Bright Stars

Some things we have to work out for ourselves. Choice has a fundamental role. Rational argument provides us with alternatives from which we must make our individual choices. Kierkegaard's example was Abraham commanded by God to sacrifice Isaac. His faith was what made him obedient to God. We might believe our moral position to be rationally justified. The conclusion being validly derived from the premises. The premises however must be vindicated and that may involve derivations from more fundamental premises and so on. At some point though a decision must be made and take the place of argument.

Questions of freedom and will and moral life are inseparable. There is no moral life without freedom. For Hobbes freedom is only discussed in terms of the absolute power of the sovereign and to stress that all human acts are determined. He takes no stock of freedom as an ideal and a goal. His theory of motives supposed that ideals were in fact a drive for domination. Schopenhauer saw life as meaningless and cruel and the individual as having no value. One thing the Milgram experiments on obedience show is that there seem to be no limits to obedience in some people even when inflicting pain and suffering is involved.

We should be like bright stars lighting up the sky. Life makes demands. It might mean giving it everything and carrying a cross. Reflection is necessary before important action. Costing and budgeting is necessary before making long range plans and devising strategies.