Black and white or shades of grey?

I'm not talking about the colors- I'm talking about the way we view life and morality.

GET TO THE DEBATING FOLKS.

o.O
Excuse?

Rainbow?

...I attempt to start a deep philosophical debate and this is what I get. You guys are lame.

*ahem*

I do not believe in shades of grey. Our perception may sometimes make us see issues in shades of grey, but in reality everything is either black or white. Something cannot be both right and wrong at the same time, not can there exist conflicting truths.

That's my opening statement- I will go into further detail later.

...I still don't get it. :]]

I did a quick google search an this is what an atheist argues concerning the subject: http://atheism.about.com/b/2006/09/11/discussion-black-white-vs-shades-of-grey.htm

Basically, they're ways to describe our outlook on the world.
Are things really one way or another (black and white) or are there in-betweens (shades of grey)?

There are shades of grey...Or so I think *shurgs* Not going to fight over the net about it ^_^

Well I would, If it was with Q.

What?

It varies, really, not all are black and white and not all are shades of grey

...I knew I should have done an abortion topic instead ^^;

knssquad wrote:What?

It varies, really, not all are black and white and not all are shades of grey

like what?

I dont rly think there is ever a black and white.....Its never just

"Oh this is right, and that is wrong." I guess thats just what I think

Then how do we know what we should and should not do if we have no definition of right or wrong?

I hate Internet debates.

I basically see everything in black and white. Probably has nothing with whatever you were talking about. I'm not in this at all. Just saying what I can.

-

This has been a post by yours truly.

Aichu wrote:...I attempt to start a deep philosophical debate and this is what I get. You guys are lame.

*ahem*

I do not believe in shades of grey. Our perception may sometimes make us see issues in shades of grey, but in reality everything is either black or white. Something cannot be both right and wrong at the same time, not can there exist conflicting truths.

That's my opening statement- I will go into further detail later.

I actually think it depends on the situation. If the situation has to be a split-second desicion, and later when you look back on it you think you made the wrong choice, can that really be considered just black and white?

In that kind of situation, your choice cannot be viewed as right or wrong. I say this because to me, right and wrong are your own views, and you have to do what you think is best. If your split-second desicion is what seemed right to you at the time, but was viewed as wrong to others, that would be a shade of grey.

Aichu wrote:Then how do we know what we should and should not do if we have no definition of right or wrong?

Its what we think is right, And what we think its wrong, But that does not mean there is a black and white thing. Ok, Its right to us, But its only bc the way WE think. If its right to us, Is it right to others? No..So Idk.

Black and white: If you were to murder a stranger for no reason

Shades of grey: Well, during my Summer reading project, I came across an interesting character. She lived in a village in India and when a famine came, turned to prostitution to keep her family from starving to death

It's not black, because she was doing it to keep her family alive, and it's not white, because, well, it was prostitution.

InnerCherry wrote:

Aichu wrote:...I attempt to start a deep philosophical debate and this is what I get. You guys are lame.

*ahem*

I do not believe in shades of grey. Our perception may sometimes make us see issues in shades of grey, but in reality everything is either black or white. Something cannot be both right and wrong at the same time, not can there exist conflicting truths.

That's my opening statement- I will go into further detail later.

I actually think it depends on the situation. If the situation has to be a split-second desicion, and later when you look back on it you think you made the wrong choice, can that really be considered just black and white?

In that kind of situation, your choice cannot be viewed as right or wrong. I say this because to me, right and wrong are your own views, and you have to do what you think is best. If your split-second desicion is what seemed right to you at the time, but was viewed as wrong to others, that would be a shade of grey.

I see what you mean, but your example consist of doing what is right in ones own eyes. Do you believe, then, that there is such thing as evil? This interests me, because if right and wrong is merely by our own definition, what then could be defined as 'evil' and 'good'? And, in extreme cases, such as in murder, would you say that this act can be justified by the murderer's respective conscious, or would you consider murder a universal wrong?

knssquad wrote:Black and white: If you were to murder a stranger for no reason

Shades of grey: Well, during my Summer reading project, I came across an interesting character. She lived in a village in India and when a famine came, turned to prostitution to keep her family from starving to death

It's not black, because she was doing it to keep her family alive, and it's not white, because, well, it was prostitution.

That's a interesting example to bring up.

My own belief is that what we do can be broken up- much like everything is broken down into atoms- into 'good' and 'bad'. In other words, one would not look at this case coherently, but in individual actions- in other words, her love for her family would be good, but her pursuit of prosecution bad.

Aichu wrote:

knssquad wrote:Black and white: If you were to murder a stranger for no reason

Shades of grey: Well, during my Summer reading project, I came across an interesting character. She lived in a village in India and when a famine came, turned to prostitution to keep her family from starving to death

It's not black, because she was doing it to keep her family alive, and it's not white, because, well, it was prostitution.

That's a interesting example to bring up.

My own belief is that what we do can be broken up- much like everything is broken down into atoms- into 'good' and 'bad'. In other words, one would not look at this case coherently, but in individual actions- in other words, her love for her family would be good, but her pursuit of prosecution bad.

but it can also be justified, you see, she didn't have any other means of earning enough money for her family

Their crops had died in the drought and there wasn't much for a woman to do in that setting

Yes, things can be broken down, but when you look at the big picture, things can be both

knssquad wrote:

Aichu wrote:

knssquad wrote:Black and white: If you were to murder a stranger for no reason

Shades of grey: Well, during my Summer reading project, I came across an interesting character. She lived in a village in India and when a famine came, turned to prostitution to keep her family from starving to death

It's not black, because she was doing it to keep her family alive, and it's not white, because, well, it was prostitution.

That's a interesting example to bring up.

My own belief is that what we do can be broken up- much like everything is broken down into atoms- into 'good' and 'bad'. In other words, one would not look at this case coherently, but in individual actions- in other words, her love for her family would be good, but her pursuit of prosecution bad.

but it can also be justified, you see, she didn't have any other means of earning enough money for her family

Their crops had died in the drought and there wasn't much for a woman to do in that setting

Yes, things can be broken down, but when you look at the big picture, things can be both

In that case, it matters whether you look at the building blocks or the structure.

I look at the building blocks, I'm a simple person at heart ^^

Honestly, I don't think there's anything wrong with looking at the bigger picture...it's when people try to tell me there's no absolutes that it bugs me.

Aichu wrote:

knssquad wrote:Black and white: If you were to murder a stranger for no reason

Shades of grey: Well, during my Summer reading project, I came across an interesting character. She lived in a village in India and when a famine came, turned to prostitution to keep her family from starving to death

It's not black, because she was doing it to keep her family alive, and it's not white, because, well, it was prostitution.

That's a interesting example to bring up.

My own belief is that what we do can be broken up- much like everything is broken down into atoms- into 'good' and 'bad'. In other words, one would not look at this case coherently, but in individual actions- in other words, her love for her family would be good, but her pursuit of prosecution bad.

But if you were a judge, would you let her live innocently with a warning, or pay the full jail time for prosecution?

Would you give her something in between like perhaps probation with a month in jail because it was not that bad for the love of her family were her intentions?

Basically, what I am asking you is how would you act if you were judge?

After all, there are conditions for every situation just thinking about it.

Aichu wrote:

knssquad wrote:

Aichu wrote:

knssquad wrote:Black and white: If you were to murder a stranger for no reason

Shades of grey: Well, during my Summer reading project, I came across an interesting character. She lived in a village in India and when a famine came, turned to prostitution to keep her family from starving to death

It's not black, because she was doing it to keep her family alive, and it's not white, because, well, it was prostitution.

That's a interesting example to bring up.

My own belief is that what we do can be broken up- much like everything is broken down into atoms- into 'good' and 'bad'. In other words, one would not look at this case coherently, but in individual actions- in other words, her love for her family would be good, but her pursuit of prosecution bad.

but it can also be justified, you see, she didn't have any other means of earning enough money for her family

Their crops had died in the drought and there wasn't much for a woman to do in that setting

Yes, things can be broken down, but when you look at the big picture, things can be both

In that case, it matters whether you look at the building blocks or the structure.

I look at the building blocks, I'm a simple person at heart ^^

Honestly, I don't think there's anything wrong with looking at the bigger picture...it's when people try to tell me there's no absolutes that it bugs me.

of course there are absolutes! There are rights and wrongs, but it varies with many cultures. But some things are so complicated, that you have to look at the big picture, and that's where shades of grey come in

Aichu wrote:

InnerCherry wrote:

Aichu wrote:...I attempt to start a deep philosophical debate and this is what I get. You guys are lame.

*ahem*

I do not believe in shades of grey. Our perception may sometimes make us see issues in shades of grey, but in reality everything is either black or white. Something cannot be both right and wrong at the same time, not can there exist conflicting truths.

That's my opening statement- I will go into further detail later.

I actually think it depends on the situation. If the situation has to be a split-second desicion, and later when you look back on it you think you made the wrong choice, can that really be considered just black and white?

In that kind of situation, your choice cannot be viewed as right or wrong. I say this because to me, right and wrong are your own views, and you have to do what you think is best. If your split-second desicion is what seemed right to you at the time, but was viewed as wrong to others, that would be a shade of grey.

I see what you mean, but your example consist of doing what is right in ones own eyes. Do you believe, then, that there is such thing as evil? This interests me, because if right and wrong is merely by our own definition, what then could be defined as 'evil' and 'good'? And, in extreme cases, such as in murder, would you say that this act can be justified by the murderer's respective conscious, or would you consider murder a universal wrong?

I do believe there are things such as good and evil. For instance, Hitler was evil because, no matter what your reasoning is, you cannot justify the murder of millions. Another example would be Satan and God- the perfect good and evil situation. And as for murder in general, that is a case of black and white. N human should ever be murdered by another human because we are in no place to judge.

I believe evil is defined by cold-blood, malicious intent, and selfish purposes. Good is defined by pure intent, warm-spirit, and an unselfish dispostion in your actions.

simple answer shades of grey

I love philisophical stuff.

Anyways, it's almost like seeing if the glass is half empty or half full if you're looking with the black and white perspective. If you have the shades of grey, you can have the glass 7/8 full, or whatever. You know, in between, not just negative or positive.