I picked an excellent little book recently for 20p which is only a little more than it cost new at 3′6d called “Ideals and Illusions” by Susan Stebbing and it has got me thinking.
The question for me is, is it right to do evil if you consider the end to be morally right? for example to kill. most of us would judge killing as wrong, but can it ever be judged as right; killing for food I eat meat so I therefore accept the kiling of farm animals for myself. Killing in sport the fox the game bird, I don’t part take because killing holds no pleasure for me. Control of species, man in his wisedom or foolishness more likely has allowed more dominent species come into the country. The green parroquet is becoming quite a pest, it is stronger than native birds and will take many of the nesting spaces and food that traditionally would have been available to indiginous birds. And for those out there who wish to distort or distract that this is not a metaphor for comparison on imigration, humans are not crude animals they can negotiate and debate and reason so do not go down that line.
Getting back to my point and without over analysing the meaning of each word used, is what do we see ourselves as Realist or Idealist?
Note Ms Stebbing often refers to a book The Twenty Year Crisis 1919-1939 by Prof E H Carr.
I would consider myself as an Idealist. At no point would I believe in starting a war or committing a wrong because my perception of right may be different to that of another. On that note the invasion of Iraq is totally wrong. It is even more wrong in the sense the West including the UK supported the Iraq government with arms and knowledge. Yet going into Afganistain is more complicated. The evil the Taliban were committing was outrageous not that that was the reason the West went in but I beleive, probably making a farse of what I said earlier, that somehow the West is actually a liberating force. In Iraq we are not a liberating force and that is how I see the difference.
Even as I write I realise that I not really asking Realist or Idealist but more a case of what is acceptable and not acceptable. I guess what I want to see is our government whether Tory or Labour do what is morally right not what may or may not improve our econmic position of power. And those of you think idealist are weak and achieve nothing I say look at what Gandi achieved and he too was an idealist. Lets have a moral Government one who will make the right choices for Britain and the World. Lets hope UKIP can remain moral and on the side of right. Labour and Tory for me have given up the moral ground.

I would like to hear from Thanets thinkers John P, Paul, Stan, Joel, What would you judge to be acceptable.

By Trevor Cooper