Choosing Right From Wrong: An Examination Of Three Points From "The Good Society"

1026 words - 4 pages

I am fortunate to say that while I was growing up my parents instilled great qualities within me which included how to treat other people and essentially what was considered right from wrong all of which is an example of relativism. Relativism makes reference to several opinions while moral relativism alleges morality is not built around a conclusive model. This paper will discuss three of the four points made in Lenn Goodman’s article “The Good Society”, published by Penn State University Press in regards to slavery, polygamy, and incest; genocide, famine, and germ warfare; terrorism, hostage taking, and child warriors.
The article by Goodman, “Some Moral Minima”, discussed the equality of all people in society and how everyone should have the overall ambiance of safety from others cruel and unsympathetic actions. Goodman’s perception was that we all should not be so hasty in forming opinions regarding issues that are not familiar to us; instead we should make the determination of what incidents are not considered ethically correct. The fact remains that no one should hold judgment against another person based on an individual’s sexual preference, disability, or essentially any other trait that is beyond ones control.
Between 700,000 and four million individuals are bought and sold yearly worldwide according to beliefs of the U.S. State Department. In the United States as many as 50,000 individuals are subjected to this cruelty as well (U.S. Dept. of State, 2002, pg. 3). Of these alarming totals, the women and children are illegally traded into industries where they are overworked and severely underpaid. Many of them are also traded into the line of prostitution as well as being sold for the use of household servants (Goodman, 2010, pg. 91). It is not hard to imagine that when we hear of a child missing perhaps human traffickers have abducted them.
The topic of polygamy is widely discussed these days, mainly because of reality television shows portraying the lifestyles of polygamists. Within the polygamous culture, women become possessions to men much like automobiles and real estate. The more wives a polygamist accumulates is a showpiece for his prosperity or standing in the community. Goodman describes how polygamy alters the very spirit of marriage once a couple’s intimacy and confidence have been removed unlike those of which are created in a monogamous relationship (Goodman, 2010, pg. 92).
The matter of incest is something that is not a topic of discussion a lot. The fact remains that incest violates the very moral judgment of all. Typically, the main victims of incest are daughters who fall victim at the hands of a father, brother, or other family member. Parenthetically, incest victims do not illustrate their wounds like those of battered victims (Goodman, 2010, pg. 93). A person who commits incest would be lacking in virtuous ethics. A person who possesses virtuous characteristics exemplifies the precise...

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