Thanks, Glitch. I understand the clarification. My only addition to the point would be that TEGR also wouldn’t allow the fight, based on the same principle - the feelings of the intended opponent.
I’ll agree that virtually any moral code is subject to interpretation and error. The categorical imperative does seem to me to be the most useful, when “tempered with empathy” as Gaudere put it.
Sum Ergo Cogito
Glitch:
Something just occurred to me.
I would appreciate it if you would do an ethical analysis of people’s reactions to me in “Up the Butt, Bob”. Specifically, are they unable to see this from my point of view, as someone who says he saw the episode and never heard of any “urban legend” about it until last week. Naturally, it is easy to discount my claims if you are not one who claims to have seen it. Would a person’s application of any ethical principle, including the Categorical Imperative, be galvanized by his own bias? What role does empathy play?
Think of people who don’t believe that other people have back pain, and how their perspective changes when they throw out their back. I like your ethical analysis, and look forward to seeing what you have to say.
(Disclaimer: I am not looking for you to defend me here, but simply to analyze clinically why both sides in that discussion are unable to connect empathically, with one or two exceptions. And speaking of which, what about those exceptions? Hmmm.)
Well, since you are both Gaudere (female) and Andros (male), it would seem reasonable of Lib to ensure that I don’t have a female avatar, right? 
:rolleyes:
Oh, I agree 100%! TGR and TEGR can definitely be used to generate a moral answer, which is why I definitely retract stating it as “hopelessly” flawed (Bad Glitch Bad!). TEGR, especially, is a very powerful tool for moral decision making. I guess my caveat to the moral inclined is to make sure that there is something else behind the scenes backing it up.
I may as well start here. My wife and I love the show. We watch it whenever I am home during the day for whatever reason, and on occasion she will tape it and we’ll watch it whenever I get home. I have never seen the episode in question, but on the other hand I certainly don’t claim to have seen nearly every episode, but I have seen a pile of them. But I tell you if I ever get it on tape I will be more than happy to collect the $10,000.
A lot of people have answered that thread, and to be honest, I haven’t been following it until you mentioned it here and went and read the whole thing. So, I can’t and won’t make any commentary on your opponents as a whole because there is too much variety, besides I don’t consider it my place to make judgements, unless somebody asks me for my opinion of themselves (okay, I admit I will take shots at: 1) ignorant pacifists, 2) holier-than-thou theists and 3) the spiritless). Once you start down the dark path (of putting yourself on the high horse), forever will it dominate your destiny. Wise man that Yoda.
Your memories tell you that you saw it; however, the urban legend has been around for awhile so they naturally think your memory is mistaken. You must admit that for people familiar with the urban legend that this would be a very natural reaction. Similarly, it is difficult to simply ignore your own memory!
Yes, absolutely. Humans are subjective to our own whims, feelings and POV. This is why I object to any claims of objective morality, such as when some Christians make that claim about the Bible. And therein lies a perfect example, would you not agree that a Christian is going to be galvanized by his own bias towards the Word of God, when applying the Bible? If you don’t believe me I can direct you to at least a couple of hundred threads on this board that will prove it for me. 
Looking at it objectively and from both sides:
For you to have empathy, you have to admit that if you had never seen the episode you would not believe the episode was real. Since, the others have not seen the episode they certainly aren’t going to be convinced by an Internet friend’s insistence that it in fact happened.
For them to have empathy, they have to understand that memory is memory, and it isn’t easily dismissed. I have an instructor in my dojo who is convinced that I fought him in his 6th match and last match for his black belt. There is absolutely no way this is true. I always fight dead last so they get to face me good and tired, and me nice and fresh. He swears that he fought me twice, his 6th match and last.
Again, to be honest, I think most of the people on the thread are understanding of your position. I saw lots of comments like “memory is fallable (sp)”. I think we have all had our memories play tricks on us so we can all relate. In fact, because we have all had our minds play tricks on us it only adds weight to the fact that they feel you are mistaken.
I assume you mean exceptions to fighting those who won’t or cannot fight. Basically to summarize them all (there is about a dozen), because they really all come down to the same thing, the Bushido allows for the cutting down of an opponent if he has dishonored you, your employer or your family and then refuses to accept a duel. In fact, it is considered very honorable since the challenged is, upon refusal, being a coward. For example, if you spit in my face and then I said let’s fight, and you said, “No, I won’t fight” I can simply kill you out of hand with no disgrace.
It is also acceptable to cut down a coward (i.e. somebodies who flees) in battle.
The samauri, in real life, didn’t always play by the rules! There are more tales of samauri betrayal and trickery than you can shake a stick at!
And with that I’ll be back, off to the dojo.