How the Future Will Judge Our Moral Failings

Once, pretty much everywhere, beating your wife and children was regarded as a father’s duty, homosexuality was a hanging offense, and waterboarding was approved -- in fact, invented -- by the Catholic Church. Through the middle of the 19th century, the United States and other nations in the Americas condoned plantation slavery. Many of our grandparents were born in states where women were forbidden to vote. And well into the 20th century, lynch mobs in ... Full Story »

Posted by Dwight Rousu - via Tobie Openshaw (f), Allan Foster (f)
Sirajul Islam
4.1
by Sirajul Islam - Oct. 5, 2010

Interesting insights from a philosophy professor. 'What are people thinking?' He presented 4 contenders of future moral condemnation. Can I give another one? Please see in the comments section.

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Dwight Rousu
4.6
by Dwight Rousu - Oct. 3, 2010

A worthy ethical and philosophical look at human social behaviors.

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Katie Boswell
4.4
by Katie Boswell - Oct. 6, 2010

Well-written and thought-provoking piece from renowned philosophy professor Kwame Anthony Appiah. Whilst steering clear of the dangers of predicting the future, the article draws comparisons between our own questionable practices and those of the past that we now condemn. The end result is an opinion piece that poses questions that are difficult to ignore.

We will all have our own suspicions about which practices will someday prompt people to ask, in dismay: What were they thinking? Even when we don’t have a good answer, ... More »

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Katherine Laura Chow
3.5
by Katherine Laura Chow - Oct. 4, 2010

I have read his work before and I think he makes excellent points in all of his work. Although, some of this work is hard to understand in the way he states things.

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Barry Grossheim
4.2
by Barry Grossheim - Oct. 4, 2010

Thought provoking and entirely relevant!

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Gregory Black
3.9
by Gregory Black - Oct. 5, 2010

This article leaves us with a question to ask of ourselves. We realize that we are committing these obstructions to society but will we do anything about it. Appiah makes a good point about tradition, in order to improve our society we will need to converge traditions and when possible toss out bad traditions.

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Darius L. Watkins
3.9
by Darius L. Watkins - Oct. 5, 2010

This was pretty good. Talking about the four things this may be condemned and in this fashion is thought-provoking. It made me think while I was reading and that's the first sign something, anything is good. Although the author used words I didn't know existed, I felt as if the article was well put-together.

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Elizabeth Harris
4.0
by Elizabeth Harris - Oct. 3, 2010

I really enjoy and agree with this article. Our decedents may look back at us and think we are just as crazy as our own ancestors who we criticize for their doings. We are going to be criticized just as much for our injustices to our own people. The world is not perfect, and either is our own country, but sometimes it feels like people are going out of their way to bring terror upon others.

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jackie stanton
3.7
by jackie stanton - Oct. 4, 2010

This story is definitely interesting but it seems like more of an opinion piece on what he thinks will be critiqued in the future. He also has few well-sourced facts to support this piece.

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Scott Glenn Eichler
4.1
by Scott Glenn Eichler - Oct. 4, 2010

An interesting piece posing the question, "What moral failings will future generations look upon with disdain and unbelief?" The piece takes a quick look at the traditions that we look back on with unbelief and attempts to make a case for what they believe to be our lack of scruples.

The prison system has always seemed a lose/lose. On one side of the argument are those screaming for rehabilitation and on the other are those screaming for elimination. I would agree with the author that drug related charges are not proper in what should be a free society. Meat production ... uh ... no. The elderly is a real dilemma. Having an elderly grandparent that my family dearly loves makes this important to me. We are unable to care for him at our home and, more ... More »

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