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From: franka@mmintl.UUCP (Frank Adams)
Newsgroups: net.philosophy
Subject: Re: The Principle of Non-interference
Message-ID: <619@mmintl.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 26-Aug-85 20:51:12 EDT
Article-I.D.: mmintl.619
Posted: Mon Aug 26 20:51:12 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 29-Aug-85 23:42:33 EDT
References: <588@mmintl.UUCP> <549@utastro.UUCP> <607@mmintl.UUCP> <584@utastro.UUCP>
Reply-To: franka@mmintl.UUCP (Frank Adams)
Organization: Multimate International, E. Hartford, CT
Lines: 29
Summary: 


In article <584@utastro.UUCP> padraig@utastro.UUCP (Padraig Houlahan) writes:
>> >> There is a problem with the principle of non-interference as a basis
>> >> for morality: it is insufficient.
>> 
>> [Padraig Houlahan]
>> >As I understand it, "interference" in recent discussions means curtailing
>> >another's freedoms. the principle of non-interference is presented as one
>> >of minimizing the curtailment of another's freedoms.
>> 
>> This really doesn't help.  Which curtailings of freedoms are "less" than
>> which other curtailments?  Only within a moral system can this be answered.
>> (For an individual, one can ask his or her preference.  This doesn't work
>> when more than one person is involved.)  Thus the principle of non-
>> interference cannot be the *basis* for a moral system.
>
>No one said that making the decisions would be easy. Fortunately, we have
>past experience to refer to. Also society can as a whole decide what
>is acceptable. 

I didn't ask for it to be easy.  I asked for it to *be derived from the
principle*.  The decisions of society as a whole form a basis for choice
which is not so derived.  Past experience is useful for making the decision
making process easier, but it is not itself a *basis* for decisions.

>If you are unhappy that there isn't someone ready to tell you unambiguously
>what's right, and what's wrong, then that's too bad. It does not
>invalidate the system though.

Please try to avoid the ad hominem attacks.