"andrel" <a_l### [at] hotmailcom> wrote in message
news:47C### [at] hotmailcom...
> somebody wrote:
> > "Jim Henderson" <nos### [at] nospamcom> wrote
> >> On Sat, 23 Feb 2008 18:48:03 -0700, somebody wrote:
> >
> >>> I don't care. A thousand years is as meaningless to me as 100 billion
> >>> years.
> >
> >> You don't think we owe it to future generations to leave them a
habitable
> >> planet?
> >
> > No. I never signed a contractual agreement with future generations one
way
> > or the other. But more importantly, I won't exist after I die, much as I
did
> > not before I was born. It's superstitious to contemplate outside of
one's
> > existence. Future guilt is the modern day equivalent of original sin -
both
> > are religious nonsense.

> I think that is going to get you in serious trouble if you want to
> behave ethically. For ethics a longterm view is necessary. Either by
> believing in something that transcends your life in the form of a god or
> e.g. an obligation to add to the survival and happiness of humanity.

I don't care about humanity without me. It's an extremely absurd notion, if
you think about it.

> The
> way you put it any ethical consideration is external. As in: "I don't
> steal or murder because I might get in jail for that". Implying also
> that it is OK if you don't get caught. So, would you rob someone if you
> know for sure that you won't get caught? If not, I would be interested
> in the fundamental reason why you wouldn't.

First, how would I know *for sure*? Second, a perfect crime requires much
effort. There are probably legitimate (ie less risky, less complicated) ways
to make money. Finally, speaking of legitimate ways to make money, have you
not ever charged for, let's say a contract work you did for somebody, or a
good or second hand product that you sold to somebody more than what you
would think is fair? How is that different from robbery? Do you go to your
local police headquarters and pay a fine each time you drive over the speed
limit whether you get caught or not? We all take what we can get away with,
and mostly, it's habitual, following the path of least resistance. If I were
brought up and lived in a society where people voluntarily paid fines for
infringements they committed, I would probably do that too. If I lived in a
society where stealing was the norm, I too would steal. Right now, deviating
from the norm takes extra thought and effort.

Ethics is way overrated. Nobody would act ethically (not the least because
there's no such thing as universal ethics) if it weren't enforced. Being
caught (whether by the fellow humans or the invisible all-seer in the sky)
is the only reason we act *ethically*. Of course getting caught death is
highly irrational, but nobody said humans were rational to begin with.

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