[extropy-chat] In defense of moral relativism

[Damien Broderick]

At 03:06 PM 4/29/2005 -0700, Adrian wrote:

>even the Pope is imperfect - it has been demonstrated
>beyond reasonable doubt that previous Popes have been in error at
>times, and even the Catholic Church has acknowledged this by
>apologizing for said errors - therefore the Catholic doctrine of papal
>infallibility is itself immoral: it allows mistakes and misjudgements
>to be hardened into unyielding evils merely because a certain person
>made them.

You've made this claim previously, Adrian, but without citing instances. 
Can you do so? You do realise, I suppose, that the doctrine of papal 
infallibility is extremely restricted, applying only when the man in the 
white silk beanie speaks "ex cathedra" on matters of faith/or morals. To 
the best of my knowledge, no Pope has ever ruled, nor could ever rule, on 
the speed of light, or the name Achilles used when he went among women, or 
the medical causes of leprosy, etc. By contrast, the infallible declaration 
that Mary was a virginal mother whose own immaculate conception freed her, 
in advance, of the stain of original sin, while extremely strange, is not 
likely to be overturned by science. If you know of exceptions, please 
provide them -- it would be fascinating.

Damien Broderick