Rol Fessenden <76234.3636@CompuServe.COM> asserts the existence of
universal values:
>Robert said at one point that he did not believe there were any universal
>values. We may differ on exactly what a value is, perhaps. However, I
>think we would find some -- fairly -- universal laws regarding murder,
>theft, and so forth, and I believe our laws are in fact reflective of our
>values.
The discussion of values needs to be given a context. Our we talking about
a particular country or state or county? Laws represent the consensus of a
plurality of voters at best.
Should police that fail to reveal evidence that could have freed a suspect
be put in jail? If we agree that they should, why is it that they never
are? What about police that falsify evidence because they KNOW a suspect
is guilty? We do not have a good record of applying laws to the law
enforcement forces themselves.
Why is Dr. Kevorkian free to continue his trade in (and profit from)
death? Is there a value system in that country that says murder is OK
under certain circumstances? Who defines those circumstances? e.g.
self-defence, temporary insanity, risk of death to the expectant mother
A learning organization has a chance to establish shared values because
people that don't share them have the option to leave. Eventually the
process of such selection may produce unanymity...
Like the idea of universal truths I discussed in a recent post, I have
come to believe there is nothing universal. Even the laws of physics are
being "repealed"! ...Keith
--Keith Cowan <72212.51@CompuServe.COM>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>