New set of Commandments

[Sriram]

Hi everyone,

If we could globally decide on a set of Commandments (Do's and Don't's) that all humans universally should follow...what do you think they should be?

You could come up with as many Commandments as you want, think outside the box... and not necessarily follow the ancient ones.  Cultural differences can be ignored.

One point I want to highlight is that the Commandments should not be merely for maintaining social order. That is not enough.   The Commandments should also enable people to develop themselves as individuals, help them become more civilized and evolve mentally and intellectually beyond our present condition. So...there is an element of an ideal here.

I will give my ideas after I have heard from some of you.

Any views?

Sriram

[Humph Warden Bennett]

Hi everyone,

If we could globally decide on a set of Commandments (Do's and Don't's) that all humans universally should follow...what do you think they should be?

You could come up with as many Commandments as you want, think outside the box... and not necessarily follow the ancient ones.  Cultural differences can be ignored.

One point I want to highlight is that the Commandments should not be merely for maintaining social order. That is not enough.   The Commandments should also enable people to develop themselves as individuals, help them become more civilized and evolve mentally and intellectually beyond our present condition. So...there is an element of an ideal here.

I will give my ideas after I have heard from some of you.

Any views?

Sriram

Yes. This should be on the E & F board.

[Sriram]

Yes. This should be on the E & F board.

Hmmm...I can see that we are unlikely to get very far on this!!   

[SqueakyVoice]

1 - No robot may harm a human or through inaction cause a human to come to harm.

2 - A robot must obey a human unless to do so would violate the first rule.

3 - No robot may harm itself, unless this would contradict either of the first two rules.

[Shaker]

Interesting stuff, this. Wikipedia has an entire page devoted to the subject:

https://goo.gl/bdDJxn

There are several examples there and although I would tweak a couple of points (I'd widen Penn Jillette's "human life" to "sentient life," for example) if I were to try to construct my own set of commandments it would come over merely as a rehash and rip-off of most of these.

Although not 'commandments' as such, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is one of the best templates for human existence that I'm aware of to date.

[Sriram]

Interesting stuff, this. Wikipedia has an entire page devoted to the subject:

https://goo.gl/bdDJxn

There are several examples there and although I would tweak a couple of points (I'd widen Penn Jillette's "human life" to "sentient life," for example) if I were to try to construct my own set of commandments it would come over merely as a rehash and rip-off of most of these.

Although not 'commandments' as such, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is one of the best templates for human existence that I'm aware of to date.

Thanks for that Shaker.  I tried your link but couldn't get anything. 

I have  not read the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It is obviously all about liberty and the right of any human to live a free life.

I agree that we today have a nearly universal understanding of Human Rights... and not just countries but even most individuals across the world would subscribe to it.

Your point does answer most of what I wanted to bring out in this thread....but it still leaves out human Duties.

What is it that we can and should expect from every individual (besides abiding by the law)? Is individual liberty everything? Does not liberty, in some cases, kill the human spirit rather than kindle it?

We must remember that we are only half human. We are half animal also. Individual liberty can in many cases encourage the animal in us and kill the human.  And the law cannot cover everything.

Some form of social control and discipline is important besides the idea of individual liberty. Also, respecting human liberty by itself does not provide life with a meaning.

Why should anyone respect individual liberty? What happens if an individual takes a gun and shoots down several people....is it just the law of the land that one has to respect?  Is there more to a moral code than just obeying the law? 

How about our responsibilities towards the elderly and disabled? How about our responsibilities towards our families and children? How about our responsibilities towards our environment? How about our responsibilities to learn and grow...to become less animal and more human?

Just some thoughts.

[Shaker]

We must remember that we are only half human. We are half animal also.

We're not centaurs. We're a species of animal that concocted the term human to try to obscure that inescapable fact.

[Humph Warden Bennett]

Interesting stuff, this. Wikipedia has an entire page devoted to the subject:

https://goo.gl/bdDJxn

There are several examples there and although I would tweak a couple of points (I'd widen Penn Jillette's "human life" to "sentient life," for example)

I am just wondering as to your definition of "sentient life" ?

[Shaker]

I am just wondering as to your definition of "sentient life" ?

Living things that know it.

[floo]

Thou shalt treat others with the respect they deserve!

[Hope]

Thou shalt treat others with the respect they deserve!

I'd disagree massively.  We ought to respect others whether they deserve that respect or not.

[Sriram]

Thou shalt treat others with the respect they deserve!

Too wishy washy. How do we know what respect someone deserves?  Many 'respected' people turn out to be pedophiles and murderers.  Many humble and honorable people do not get the respect they deserve from some quarters on here (Mother Theresa & Gandhi for example).

[Shaker]

Too wishy washy. How do we know what respect someone deserves?  Many 'respected' people turn out to be pedophiles and murderers.  Many humble and honorable people do not get the respect they deserve from some quarters on here (Mother Theresa & Gandhi for example).

Perhaps some people have different ideas to you as to exactly how humble and honourable the aforementioned individuals were and how much respect they deserve?

[Sriram]

Perhaps some people have different ideas to you as to exactly how humble and honourable the aforementioned individuals were and how much respect they deserve?

Exactly my point!

[floo]

I'd disagree massively.  We ought to respect others whether they deserve that respect or not.

How silly, would you have respected Hitler?

[Hope]

How silly, would you have respected Hitler?

One can respect someone like Hitler - or Mugabe, or Stalin, or Churchill - without agreeing with or regarding their actions as acceptable.  One respects their humanity - and it is then for them to live up to that respect.

[Shaker]

One can respect someone like Hitler

I'm bloody glad my grandad didn't think like that.

[Hope]

I'm bloody glad my grandad didn't think like that.

And I suspect that he probably didn't misrepresent people in the way you have here.

[Shaker]

And I suspect that he probably didn't misrepresent people in the way you have here.

Couldn't give two shiny ones whether he did or didn't, although I very much doubt it. He can't have had much respect for Hitler if he spent nearly six miserable years of his life trying to kill him and anybody associated with him.

[floo]

One can respect someone like Hitler - or Mugabe, or Stalin, or Churchill - without agreeing with or regarding their actions as acceptable.  One respects their humanity - and it is then for them to live up to that respect.

You must be joking! How can you respect people who are evil like Hitler?

[Walt Zingmatilder]

We're not centaurs. We're a species of animal that concocted the term human to try to obscure that inescapable fact.

And apparently we were the only species to do that.

Do you think that ability more notable than the ability to invert one's viscera.....or to eat one's offspring when under stress?

[Shaker]

And apparently we were the only species to do that.

Yep, as far as we're aware so far.

Do you think that ability more notable than the ability to invert one's viscera.....or to eat one's offspring when under stress?

Not in the slightest. If I did I'd be an anthropcentric human exceptionalist, and I'm the opposite of that.

[Walt Zingmatilder]

Yep, as far as we're aware so far.
Not in the slightest. If I did I'd be an anthropcentric human exceptionalist, and I'm the opposite of that.

Ah so your ability to be non anthropocentric is superior to being anthropocentric then.......................

[Sriram]

Hi everyone,

Commandments are about what a person should do rather than what he should expect. Its about duties and not about rights.

Some of the commandments that could be beneficial to the individual and to society could be,...

1. Be honest and truthful.

2. Do not harm others by word or deed.

3. Maintain good health and fitness.

4. Do not waste food and other resources. 

5. Do not destroy natural resources or upset the ecological balance.

6. Respect your parents and take responsibility for them in their later years.

7. Protect all children and care for their growth... physically, mentally and morally.

8. Respect family values and maintain family harmony.

9. Treat the opposite sex as equal in all respects.

10. Maintain sexual discipline and marital fidelity.

11. Learn as much as you can. Intellectual growth is as important as physical growth.

12. Always maintain emotional control and balance.

13. Respect others, their beliefs and way of life.

14. Love all life forms. Reduce meat intake and increase a vegetarian diet.

15. Do not tolerate cruelty or inhumane attitude from anyone against yourself or anyone else.

16. Do not be a slave to your animal needs and pleasure seeking. Discipline  and reduce your needs & desires.


Just some off the cuff comments. Please add or delete what you feel like.

Cheers.

Sriram
 

[Leonard James]

Reword number 6 ... which excludes old people who are childless, but still need taking care of in old age.

Otherwise, total agreement from me.