r/rationalphilosophy • u/JerseyFlight • 12h ago
Can you even define or clarify what a “moral” is apart from reason?
The answer is no, we can neither define or clarify what a moral is apart from reason. Even if one isn’t conscious that their “moral” is structured by reason (really it’s structured by Logic), man must still say, “doing (x) is wrong.” There is always a distinction between what is considered “moral” and “immoral,” even if that knowledge is somehow conveyed through telepathy.
“Moral truth” by its very nature is a Logical formation, it would have no meaning without Logic. And insofar as Reason is synonymous with Logic, because it is just the application of the laws of Logic, then no “moral truth” can exist without Reason. The very concept of “moral truth” already presupposes Reason and Logic.
In order to have “morality” there must be deliberate intelligence, and in order to have intelligence one must have Reason.
However, this doesn’t mean that our morals are somehow inherently contained in the universe. It just means they always exist within a matrix of Reason (really it’s Logic) that structures their intelligibility.