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And since the slaying of a serial killer would likely benefit society does this make my emotional reaction moral?
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That's an interesting question, phantom. Would it really be any different than having said killer executed? Either way, he'd be paying for his crime through death. He wouldn't be able to kill anyone else. And what exactly makes something moral? Something that benefits all of society, as oppossed to an individual person? Would it be more moral to later have the serial killer executed for his crimes, after he's had a trial and been found guilty, or to kill him there on the spot, in the heat of the moment from an emotional response? Is there a difference? If so, why?
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Also, if someone is acting morally just for the contentment it brings to them, does it make them moral or self-centered? If contentment is their goal, wouldn't they act immorally in some situations if they could see that it would yield more contentment than the moral path? (sort of an ends justify the means situation)
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That makes sense. They would just do whichever would make them feel better at the time. So why do some people act morally, if they think they would be happier doing something immoral? Would they act morally simply because they know in their heart its the right thing to do? Why should someone do anything to help other people, if they have to go out of their way to do it? Because they know it's the right thing to do?
These are some questions that came tomind while reading the phantoms post, and just wondered what everyone else thought!
Arwen