Polarity Questions: Philosophy Forums

Polarity Questions

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Posted 10/20/09 - 10:38 PM: Subject: Polarity Questions	#1
If something doesn't exist can its opposite exist? Does perfection exist? If not, then can flaws exist? If flaws do not exist then woulden't that mean people are flawless? Woulden't somebody considered flawless be considered perfect? So... therefore, perfection exists (unless it doesn't exist due to the first question considering the possible fact that flaws may exist)
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swstephe
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Posted 10/20/09 - 11:23 PM:	#2
Well, there is one obvious one, (although I might be playing with terms here). What about the property of "to exist". Does the opposite property, "to not exist", exist? That's a contradiction in terminology, (unless you are getting metaphysical). Everything that exists exists and the opposite, "to not exist", doesn't exist. I would say it is very common. Whenever we give categorical attributes, "all X are Y", then the opposite doesn't exist or the premise is false. Also, "X is true", can't allow for "X is false", (its opposite), due to the law of non-contradiction. However, it seems you are objectifying. Claiming that "flaws" and "perfection" are things, rather than attributes and those things can't exist. Something can have the property of perfection without the existence of flaws. Something can be flawed without the existence of perfection. Those are properties and there doesn't need the opposite property.
Ethics is the measuring of morality. Morality is the measuring of good. Good is the measuring of benefit. Benefit is the measure of values.

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Posted 10/21/09 - 04:01 PM:	#3
@swstephe Good point! These aren't my real questions but I knew that by stating these I could retrieve potential answers for my others. But I'm having a hard time comprehending how something can be flawed without the existence of perfection. Woulden't that be stating something like there is bad but not good?
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Samuel Locke
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Posted 10/21/09 - 04:55 PM:	#4
Perfection and absolute imperfection are two extremes. If perfection exists so does absolute imperfection. How would one define that? These terms both seem abtruse and nonexistent. The law of thermodynamics might have something to do with it.

swstephe
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Posted 10/22/09 - 02:20 AM:	#5
Use a mental experiment. Imagine a universe with only one thing in it: a sphere with a piece taken out. It is "flawed" because it is missing a piece, preventing it from being a perfect "sphere", (a concept). So perfection and flaw are properties of objects. Good and evil, (as it says in my sig), are relative valuations, (the only question is what values and relative to what). Going back to the mental experiment, you pick any set of values and reference and see if any state could be at the maximum positive value, in which case every change of state would be "bad", or pick a maximum negative value, in which everything is "good". There is an interesting religious implication: "heaven", which is generally assumed to be the maximum positive value, nothing could happen which wouldn't be considered "bad" or the same. While in "hell", the maximum negative value, nothing could happen which wouldn't be considered "good", (it couldn't get worse).
Ethics is the measuring of morality. Morality is the measuring of good. Good is the measuring of benefit. Benefit is the measure of values.

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Posted 10/22/09 - 01:02 PM:	#6
swstephe wrote: Use a mental experiment. Imagine a universe with only one thing in it: a sphere with a piece taken out. It is "flawed" because it is missing a piece, preventing it from being a perfect "sphere", (a concept). So perfection and flaw are properties of objects. Good and evil, (as it says in my sig), are relative valuations, (the only question is what values and relative to what). Going back to the mental experiment, you pick any set of values and reference and see if any state could be at the maximum positive value, in which case every change of state would be "bad", or pick a maximum negative value, in which everything is "good". There is an interesting religious implication: "heaven", which is generally assumed to be the maximum positive value, nothing could happen which wouldn't be considered "bad" or the same. While in "hell", the maximum negative value, nothing could happen which wouldn't be considered "good", (it couldn't get worse). Is a sphere with a piece taken out even a sphere anymore? Woulden't it participate in another Form? Maybe one that we may not know about?
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swstephe
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Posted 10/22/09 - 09:16 PM:	#7
Well, "perfect" and "flawed", would always be in comparison to something else. So it isn't a perfect "sphere", but it is a perfect "sphere with a piece taken out of it". "Perfection" is an abstract concept, conveniently ignoring what is so perfect about it. For an thing or individual to be "perfection" in and of itself is to imply that it is either the only thing, or that it can't be compared to any other concept.
Ethics is the measuring of morality. Morality is the measuring of good. Good is the measuring of benefit. Benefit is the measure of values.

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