And Gulliver Returns Book VI : Our Psychological Motivations

By Bob Oconnor

Book Id: WPLBN0001235215
Format Type: PDF eBook:
File Size: 1.0 MB
Reproduction Date: 2008

Title:	And Gulliver Returns Book VI : Our Psychological Motivations
Author:	Bob Oconnor
Volume:	4
Language:	English
Subject:	Fiction, Science, Future
Collections:	Authors Community, Adventure
Historic Publication Date:
Publisher:

Member Page:	Bob Oconnor
Citation APA MLA Chicago Gulliver Xvi, B. L. (n.d.). And Gulliver Returns Book VI : Our Psychological Motivations. Retrieved from http://www.self.gutenberg.org/

Summary
Cmdr. Gulliver and his friends meet with Dr. Wang to discuss human values. They discuss the basic assumptions that all people use: either God based, self-centered, or society based. They then discussed the various types of evidence that people use to develop their values. Finally a number of ethical questions are discussed and it is shown that no matter which assumption is used, the evidence applied can give a positive or negative decision on the value. Among questions discussed are: abortion, contraception, capital punishment, torture, homosexuality and war.

Table of Contents
Table of Contents IN THE HOTEL 8 LOOKING FOR HAPPINESS 10 WE MUST THINK MORE DEEPLY—AND UNDERSTAND OUR THINKING 20 OUR BASIC ASSUMPTIONS 24 -- THE FOUNDATIONS OF OUR VALUES -- 24 SELF-CENTEREDASSUMPTIONS 32 GODBASEDASSUMPTIONS 41 CONCEPTS OF GOD 45 3 WHAT IS GOD LIKE? 46 THEISM 49 PROOFS FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD 53 IS AMERICA A CHRISTIAN NATION? 57 WHO GETS TO GO TO HEAVEN? 63 DEISM 65 PANTHEISM AND PANENTHEISM 67 AGNOSTICISM 68 ATHEISM 71 SATANISM 96 AN IDEA OF A BETTER SOCIETY AS A BASIC ASSUMPTION 97 THE SOURCE OF POWER IN A SOCIETY 104 FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF A SOCIETY 104 TYPE OF GOVERNMENT108 USING GOD’S LAWS FOR SOCIETY 112 SOCIAL CONCERNS—DO UNTO OTHERS 114 ECONOMIC CONCERNS WHEN ESTABLISHING YOUR IDEAL SOCIETY 115 ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY117 THE WELFARE STATE—CRADLE TO GRAVE BENEFITS 119 RETIREMENT PENSIONS 125 HEALTH CARE128 HEALTH CARE AND AGING POPULATIONS 130 WORKING AND RESTING IN THE WELFARE STATE 131 POVERTY IS RELATIVE 134 PENSIONS 134 SICK LEAVE 135 HIGH TAXES 137 BALANCING THE BUDGET—TAXES FOR YOUR IDEAL SOCIETY 138 ECONOMIC GROWTH RATE 146 REAL WEALTH PER PERSON 147 BORROWING 147 BUDGET DEFICITS AND NATIONAL DEBTS 148 CRIMEANDITSCOSTS 150 FOREIGN AID AND GLOBILIZATION 152 4 WAR OR PACIFISM 152 THERE ARE NO ANSWERS 153 THINKING EFFECTIVELY155 HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT WE THINK WE KNOW? 155 EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE 159 THEORY AS A START TO SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY 162 HISTORICAL EVIDENCE 163 EVOLUTION 171 ACCEPTING OUR KNOWLEDGE FROM AUTHORITY 176 PERSONAL EXPERIENCE 181 FAITH 182 REASON 184 BUT WE ARE PSYCHOLOGICAL BEINGS 185 THE PROCESS OF REASONING 185 OPINIONS AND SEEKING EXPERTISE 189 SEMANTICS 191 CONFLICTSINVALUES 199 MORALS OR ETHICS ARE NOT SET IN STONE 201 MORAL RELATIVISM 201 SELF VERSUS SOCIETY 203 VALUE QUESTIONS206 THE WELFARE STATE 207 The Welfare State is Moral from a self-centered point of view 208 From a self centered point of view it is immoral. 209 Moral from God based assumptions 210 Immoral from God based assumptions 211 Moral for society based assumptions 211 Immoral from a societal point of view.212 HUMAN RIGHTS 213 Moral from a self-centered point of view. 217 Immoral from a self-centered point of view.217 Moral from a God based point of view. 217 Immoral from a God based point of view. 217 Moral from a society based point of view. 217 5 Immoral from a society based point of view. 218 LEGAL AND CIVIL RIGHTS 218 SOCIAL QUESTIONS 220 OFFICIAL STATE RELIGION 220 CHEATING OR LYING 221 Moral from a Self-centered point of view. 221 Immoral from a self-centered point of view 221 Moral from a God perspective 222 Immoral from a God perspective 222 Moral from a societal point of view 222 Immoral from a societal perspective. 222 STEALING 223 Stealing can be moral from a self-centered point of view 223 Stealing is immoral from a self centered point of view 223 Moral from a God based point of view 223 Immoral from a God basis.224 Moral from a societal basis. 225 Immoral from a society’s viewpoint. 225 LIMITING POPULATION 225 It is moral from a self-centered point of view. 227 Immoral from a self centered viewpoint. 228 Moral from a God point of view. 228 Immoral from God’s point of view. 229 Moral from a societal perspective. 230 Immoral from a societal perspective, 231 Population reduction is immoral from a society point of view. 234 LICENSING PARENTS 235 It is moral from a self-centered point of view. 235 It is immoral from a self-centered point of view. 235 Moral from a God based point of view. 236 Immoral from a God based point of view 236 Moral from a society-based point of view. 236 Immoral from a societal point of view.237 UNLIMITED FREEDOM OF SPEECH 238 6 Freedom of speech is moral from a self centered viewpoint240 Immoral from a self centered point of view.240 Free speech is moral from a God based viewpoint. 240 Immoral from a God based point of view 241 Moral from a societal point of view 241 Immoral from a societal viewpoint. 242 SLAVERY 242 Moral from a self-centered point of view 245 Immoral from a self-centered point of view.246 Moral from a God based viewpoint 246 Immoral from a God based point of view 246 Moral from a societal viewpoint 246 Immoral from a societal viewpoint 247 IMMIGRATION 248 It is moral from a self-centered point of view 248 Immoral from a self centered point of view 248 Moral from a God based viewpoint 249 Moral from a societal viewpoint 251 Immoral from a societal viewpoint 252 ANIMAL RIGHTS 269 From a self centered point of view animals have rights. 272 Self centered—animals should not have rights 275 GOD YES animals have rights 276 GOD Animals have no rights 280 SOCIETY YES they have rights 281 Society-- animals have no rights 283 TORTURE 287 Moral from a self centered point of view 287 Immoral from a self-centered point of view 287 Moral from a God based viewpoint 287 Immoral from a God based point of view 287 Moral from a societal point of view 287 Immoral from a society centered point of view 287 Torture to Gain Life Saving Information from Enemies 288 7 Moral from a self centered point of view 289 Immoral from a self-centered point of view 289 Moral from a God based viewpoint 289 Immoral from a God based point of view 291 Moral from a societal point of view 291 Immoral from a societal centered point of view 292 LIBERTY OR SAFETY 293 Spying on the citizens has value from a self centered point of view 293 Immoral from a self-centered point of view 293 It’s OK from a God based point of view 294 God no 294 Society yes 294 Society no295 LIFE AND DEATH ISSUES 295 WHAT IS THE VALUE OF HUMAN LIFE? 295 WHEN IS IT KILLING AND WHEN IS IT MURDER? 299 Killing is good from a self centered viewpoint 299 Killing can be immoral from a self-centered point of view 300 Killing immoral from a God based viewpoint 305 Killing is moral from a society-centered point of view. 305 Killing can be immoral from a societal point of view. 306 WHAT IS DEATH? 307 SUICIDE 309 It has value from a self-centered point of view 309 It is immoral from a self centered point of view 310 It has value from a God based point of view 310 Immoral from a God-based viewpoint 313 It is moral from a societal viewpoint 315 It is immoral from a societal viewpoint 316 EUTHANASIA 0 Euthanasia is moral from a self-centered point of view. 317 Euthanasia is immoral from a self centered point of view. 318 Mercy killing is moral from a God based point of view 319 Mercy killing is immoral from a God based point of view. 322 8 Euthanasia is moral from a society viewpoint. 332 Euthanasia can be immoral from a societal viewpoint 340 CAPITAL PUNISHMENT 345 Capital punishment if moral from a self-centered viewpoint 345 Capital punishment is immoral from a self centered point of view345 Capital punishment is moral from a God-based perspective 345 Capital punishment is immoral from God’s perspective. 347 Moral from a societal viewpoint 347 STEM CELL RESEARCH 349 Stem cell research is moral from a self-centered viewpoint 350 Stem cell research is immoral from a self centered point of view.351 Stem cell research is moral from a God based point of view 351 Stem cell research does not have value from a God based viewpoint 352 Stem cell research has value from a societal point of view 352 Stem cell research is immoral from a societal viewpoint 353 QUESTIONS OF WAR 354 CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS 354 Being a conscientious objector is moral from a self-centered viewpoint 354 Being a conscientious objector is immoral from a self-centered viewpoint 354 Being a conscientious objector is moral from a God-based viewpoint 354 Being a conscientious objector is immoral from a God-based viewpoint 355 Being a conscientious objector is moral from a society-based viewpoint 355 Beingaconscientiousobjectorisimmoralfromasociety-basedviewpoint 356 TERRORISM 356 Terrorism is moral from a self-centered viewpoint 356 Terrorism is moral from a God-based viewpoint 356 Terrorism is immoral from a God-based viewpoint 357 Terrorism is moral from a society-based viewpoint 357 Terrorism is immoral from a society-based viewpoint 357 REPRODUCTION 358 ABORTION 358 Abortion is moral from a self-centered viewpoint 360 Abortion is immoral from a self centered point of view361 Abortion is moral from a God-based viewpoint 361 9 Abortion is immoral from a God-based point of view 366 Abortion is moral from a society viewpoint 374 Abortion is immoral from a societal viewpoint 376 PRE-MARITAL SEX 379 Pre-marital sex is moral from a self centered point of view 380 Pre-marital sex is immoral from a self-centered viewpoint 380 Pre-marital sex is moral from a God based viewpoint 381 Pre-marital sex is immoral from a God based point of view 381 Pre-marital sex is moral from a societal point of view 383 Pre-marital sex is immoral from a societal viewpoint 384 CONTRACEPTION 386 Contraception is moral from a self-centered viewpoint387 Contraception is immoral from a self-centered viewpoint 388 Contraception is moral from a God based viewpoint 388 Contraception is immoral from a God based viewpoint 392 Contraception is immoral from a societal viewpoint 403 CLONING 404 Cloning is moral from a self centered viewpoint 404 Cloning is immoral from a self centered viewpoint 404 Cloning is moral from a God based viewpoint 404 Cloning is immoral from a God based viewpoint 404 Cloning is moral from a society based viewpoint 405 SEX AND MARRIAGE 405 PORNOGRAPHY 406 Pornography is moral from a self-centered viewpoint 408 Pornography is immoral from a self-centered viewpoint 409 Pornography is moral from a God-based point of view 410 Pornography is immoral from a God based point of view 411 Pornography is moral from a society centered viewpoint 412 Pornography is immoral from a societal viewpoint 414 HOMOSEXUALITY 416 Homosexuality is moral from a self centered viewpoint 417 Homosexuality is immoral from a self centered viewpoint 417 Homosexuality is moral from a God based viewpoint 418 10 Homosexuality is immoral from a god based viewpoint 418 Homosexuality is moral from a society based viewpoint 420 Homosexualityisimmoralfromasocietybasedviewpoint 421 SAME SEX MARRIAGES 422 Same sex marriages are moral from a self-centered point of view 422 They are immoral from a self-centered viewpoint 423 Same sex marriages may have value, or may not have value, from a God based point of view.424 Same sex marriage have, or not have, value from a societal point of view. 424 EXTRA-MARITAL SEX 425 Extra marital sex is moral from a self-centered viewpoint. 425 Extra marital sex is immoral from a self centered viewpoint. 426 Extra marital sex may be moral from a God based viewpoint. 426 Adultery is immoral from a God based viewpoint. 427 Adultery can be moral or immoral from a societal point of view. 428 PROSTITUTION Prostitution is moral from a self centered viewpoint 429 Prostitution is immoral from a self centered viewpoint 429 Prostitution is moral from a God based viewpoint 430 Prostitution is immoral from a God based viewpoint 430