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Position:Home>Philosophy> Do intellectually superior people always have superior moral reasoning?Question: Do intellectually superior people always have superior moral reasoning!? Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Any fool can be a nice guy, but its takes a smart *** to be a bad man!. Being an intellectual means that you are able to prove your point, and persuade others better and easier than a less intellectual person!. Ethical standards isn't something that increases or decreases depending on your intellectuality!.!.!. its something that depends on you as a person!. After all, it is some of the most intellectual people that have done some of the most unethical things!. I'd say the smarter you are the greater chance of unethical reasoning because you are able to identify things that would benefit you (unethically) that a dumb person wouldn't!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Surely one can expect a higher calibre of moral reasoning from someone of high intelligence!. However the process of moral reasoning, like any reasoning process, becomes increasingly advanced, convoluted and open to error as it becomes more sophisticated!. This is why we give professorships of philosophy to people who are able to engage to the highest levels!. Sophisticated moral reasoning also holds the potential to ‘reason away’ moral objections which the ordinary person might have!. Reasoning, or the ability to reason, however does not translate to such behaviour!. If anything it can be used to cloud the issues or get around them!. Given that many moral questions are quite personal and subjective it is difficult, or at least undesirable, to make sweeping moral judgements!.Www@QuestionHome@Com No!. Wisdom and intelligence are two different things and morality is more fashioned by wisdom!. Intelligence often rationalizes the erosion or temporary annulment of morality or truth!. The sophists of the time of Aristotle were prime examples of this type of reasoning!. PeaceWww@QuestionHome@Com They might have superior moral reasoning, but they act on their reasoning just as often as everyone else does - that is to say, not very!. As it stands, intellectuals are no more moral or ethical beings than are complete dullards!. -JohnWww@QuestionHome@Com Perhaps yes, but perhaps they do not use it for taking the morally superior course (whatever that is) of action!. I do not want to say that superior reasoning skills necessarily dictate individual moral decisions!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Ted Kazinski was considered intellectually superior in his field, I doubt that you would describe the Unabomber as having superior moral reasoning!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Thy might have superior reasoning but not necessarily a moral one;-)Www@QuestionHome@Com emotional intellectuals and philosophical intellectuals are two different worlds! hitlar vs ghandi!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Absolutely not!. If anything, their morals are more loose than others!.Www@QuestionHome@Com I don't think so!. Some of the smartest people in history have caused all kinds of chaos!.Www@QuestionHome@Com No, in fact, I think it might go just the opposite!. Look at the Nazi leaders etc!.Www@QuestionHome@Com ask anyone that agrees with them, they will tell you that they do!.Www@QuestionHome@Com |