Using Trends to Make a Moral Decision?

[dvrcthewrld]

Is it right for one to base a moral decision on the trend of how other people are making the same decision? (I am asking about those moral decisions where one must use their best judgment, not “clear cut” issues like abortion or euthanasia.)

 

[Joe_5859]

Welcome to CAF!

It is impossible to give a specific answer to such a general question. You could be talking about anything. And you could be talking about following the example of anyone.

In general, blindly following the crowd can be dangerous. If there is a question, better to talk to one’s priest and see how the moral teaching of the Church would inform such a decision.

 

[Richca]

Is it right for one to base a moral decision on the trend of how other people are making the same decision? (I am asking about those moral decisions where one must use their best judgment, not “clear cut” issues like abortion or euthanasia.)

No, it’s not right. As a follower of Christ, one must make his/her moral decisions based on the teaching of Christ and the commandments of God which the Catholic Church proposes for our belief.

 

[manualman]

Seriously? Doesn’t EVERYBODY’s mommy take care of this one before junior high school? I’m quite certain I’ve heard my wife using the EXACT same explanation my mom used on me. Rather eerie, actually:

“And if all your friends went and jumped off a cliff, would you want to do THAT too? Would you?!?”

 

[ahs]

:tiphat:+1 with the above. And another “Welcome to CAF!”

 

[BettyBoop416]

“And if all your friends went and jumped off a cliff, would you want to do THAT too? Would you?!?”

Oh my goodness. It’s a miracle you have a moral compass at all. The correct teaching, according to my mother, is, “If all your friends went and jumped off a BRIDGE…”

No wonder our society is going to hell in a hand basket.

 

[manualman]

Well Betty, it’s clear you’re not Polish then. Bridge, sheesh. What are you guys, German or something?

 

[Dies_Irae_1]

“And if all your friends went and jumped off a cliff, would you want to do THAT too? Would you?!?”

I’m Polish too, and I heard this version at home. Never heard anything about a bridge…

 

[fakename]

Is it right for one to base a moral decision on the trend of how other people are making the same decision? (I am asking about those moral decisions where one must use their best judgment, not “clear cut” issues like abortion or euthanasia.)

Of course it is okay to do so. Aritstotle himself in many places (especially in his “Rhetoric”) says that most men reach the truth and that one should follow how most people use a word, and that what happens mostly is natural, etc. So it only seems likely that when you can’t think of any other way to approach a problem, then you should follow what most people are doing.

 

[Cristiano]

Seriously? Doesn’t EVERYBODY’s mommy take care of this one before junior high school? I’m quite certain I’ve heard my wife using the EXACT same explanation my mom used on me. Rather eerie, actually:

“And if all your friends went and jumped off a cliff, would you want to do THAT too? Would you?!?”

Oh my goodness. It’s a miracle you have a moral compass at all. The correct teaching, according to my mother, is, “If all your friends went and jumped off a BRIDGE…”

No wonder our society is going to hell in a hand basket.

Well Betty, it’s clear you’re not Polish then. Bridge, sheesh. What are you guys, German or something?

I’m Polish too, and I heard this version at home. Never heard anything about a bridge…

It seems that making that comment must be the right moral answer because it seems that most of the mothers are saying the same thing.

 

[fakename]

It seems that making that comment must be the right moral answer because it seems that most of the mothers are saying the same thing.

Well, although I don’t know, I suspect that the argument that x is good because everyone says it is, is never an argument that produces a certain answer. However, it is possible to hold a probable argument with certainty (e.g." it is certainly true that whenever probable arguments are made, probable conclusions follow."). Idk how much of a solution that is though…

Bottom line: certainty is probably morally impossible to achieve and just because everyone says something doesn’t make it true, but it makes it safe to act with.

 

[tabycat]

I’m Polish too, and I heard this version at home. Never heard anything about a bridge…

The Irish version is ‘house’, that’s what my Irish-American mother always used with me. I think its called a ‘mommaly’. (something all mothers say no matter where they are from!)

 

[Pug]

There are times when it is a good idea to observe prudent, moral people to help remedy your own lack of prudence. Like, what is a moral doubt? I can doubt most anything, so what exactly is a doubt that I need to do something about? What is a reasonable effort to obtain enough information to make a decision? One could spend forever trying to obtain more information before acting. It helps to see how reasonable people handle situations where they have to spend time researching first before acting. There is a balance between being paralyzed and acting too quickly.

I think there is a lot to learn by watching moral people. But one ought not decide an action is right or wrong simply by how many people have chosen that action. You are better off consulting a good priest. And don’t forget that sometimes one needs to pass an action by if one can’t resolve the doubt. Not every situation demands that you act.

 

[BettyBoop416]

Well Betty, it’s clear you’re not Polish then. Bridge, sheesh. What are you guys, German or something?

 

[thistle]

Of course it is okay to do so. Aritstotle himself in many places (especially in his “Rhetoric”) says that most men reach the truth and that one should follow how most people use a word, and that what happens mostly is natural, etc. So it only seems likely that when you can’t think of any other way to approach a problem, then you should follow what most people are doing.

Moral decisions should always be based on Church teachings.
Frankly, following trends is dangerous.
For example, there has been a trend over the past few years to view homosexuality as morally acceptable. Using your thought process its then okay for a person to decide to support homosexuality as being acceptable although it’s against the teachings of the Church.

 

[dvrcthewrld]

Thanks to all for your thoughts.

Hypothetically, I determine that there are only 4 ways to address a particular moral decision–I can do A, B, C, or D. In my personal analysis and best judgment, all options have real positives and negatives, but I believe that I can rank them from ‘best’ (which is really ‘least bad’) to worst. My consideration leads me to conclude that D is the best option, followed by C, B, and A.

However, the majority of my peers, a truly broad cross-section of society, have been choosing the worst two options. Even though many of them actually agree that D is the truly best option, they are choosing C or B. Most of my friends want me to choose C because it is the trend, and as the trend appears to be the better alternative between C and B.

Am I obliged to stick with my best judgment, or ought I go with the trend of C because it’s better than the other trend of B?

 

[Joe_5859]

Thanks to all for your thoughts.

Hypothetically, I determine that there are only 4 ways to address a particular moral decision–I can do A, B, C, or D. In my personal analysis and best judgment, all options have real positives and negatives, but I believe that I can rank them from ‘best’ (which is really ‘least bad’) to worst. My consideration leads me to conclude that D is the best option, followed by C, B, and A.

However, the majority of my peers, a truly broad cross-section of society, have been choosing the worst two options. Even though many of them actually agree that D is the truly best option, they are choosing C or B. Most of my friends want me to choose C because it is the trend, and as the trend appears to be the better alternative between C and B.

Am I obliged to stick with my best judgment, or ought I go with the trend of C because it’s better than the other trend of B?

Again, it is not really possible for us to answer such a vague question. But if you think D is the best option, and even your friends think D is the better option, they (for whatever reason) are not strong enough to go that route, then what is the debate? You’re the one that has to live with your choices.

 

[Pug]

Thanks to all for your thoughts.

Hypothetically, I determine that there are only 4 ways to address a particular moral decision–I can do A, B, C, or D. In my personal analysis and best judgment, all options have real positives and negatives, but I believe that I can rank them from ‘best’ (which is really ‘least bad’) to worst. My consideration leads me to conclude that D is the best option, followed by C, B, and A.

However, the majority of my peers, a truly broad cross-section of society, have been choosing the worst two options. Even though many of them actually agree that D is the truly best option, they are choosing C or B. Most of my friends want me to choose C because it is the trend, and as the trend appears to be the better alternative between C and B.

Am I obliged to stick with my best judgment, or ought I go with the trend of C because it’s better than the other trend of B?

You appear to be saying that you are choosing between 4 options, all of which qualify as somewhat bad. As I noted before, often you are not required to act, so is there a fifth option, that of inaction?

Also, people may call something “bad” because it requires them to do something wrong, or they may call it bad because they don’t “like” whatever the option entails, perhaps because that option involves difficulty or sacrifice. What you mean by “bad” matters.

Perhaps you ought to specify what this situation is, so that we can more easily know what you are considering. Maybe you have missed an option. Maybe what you think is “bad” is not bad. If you are perplexed by a moral situation, you need to look over each aspect of the situation. I can’t advise if I don’t know how you are using your words. I’d have a much better idea of what you were thinking and hence how you are using your words if I knew the situation.

Nevertheless, that several (or even many) of your peers have chosen a particular course of action is insufficient reason to declare that this course of action is morally acceptable for you to do. Often people choose to do immoral things. That doesn’t mean you get to choose it too, just because they did. There is no “its not fair that they get to sin but I don’t” exception to morality.

 

[dvrcthewrld]

I do not mean to be vague, per se. I am posing the question in this way because I want to get at the principle of the issue. Perhaps it would have been better for me to post the question in the philosophy forum, but I thought this a slightly more appropriate venue.

It seems to me that there must be some objective moral principles derived from Natural Law that govern how one is to act in my hypothetical scenario.

Pug, sure we could say that there is a fifth option of abstaining in some fashion, but even abstention is arguably immoral. So, I’d like to stick with the dilemma as is: an option must be chosen.

Must I stick with my last best judgment, or is it permissible to defer to the trend?

 

[LaMusicaSenior]

Is it right for one to base a moral decision on the trend of how other people are making the same decision? (I am asking about those moral decisions where one must use their best judgment, not “clear cut” issues like abortion or euthanasia.)

“If everyone’s doing it…” I am thinking no…we should base our moral decisions off of Church teaching, tradition, and scripture, not what everyone else is deciding is “right for them.”

When you talk to God about that decision at your final judgement, it’s just you and Him, not everyone else who decided it was OK.