[HPforGrownups] Moral absolutes/codes (was : Diffrent moral standards)

[bufo_viridis at interia.pl]

No: HPFGUIDX 93290

>Geoff:
>I have never said that there is an absolute moral code. I have said 
>that there are moral absolutes such as not killing and not stealing, 
>but moral structures go beyond those which are absolute...

I have given the subject a bit of more thought in between the posts and came to agreement with ??moral absolutes? (nicely differentiated by Geoff from ?absolute moral code?). Quoting:

>Susan:
>Yes, I can!  How about "Don't steal my property", "Don't kill your 
>neighbour", "Don't harm my child"?

The problem as usual lies in implementation. Probably we could cross-culturally agree on ?Do not kill (human being)?, however the definition of ?human being? is culturally dependent and is described by what Geoff called ?the moral code?. I?m not going into many examples of definitions of ?my property?, ?my child? or ?human being?, because I think all of us can imagine a few.
In WW some wizards have obvious problems in thinking Muggles as full human beings. Also Dursleys seem to suffer from this - just in the other way round. Anyway I think JKR made an interesting job, showing as a ?workable possibility? of liquidating such conflicts by isolating potentially conflicting groups (no contact ? no friction). At the same time she shows us it is impossible, and we have to find other ways. One of the less obvious, but more important moral lessons in HP, IMO.

Cheers, Viridis

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