Thursday, November 30, 2017

boyfriend girlfriend discuss moral norms (he's a relativst, she's an objectivist)


She: You know, I'm tired of you looking at girls every time we go out.
He: Ehem, sorry. Looking at what?
She: Girls! You do it! Even as I'm by your side. So disrespectful.  
He: Wait, babe.
She: Don't babe me.
He: Are you upset?
She: Of course I am!
He: Apple of my eye.  I wouldn't do anything to hurt you. Look, if it makes you upset I'll stop it. It's just a involuntary reflex, a vestige of Homo Erectus in my subconscious male mind.
She: You don't get it! I don't want you to stop it just because I'm upset (she is making an objectivist point here).
He: What is that supposed to mean?
She: I want you to understand it's wrong.
He: I do, you're upset and that makes it wrong.
She: No! It's not wrong because I'm upset. It's the other way around: I'm upset because IT is wrong.
He: Alright, since when looking at a girl is wrong?  
She: First, it's not merely "looking." What makes your "looking" wrong is that you have your girlfriend by your side. And I deserves your respect. And that's a fact.
He: Ok, help me here. Would it be wrong if you didn't object to it? (he's compelling her to admit wrong is dependent to her beliefs)
She: Yes. If I had no self-esteem, and was therefore blind to your constant ogling at girls in my presence, it would still be wrong. Go find a woman that respects herself and finds that entertaining (she is successfully pointing to moral facts independent of her beliefs) 
He: Look, my love, I'm ready to stop it if that offends you. But we're going to have to agree to disagree (this is the limit of the subjective relativist).

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