I should get off the promises (part 1)

Alright... while I would much rather talk about a Frankenstein-ian Horse that eats Zombies and children that can turn into slime a la Wonder Twins hiding from scouting robots, I said I would bore you all with some Philosophy crap I'm sort of working on.

I've been reading this book (well, not really reading as much as hauling around in my backpack and saying to myself I've eventually got to get this done) entitle Ideal Code, Real World by Brad Hooker. I mentioned it back in November (I think. I did a lot of things in November.)

Chapter one breaks down rule-consequentialism eithical theory into a simple form. The ethical code whose collective internalization has the best consequences is the ideal code. There's some psuedo-quantifable way of determining which code (collection of rules that one should feel free to follow) arrives at the best consequences. But before we get to the reasons why this is even worth thinking about, we'll have to justify the method for establishing any metaethical code... so that's were we spend most of our time.

According to Mr. Hooker, there are five points that a moral theory should adhere to in order to be considered worth study.

1. It starts from attractive generalizations about morality.
2. It must be internally consistent.
3. It must cohere with the moral convictions we have after careful reflection.
4. It should identify a fundimental principle that both explains why our more specific considered moral convictions are correct and justifies them from an impartial point of view.
5. It should help us deal with moral questions about which we are not confident, or do not agree.

Supposedly, I'm supposed to agree with everything in that list if I'm going to have a chance of agreeing with anything else Mr. Hooker has to say in the rest of the book. (except for the comment about skeptics which went something like, 'Skeptics are stupid and therefore their opinions don't matter.' "independently credible beliefs need not be certain, or beyond all challenge or revision.")

I've taken yesterday and today to sort of kick this grocery list around and I'm still not satisfied with the requsite qualifications. I'm gunna have to put another couple hours of "free time" into this before I'll get back to it.

Until then, there's always the power of imagination.