Morality and Technology

[o_mlly]

While basic moral prinicples are fixed, their novel application is determined as technology advances us into choices never before possible to the human agent.

After the Church has reflected on the matters where new technology propose new choices and issues teachings to guide the faithful on the proper choices, some argue the Church is beyond her authority claiming the matters prudential rather than moral, thank her for her advice, and proceed to act on their own wits. This marginalization of the ordinary Magisterium, I think, threatens the oneness that our Church proclaims as one of her four attributes in our creed.

I can think of three such areas in dispute: hormonal contraception, ordinary care for the sick, and the application of the death penalty.

Humanae Vitae gave us the Church teaching that the scientific advancement in the use of hormonal interference in the reproductive cycle of the woman is still an artificial means of contraception and is intriniscally evil.

Evangelium Vitae gave us the Church teaching on the latter two. With the advancement of science the extraordinary becomes the ordinary. IV feeding and hydration of individuals particularly those in comas or persistent vegetative states is to be considered ordinary care. To remove nutrition and hydration with the intention to kill the patient is euthanaisa and is intrinsically evil.

Finally, Evangelium Vitae teaches that advancements in penal technology render the death penaly as a means of punishment by the state to be rarely, if ever used. EV teaches that while the state’s right to use the death penalty remains, technology has rendered its just application to be minimized or even abolished.

 

[OpenSource]

Technology does attempt to create a lot of ‘gray’ in an otherwise black and white world with a lot of these things.

The fact of the matter is, there is no gray. Everything is a means to an end. If you have a clear teaching on whether or not that end is right or wrong, then you can see how transparent a lot of technology really is.

 

[Ponyguy]

While basic moral prinicples are fixed, their novel application is determined as technology advances us into choices never before possible to the human agent.

. . .

Finally, Evangelium Vitae teaches that advancements in penal technology render the death penaly as a means of punishment by the state to be rarely, if ever used. EV teaches that while the state’s right to use the death penalty remains, technology has rendered its just application to be minimized or even abolished.

Today, our court systems and overly-liberal laws and pettifogging lawyers have made a mockery of justice. Rather than deterring crime, laws and the courts have simply put a price on crimes. If you’re willing to spend “X” years in a state institution getting fed 3 squares a day at state expense, then you may steal half a million (or billion) dollars. To many, that sounds like a pretty good deal. They invest that money, then the investment and its proceeds is ready when the miscreant is released. (Restitution is quite frequently not part of the sentence.)

Years ago, it was a crime to steal a horse; a horse thief would be summarily hanged at the next sunrise or noon, or whenever. There was a good reason for that; without a horse, a man could (and probably would) die in the wilderness. Consequently, stealing a man’s horse was tantamount to murder. And thieves were hanged. And were deterred from further thefts. The system worked. Well. Today’s laws do little, if anything, to deter crime… they merely set a price to be paid for such a crime, and many are willing to pay that price.

Recently a young woman recently from our area whose family had moved to California was brutally raped and murdered. She was not the first of his victims. The guy who did it admitted his crimes, and was given several life sentences. What justice was served here? Absolutely none! All that happened was that this guy gets fed for the rest of his life for free, on the public teat.

 

[o_mlly]

… What justice was served here? Absolutely none! All that happened was that this guy gets fed for the rest of his life for free, on the public teat.

Perfect justice this side of the Parousia is impossible. However, life in prison is a measure of God’s justice.

If you do not think so, visit some prisoners in any medium or high security Illinois state penitentiary (Christ will ask us at the Parousia if we visited Him there). I think you’ll find that the incarcerated, especially those with no hope of release, do not think their situation as enviable. “Three [free] squares” is no substitute for personal freedom, an innate human right justly taken from them by the state. Prison life is utterly depressing, and as I read, especially so in Illinois.