[lit-ideas] Re: Aren't you glad you no longer have a Hitler problem?
- From: Omar Kusturica <omarkusto@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 26 Jun 2006 09:40:50 -0700 (PDT)
--- Phil Enns <phil.enns@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Omar Kusturica wrote:
>
> "Also, to say that ethical difference between acts
> cannot be established
> on the basis of who is committing them does not mean
> that there cannot
> be other pertinent ethical distinctions."
>
> Torture and murder are legal terms.
*They may be legal terms, but they are also ethical
terms.
However, you
> deny the significance
> of the rule of law in making ethical distinctions.*
> Having denied the
> rule of law, you also deny the grounds for making
> ethical distinctions.
*Doesn't follow, Phil. The distinction betweem ethical
and legal judgements has been known since Socrates'
time at least. (Probably earlier but I hope you get my
point.) I am not an expert but I suspect that J.C.
also distinguished between the laws of the land
(Empire) and ethical laws.
Anyway I admit that the international law has some
significance, not absolute of course, but that
probably makes me more of a legalist than the Bush
administration.
> You have made judgments based on acting. According
> to you, Al-Zarqawi
> is morally superior to Eric because Al-Zarqawi
> acted.
*Within the posited moral jungle world, yes.
But US soldiers
> are also acting, just against the side you
> sympathize with.
*I don't want to go into what soldiers do now. They
sometimes follow orders and sometimes not, sometimes
they follow them out of moral conviction and sometimes
not.
This would require a lengthy discussion which I don't
have the inclination for right now.
The only
> grounds for distinguishing these acts is your
> sympathies. So, drop the
> talk of morality and just acknowledge that you
> prefer the actions of Al
> Zarqawi because you sympathize with his beliefs.
> And instead of
> whinging about the morality of invading Iraq, just
> admit that you are
> cheering for the insurgency. As I said, have the
> courage of your
> convictions and admit you are opposed to the US
> adventure in Iraq
> because you are sympathetic to Al Zarqawi's ilk.
*The reverse might be closer to it.
> *I think this bit nicely summarizes Omar's position
> regarding the
> significance of the rule of law.
>
> (Callicles in Plato's _Gorgias_)
*Callicles' position seems a bit like Nietzsche's. It
is a position worth consideration but not quite my
own. I'll admit that I keep going back to Nietzsche,
though.
O.K.
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