Exploration of Right and Wrong

Is there an absolute “right” and and absolute “wrong”?

Killing and stealing we believe to be wrong. Helping others we believe to be right. Some people feel that animal sacrifices are right and some people do not. Right and wrong are truly subjective terms. But is there a non-subjective definition of “right”? Perhaps truth. If we are constantly in the pursuit of truth, does that make it right? Before medicine, it was considered wrong to dissect a human cadaver. However, those who did the subjectively “wrong” thing were in the pursuit of truth and, therefore, are now considered “right”. Albert Einstein created the technology that are used in atom bombs as well as nuclear reactors and propulsion systems. Some applications of his technology we consider right and some we consider wrong. But was Albert doing the right thing or the wrong thing? Perhaps his search for knowledge (and the truth of our universe) was right, but the people who decided to use this knowledge to hurt others were wrong.

If this is the case, and the search for truth is right, then is it right to kill someone if we are trying to learn something. For instance, what is the maximum velocity a bullet needs in order to penetrate a living person's skull. That kind of search for truth we would consider wrong. Why? Perhaps right is the pursuit of truth where as wrong is injuring others.

What kind of injuries would this constitute? Physical, emotional, or even financial? Some people are more sensitive to all of these kinds of injuries than other. If our behavior, though in the pursuit of truth, injures somebody who is emotionally sensitive, then are we wrong? Let's say somebody is very offended every time we laugh. Does that make it wrong for us to laugh? All of these are subject to our interpretation and, therefore, subjective in nature. So is there an absolute right and an absolute wrong?

I believe that we do not know absolute right and wrong (or even if there is such a thing) at the moment. For now, Right and Wrong depend on your goal. For example, if your goal is to become a priest, killing a person is wrong. However, if your goal is to win a war, killing a person is right. The reason why there is so much subjectivity is because there are many different goals.

For me, I would like my personal concepts of right and wrong to be defined as simply as possible. This is what is right based on my goals.

• It is wrong to intentionally hurt somebody. That is to say, to hurt somebody for the sake of hurting them. Revenge, malice, and sabotage all fall under this category.

• Honesty and truth are right (despite how wrong it may feel).

• Helping others is right.

• Helping yourself is right.

If there is something that does not fall into these categories or can be lumped into these categories incorrectly, then I have to revise my definitions, for I have not yet accounted for such scenarios.