The Paradox of Supreme Good: Is It Just a Matter of Perception?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the concept of "supreme good" and its inherent paradox, emphasizing that absolute morality cannot exist due to the conflicting interests of individuals. Participants argue that utilitarianism's goal of achieving the "greatest good for the greatest number" is flawed, as it lacks a definitive measure of happiness. The conversation also touches on the relativity of moral judgments, suggesting that what is deemed right or wrong is subjective and varies from person to person. Ultimately, the dialogue concludes that the notion of a universal supreme good is unattainable.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of utilitarianism and its principles
  • Familiarity with Godel's incompleteness theorem
  • Concept of moral relativism
  • Basic knowledge of philosophical discourse
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  • Explore the implications of Godel's incompleteness theorem in ethics
  • Research different schools of thought in moral philosophy, such as deontology and virtue ethics
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Philosophers, ethicists, students of moral philosophy, and anyone interested in the complexities of moral judgments and the nature of good.

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Or you may call it The Highest Morality.
I was told that no matter how good are you, you can only satisfy some people, and some not satisfied. So, supreme good can never exist.
IS my logic correct?
 
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I think so. Some people's interests are directly opposed to others, so that to make one set happy you automatically make the other set unhappy.

The utilitarians said you should try for the "greatest good of the greatest number." But that is undefined; you have two variables, number and degree of happiness, and the function joining them could have various maxima and minima. There's no guarantee that both would reach a maximum for the same action.
 
I don't focus on trying to make anybody happy, because that's not my responsibility. I think to the degree that we understand ourselves, then to that degree we know how to be happy ourselves, and then it doesn't matter what anybody else thinks. Neither do I think it's possible to be happy be trying to please everyone else, not without being delusional anyway. :smile:
 
Originally posted by Saint
Or you may call it The Highest Morality.
I was told that no matter how good are you, you can only satisfy some people, and some not satisfied. So, supreme good can never exist.
IS my logic correct?

'Supreme' is a funny word, and in a way I agree that supreme good is impossible. But one could also claim that, relative to the observer, the 'supreme good' is whatever is necessary and proper for his own survival and well being (keeping in mind that helping others would fit into this category because it always comes back to you, or at least makes you feel good about yourself).
 
I disagree, I think that you merely proved that given a number a choices, it is impossible to tell what is truly the best, you can only decide what you think is best. I do believe that in any given nontrivial circumstance there is only one right and who cares how many wrongs. I think a variation/implication of Godel's incompleteness theorem proves this.
 
A cat (aspecialy mine).
 
Originally posted by Jonathan
I disagree, I think that you merely proved that given a number a choices, it is impossible to tell what is truly the best, you can only decide what you think is best. I do believe that in any given nontrivial circumstance there is only one right and who cares how many wrongs. I think a variation/implication of Godel's incompleteness theorem proves this.

Yes, but who decides what's right and what's wrong? All right and wrong would be relative to the person deciding, would it not? What is right for one person would be wrong to another, and thus supreme good is relative to the individual, and outside the human perception the words good, bad, right, and wrong are simply inapplicable.

I don't see how Godel's theorem would prove what you said, please elaborate.
 

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