Moral Choice

September 9, 2022 Jerry King Comments 0 Comment

Moral choice
is comparable to the construction of a work of art.

As there are no aesthetic values apriori,
there are values which will appear
in due course in the coherence of the picture
— in the relation between the will to create and the finished work.

One cannot judge a painting until it is done.
likewise with morality.
In art and morality both have to do
with creation and with morality.

–Ambiguity and Freedom by Simone de Beauvoir

I have thought from time to time, that you and I have no choice at all, — none. That’s right, none, zero. What we have is a productive illusion, a convention of language that makes room for reflection upon one’s self, so that I and everyone else “believes” I am responsible for my actions. Deprived of that productive fiction, upon what grounds would I be human? Therefore it must be true that I “truly” choose… Wishing does not make anything necessarily true. So, that is no argument for free will…

As I said on my somber days I think that every action is the fulfillment of a long chain of cause and effect, that my passion for writing to this blog, every day, seven days a week is a mirror reflection of a passion-of-inquiry that I remember from my father… Something does not come from nothing. Ex nihilo, nihil fit according to Parmenides.

On the other hand I have the suspicion that I am missing something. This particular set of circumstances today has never at any time before existed… I awakened to this Friday, this day unlike any before that has preceded it. The elements of this Starbuck’s room is an unprecedented arrangement spatially; and in time, each of us here behaves, the baristas behind the counter fulfilling their roles, and I, a patron among others, create this social, and this commercial environment. This slice of space/time has never before existed.

Back to the quotation from de Beauvoir — what of the “work” that we self-aware homo sapiens are creating in this space, and at this time? At what juncture will the “painting” be done, be ready for the assessment of judgment? When this cup of coffee is finished and I depart the room? Or not until my life is finished, and nature imposes my ultimate departure? Or until there’s simply no one left to create…

Still — I think we are well advised once in a while, to pause the flow of creation, for “a step back” to make a preliminary assessment of what we have done, and to reflect upon what we are doing in order to create a definite future Are we working toward a set of circumstances hospitable to the life of those to come, and to the living planet? Or are we trudging blindly along, bit by bit fashioning an incoherent, a dystopian future…?

Circling back around to the question of whether we in fact have moral choice. I do not know.

As for the tune that we may hold onto, this one by Journey, tells our story. The melody is soul-deep is it not, and ah, those keyboard runs…

Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)

By Journey

Here we stand
Worlds apart, hearts broken in two, two, two
Sleepless nights
Losing ground, I’m reaching for you, you, you
Feeling that it’s gone
Can’t change your mind
If we can’t go on
To survive the tide
Love divides

Someday love will find you
Break those chains that bind you
One night will remind you
How we touched and went our separate ways
If he ever hurts you
True love won’t desert you
You know I still love you
Though we touched and went our separate ways

Troubled times
Caught between confusion and pain, pain, pain
Distant eyes
Promises we made were in vain, in vain, in vain
If you must go
I wish you luck
You’ll never walk alone
Take care, my love
Miss you, love

Oh, someday love will find you
Break those chains that bind you
One night will remind you
If he ever hurts you
True love won’t desert you
You know I still love you

I still love you, girl
I really love you, girl
And if he ever hurts you
True love won’t desert you
No!
No!

Composed by Jonathan Cain, Stephen Perry