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It’s not clear that the things you mentioned are bad unless you read them with a certain bias. For example, punishment for adultery was a long staple of many gr

It’s not clear that the things you mentioned are bad unless you read them with a certain bias. For example, punishment for adultery was a long staple of many groups throughout history and still today. And honestly I don’t see how this is a bad idea if implemented correctly. Perhaps by narrowing your view of acceptable values you’ve blocked out the diversity of human experience.

ethbr0 5y ago
Parent seems to hold individual liberty among the highest priority values. IMHO, it'd be an uphill battle to argue it should rank lower.
- dotancohen 5y ago
  > Parent seems to hold individual liberty among the highest priority values. I could imagine that the collective progression of society would rank higher than individual liberty in some societies. Especially in populations with serious threats to existence. Think of the Yadizi today - they've had their women stolen and their men killed for a decade. They are nearing the threshold were they will not have a diverse enough gene pool to avert their eradication. In such a society, I could imagine that adultery (potentially confusing which child belongs to which lineage of genes) and homosexuality (reducing the pool of available genes) might be dissuaded on punishment of death.
Alekhine 5y ago
You know, this might be the most horrific and evil reply I've read on HN. You actually have the fucking nerve to call the murder and oppression of women and gays something that is only bad when you're 'biased'. How can a person's understanding of ethics become so warped as to actually believe that?
- erenyeager 5y ago
  I think you should review hacker news guidelines: > Please respond to the strongest plausible interpretation of what someone says, not a weaker one that's easier to criticize. Assume good faith. >Please don't post shallow dismissals, especially of other people's work. A good critical comment teaches us something. And punishment for adultery and homosexual activity has been something staple across many religions and cultures, which have formed the basis of great civilizations. Adultery and homosexual activity have been social evils in many moral codes and ways of life. It’s not about oppressing women or gays, it’s about justice and fairness. Viewing things through such a narrow and dichotomous view makes you unable to cope with different ways of life except that you condemn it without understanding.

ethbr0 5y ago

Parent seems to hold individual liberty among the highest priority values. IMHO, it'd be an uphill battle to argue it should rank lower.

dotancohen 5y ago
> Parent seems to hold individual liberty among the highest priority values. I could imagine that the collective progression of society would rank higher than individual liberty in some societies. Especially in populations with serious threats to existence. Think of the Yadizi today - they've had their women stolen and their men killed for a decade. They are nearing the threshold were they will not have a diverse enough gene pool to avert their eradication. In such a society, I could imagine that adultery (potentially confusing which child belongs to which lineage of genes) and homosexuality (reducing the pool of available genes) might be dissuaded on punishment of death.

Alekhine 5y ago

You know, this might be the most horrific and evil reply I've read on HN. You actually have the fucking nerve to call the murder and oppression of women and gays something that is only bad when you're 'biased'. How can a person's understanding of ethics become so warped as to actually believe that?

erenyeager 5y ago
I think you should review hacker news guidelines: > Please respond to the strongest plausible interpretation of what someone says, not a weaker one that's easier to criticize. Assume good faith. >Please don't post shallow dismissals, especially of other people's work. A good critical comment teaches us something. And punishment for adultery and homosexual activity has been something staple across many religions and cultures, which have formed the basis of great civilizations. Adultery and homosexual activity have been social evils in many moral codes and ways of life. It’s not about oppressing women or gays, it’s about justice and fairness. Viewing things through such a narrow and dichotomous view makes you unable to cope with different ways of life except that you condemn it without understanding.