set up a value system for the governing body for its new inhabitants?

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Tom  Jackson
Tom Jackson commented
I agree. If you don't have a standard to which to refer, how can you decide who is operating according to the standard?
CalTex - Doug Morgan
You analogy is quite apt, Tom. What would happen is what has happened throughout the history of mankind. Both groups would fight until the value system of one prevails over the other (assuming the island is too small to allow two diametrically opposed cultures to coexist). Once one prevails, the other would be relegated to history books where they would be painted as evil. In the case of ISIS, that would be accurate because those Marines would be fighting for my value system, or at least a reasonable facsimile by comparison.
Tom  Jackson
Tom Jackson commented
Well stated; I agree.
CalTex - Doug Morgan Profile

Good and bad are subjective terms depending on what culture is defining those terms.  For instance, one culture will elevate mass murder to an act of worship, while another will decry such an act as the epitome of evil.  Some cultures will say treating women and homosexuals as equals is beneficial to society while others will say it is detrimental.  Mankind has always been at war with itself over the definitions of good and bad, and most likely always will.  I will fight to defend my definition of those terms until convinced that my understanding of good and bad is in need of an adjustment -- as has been the case a number of times during my life.

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