Citizens of Civilization
Values
Would you call Athens in the time of Socrates or Aristotle a civilized civilization? It founded democracy and philosophy for the world, yet practiced terrible things such as slavery with few having rights. Living with a constant risk of death from things no longer even considered, with the richest living in conditions that would now be deemed unacceptable. In this book the argument will be made that there is an evolved boundary between a civil and and uncivil civilization maintained by it structure and individuals, of which attainment is more efficient and potentially necessary for the progress of humanity. From how one chooses to live life and interact with others, to how we organize society and approach to the future, there is a scientific logic for a common ground that humanity functions best on. If this book was not written, these same ideals should form again if humanity is given the time to mature enough.
When humans first evolved we did so in groups, and as time has continued those groups have become larger, more complex and interconnected. As these groups became more complex, individuals became more specialized. As individuals focused on more specializations, they needed to develop systems of organization for the exchange of goods and services. The larger and more interconnected these systems became, the more oversight that was required leading the the necessity of government. Different types of government have been tried, and as time progressed the slow process of natural selection continued to improve leadership as those unfit for the goals of humanity fail to those civilizations that progress. When humans progress from simple survival of the fittest in nature to a human created economic environment, the values and goals of society become a driving factor of society.
Rules such as “never lie”, or “do whats best for the most amount of people”, have been the foundation of morals for many. However the problems with rules cause many others to decided that a foundation cannot be built until a rule that answers everything is found. There is no answer that fits everything as that would be a contradiction of reality, for as long as a equation has more than one solution. Instead of a dogmatic attention to a rule or story, one should consider as many factors as possible. Treating morals as weighted scales allows one to gain a more accurate picture of reality, as one brings understanding further inline with the functions of reality. Many have already used this logic throughout history as “common sense”, changing as new information became available rather than irrationally maintaining old ideas.
Instead of individuals left alone in a world of groups focused on their specialized values, a community for those who follow the values of scientific logic for the progress of humanity. The common ground for those sharing the simple and basic values of civilization, welcoming and useful community for who meet his lowest of standards. It does not answer all questions, or even that many, but it provides a solid foundation on which humanity can build a future. While citizens will not all agree on what the logical progression should be, as factors and goals shift with an individuals perspective, the agreement to a basic common ground will allow for better cooperate. Instead of fighting over extremes each side can start from where they agree to find where they do not, reducing misunderstanding and creating the potential agreement on common sense policies.