“Always double check your math if there are explosives involved.” Are we sure that Ursula isn’t an engineer.
I’ve got that rule inked on the cover of every notebook I’ve ever carried.
This is without a doubt my absolute favorite of your strips. And I agree that a version of this (maybe in color?) would be a great idea for sales purposes. I’d love to have one!
i think i’d want it framed in my daughter’s room on her door so that when she gets up in the morning, she can read it. Those are the best pieces of advice i’ve ever heard!
Sadly, morality does not fit in a nutshell. It doesn’t fit entirely into the human mind, either. For instance, how do you have the right to decide that talking is a defining point? Think long and hard before going anywhere near the word ‘sentient’, because YOU (yes, I’m talking to EVERYONE, including myself) have no idea how to properly define it. So, no killing at all then? Unless you can’t avoid it, like eating. What about plants, bacteria, etc. What makes animals so special that killing them is better than killing plants? This discussion goes into a downward spiral from there. You can answer some questions, but not all, and it ends up being a question of “what makes X so special?”.
Eagle my friend, *entire books* have been written on the subject of trying to find answers to the questions you’re talking about. It’s a bit like Fermat’s Last Theorem — the *theorem* can be written in a nutshell, but not the proof. And even in mathematics, one has to have a level of axioms, below which “why” questions are simply not asked. So there is no reason a similar chain of philosophical reasoning could not be built from generally acceptable axioms to questions on the everyday level similar to those you started with. It may be the case that every step in the chain is a difficult question and requires detailed thought, and the whole chain is more work than one man could do in a lifetime. But many thinkers have devoted their lives to completing links in the chain, and already enough progress has been made that many of us can see the direction the answer to your questions has to lie in. So it strikes me as unacceptably arrogant of you to dismiss the whole enterprise just because you couldn’t have all your questions answered in one discussion. Try taking things a little more slowly, and you may even find that you learn something.
I thought all morality could just be explained by the golden rule: “Don’t do to others what you wouldn’t want done to you.” But now that I think about it, there are many things some people like which others find intolerable…
Dang, for a second there I thought I had it all figured out >_<
Remick0, as my mother put it to me when I was little, you would be aghast at what *some* people would *love* for you to do to them…
We stopped eating each other brains, killing kids is always a taboo, and on the whole it;s frowned upon to marry your sister. As far as I’m concerned, that’s really very good as far as everything goes.
My seventh grade math teacher had the Ten Commandments of Math on her wall, and she made people read them whenever they were violated. I like Digger’s “Morality in a Nutshell” better…
I would soooo buy a poster, in pretty scrollwork, of Morality in a Nutshell.
Hell..I’d make one, using paint, and microsoft word (best picture editor of all time).
Everyone should be thankful the Shadowchild found her to explain morality. if it (she?) had tagged along with someone evil… I shiver at the possibilities. Still it’s my first time through the comic, everything might still happen.
Michael: Something like that…
Also various proposed manuals from proposed manufacturers, but as someone who avoids said manufacturers Digger wouldn’t be referencing any holy books… which explains a lot of her difficulties as far as I am concerned.
I need this on my wall on one of those framed ornate scroll-type things that people have the ten commandments or beatitudes or doxology or whatnot on.
You should make the things that Richard said. I’d probably buy one.
I concur with Richard.
“Always double check your math if there are explosives involved.” Are we sure that Ursula isn’t an engineer.
I’ve got that rule inked on the cover of every notebook I’ve ever carried.
“Always double-check your math if there are explosives involved.”
Cool.
I definately want it framed too! I think if everybody had one of those hanging in their room wall, the world would be a better place.
This is without a doubt my absolute favorite of your strips. And I agree that a version of this (maybe in color?) would be a great idea for sales purposes. I’d love to have one!
Morality in a nutshell. If only.
I think I am going to buy a print of that, once I have money that is >.<
i think i’d want it framed in my daughter’s room on her door so that when she gets up in the morning, she can read it. Those are the best pieces of advice i’ve ever heard!
Nice summary of ethics and morals! +1 to the poster idea.
“Don’t eat anything that talks”. Terry Pratchett reference 😀
I want to do a needlework sampler ^_^
The explosives thing is a company motto and practicly a TTP (Tactics and Training Procedures).
The only thing this site lacks is the ability to favorite comics. And +1 on the sampler idea…
I like that it looks like shadowchild is looking up at the word balloons, reading them along with us.
I’ll add my voice to the multitude here – I would so totally buy this page.
Sadly, morality does not fit in a nutshell. It doesn’t fit entirely into the human mind, either. For instance, how do you have the right to decide that talking is a defining point? Think long and hard before going anywhere near the word ‘sentient’, because YOU (yes, I’m talking to EVERYONE, including myself) have no idea how to properly define it. So, no killing at all then? Unless you can’t avoid it, like eating. What about plants, bacteria, etc. What makes animals so special that killing them is better than killing plants? This discussion goes into a downward spiral from there. You can answer some questions, but not all, and it ends up being a question of “what makes X so special?”.
Whoops: * What makes killing plants better that killing animals? *
Eagle my friend, *entire books* have been written on the subject of trying to find answers to the questions you’re talking about. It’s a bit like Fermat’s Last Theorem — the *theorem* can be written in a nutshell, but not the proof. And even in mathematics, one has to have a level of axioms, below which “why” questions are simply not asked. So there is no reason a similar chain of philosophical reasoning could not be built from generally acceptable axioms to questions on the everyday level similar to those you started with. It may be the case that every step in the chain is a difficult question and requires detailed thought, and the whole chain is more work than one man could do in a lifetime. But many thinkers have devoted their lives to completing links in the chain, and already enough progress has been made that many of us can see the direction the answer to your questions has to lie in. So it strikes me as unacceptably arrogant of you to dismiss the whole enterprise just because you couldn’t have all your questions answered in one discussion. Try taking things a little more slowly, and you may even find that you learn something.
Maybe their lack of a nervous system, let alone a brain? They’re about as different from us as you can get and still be alive, really.
I thought all morality could just be explained by the golden rule: “Don’t do to others what you wouldn’t want done to you.” But now that I think about it, there are many things some people like which others find intolerable…
Dang, for a second there I thought I had it all figured out >_<
Anybody notice the little rooster-bird in the tree?
Remick0, as my mother put it to me when I was little, you would be aghast at what *some* people would *love* for you to do to them…
We stopped eating each other brains, killing kids is always a taboo, and on the whole it;s frowned upon to marry your sister. As far as I’m concerned, that’s really very good as far as everything goes.
The background of the poster should be the inside of a nutshell.
You forgot to mention mute people.
EveryZig: are you sure it’s not a Narnia reference?
I’ve got a better one.
“Do not rape; do not kill; do not steal. These are principles which every man of every faith can embrace. These are not polite suggestions.”
“you forgot to mention mute people” -Andrew
lol. awesome.
check the math. check.
check the math. check.
check the math. check.
light fuse. check.
run. che- KERPLOW!!!
My seventh grade math teacher had the Ten Commandments of Math on her wall, and she made people read them whenever they were violated. I like Digger’s “Morality in a Nutshell” better…
Are we sure she didn’t have children in the Warren?
I would soooo buy a poster, in pretty scrollwork, of Morality in a Nutshell.
Hell..I’d make one, using paint, and microsoft word (best picture editor of all time).
de-lurking to say, I would also buy this as a poster. I love the whole composition and the message as well…
@Hunter — I hadn’t, but once I did, I immediately looked around for graffiti, and was sad when I didn’t find any.
Everyone should be thankful the Shadowchild found her to explain morality. if it (she?) had tagged along with someone evil… I shiver at the possibilities. Still it’s my first time through the comic, everything might still happen.
I miss Ursula’s wonderful description of the bird and how those little birds survive in this area from the old site… : (
Add another avatar to the collection…
I actually found this page *looking* for a poster…
Michael: Something like that…
Also various proposed manuals from proposed manufacturers, but as someone who avoids said manufacturers Digger wouldn’t be referencing any holy books… which explains a lot of her difficulties as far as I am concerned.