answersLogoWhite

0

In the physical world that you can touch, right and wrong can sometimes be difficult to define or prove, however, cause and effect can be observed and proven, and I'm pretty sure that we can agree that living creatures want to survive. So, if you want to know if stealing is right or wrong, let's start from there.

You have the desire to survive and avoid suffering because you are alive. You have the strength to survive as a physically weak creature because of the intelligence of your ancestors to cooperate by living in groups. Intelligence lets you know that cooperation occurs more reliably when you can trust the people in your group.

Moral codes, civil codes, and even manners are constructed agreements that allow us to know what to expect from each other. This builds the trust necessary to use our minds to plan ahead, specialize, and succeed together in developing all of the modern comforts that we now enjoy. Dishonesty is typically forbidden because it undermines this trust in one other.

When we reduce the logic of this situation to its simplest terms, we see clearly that dishonesty brings death and pain closer to us. Death is the most undesirable condition for any life form. The only thing worse than a closer death, is an immediate death. We can now conclude with confidence, that the only logical use for dishonestly is to avoid immediate death.

User Avatar

Wiki User

16y ago

What else can I help you with?

Continue Learning about Philosophy

Stealing is always wrong according to what philosopher?

Kant would argue that stealing is always wrong, as it violates the categorical imperative that states that one should act only according to maxims that can be willed to be universal laws. Thus, stealing cannot be morally justified under Kant's ethical framework.


What is a sentence for amoral?

Amoral is an adjective meaning unconcerned with right or wrong, neither moral nor immoral. Here are example sentences: "Some people suggest that not teaching right and wrong in schools today is creating an amoral society." "Animals who kill humans are amoral, not immoral, because they do not have a sense of right and wrong."


Is stealing always wrong?

stealing is in the ten commandments.. it is said that " do not steal" so it is bad.. because when you said steal it means that you keep something that does not yours.. I hope it help>> follow me on twitter https://twitter.com/#!/garduquedanice


Can you be right and wrong?

No, being right and wrong are mutually exclusive. Being right means that your statement or belief aligns with reality or truth, while being wrong means it does not. It is possible to change your mind and go from being wrong to right, or vice versa.


Is it better to be right for the wrong reason or wrong for the right reason and why?

Since this is a philosophical question, I can only give a philosophical answer. I feel it is better to be wrong for the right reason rather than to be right for the wrong reason. If one is wrong for the right reason, then I feel they at least had good intentions. If one is right for the wrong reason, then I would have to wonder if their intentions were the right ones in the first place. But the really important thing, in my "philosophical" answer, is for one to be able and willing to admit when they are wrong.

Related Questions

Is poaching right?

no poaching is not right. it is stealing. stealing is wrong


Is stealing right?

Almost everybody agrees that stealing is wrong. That is why it is against the law.


Can you show me an example of ethical appeal?

This are things that the community thinks or knows is right or wrong, for example: stealing is wrong.


Is it right to be bisexual?

Of course. It is not something we have control over. It is not 'wrong' to be what we are. "Wrong" only applies to things we can control - such as lying, stealing, etc.


Stealing is wrong That is?

categorial principle


Is stealing a chocolate is wrong?

Yes


What is wrong with software piracy?

Well your stealing that's what's wrong's.


Why it is wrong to steal?

The main and most important reason it is wrong is because the bible says "Thou shall not steal" as one of the ten commandments (Unless god tells you to wage war with a group of people and after you have won that war god tells you to collect the spoils of that war-meaning everything that the other people owned is stolen from them because they lost the war-Reference the bible again).Another reason is, when someone steals something other people have to pay more to cover the loss therefore the price of things go up. Its also against the law - if caught it could cause you to have that on your record and this could hinder you from getting a job,etc.Generally, those that "have" make the rules and they don't want what they have to be stolen, so stealing is illegal. Furthermore, societies have found that commerce and trade work better if stealing is kept at a minimum. But, the crux of the question is who or what has moral authority to establish what is right or wrong. If man made law determines what is right and wrong then changing the law will make stealing right. If social conventions determine what is right or wrong then changing community standards could make stealing right. If physical might determines what is right then stealing will be right, for the powerful. From a moral perspective, stealing can only be wrong if there is a supreme being with the authority to establish what is right and wrong. Hence the reference to the Bible in the first paragraph.


Why is it wrong to download music from the internet?

it is wrong because it is stealing someone Else property


If you saw a customer stealing tickets and saw damaging a game what would you do?

wrong is wrong. report it


Can a 13 year old babysitter be charged for stealing?

Yes. Stealing is wrong, no matter how old you are and you can always get in serious trouble for it.


Is it true that extensive knowledge of right and wrong or sophisticated moral reasoning skills will lead to moral behavior?

False. Just because you know right and wrong doesn't automatically mean you will follow it. You can know that stealing is wrong, but if you have a drug or gambling problem, your urges will likely override what you know. If someone is right inside and willing to do what is right, then they don't need an extensive knowledge of why it is right or wrong. There are plenty of moral people who have never been to college, and plenty of dishonest people who have been there.