
Dilbert on Values - kingsidharth
http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/2010-12-07/
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Rhapso
Same issue has always bugged me with ethics. Not that I lack ethics, but that
all attempts to settle on a logical and meaningful set of ethics that apply to
more then 1 person has seemed futile. The engineer in me is unhappy with this
lack of standardization, but understands why it is impossible short of
brainwashing the population. (Wait! that is a grand idea! _runs to dust off
the mind control ray_ )

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joshuacc
You might be interested in reading about the concept of Natural Law in the
Thomist tradition, which attempts to clarify the principles of morality that
can be discovered most intelligent people with sufficient reflection. Don't
know if you'll find it persuasive, but it lends itself to analytical
reasoning.

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Rhapso
my issue is more deeply rooted. Linear logic depends on a given true, this
works fine in mathematics, computer science, and physical sciences, where
assumptions are made, but resultant conclusions are void if assumptions are
false, but when attempted to be wielded by philosophers said assumptions seem
to be made desperately, and all attempts to challenge an assumption are met
with desperate shouting and intentional deafness.

~~~
joshuacc
Well, Thomistic philosophy does try to start with the minimum possible set of
assumptions as it works upwards toward a conclusion. As I said before, you may
not find it convincing, but it is at least an interesting attempt. I'd suggest
"Reality: A Thomistic Synthesis" for a general overview.

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Dylanlacey
I think values actually are a useful thinking point... They provide a common
framework against which to evaluate actions and plans.

Sure, not everyone agrees on their definitions, but they're like unit tests:
Even one unit test is better then none, so start testing.

What I think is of NO value, is companies using values as a tool to try to
encourage certain behaviours in their staff, without living them wholely. If
you say you have "Superiour Customer Trust" then you don't tell them when
you've got an outage, hoping they won't notice, you don't REALLY demonstrate
that you deserve trust.

I guess the organisations whose values are most held too are those who don't
need to tout them to all and sundry. They have no need to convince anyone of
them, they're just... there.

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praptak
Oh, but everybody has values. Just not necessarily the same that those
publicly announced.

