A couple of philosophical considerations

[bob]

I am not trying to start a pi$$ing match , I genuinely want to know where others might stand on a couple of concepts.

I was listening to someone prattle on last night and the terms 'common good' and 'greater good' were bandied about. This particular speaker seemed to draw them like six guns in attempts to explain why the hose job someone was getting was, if not for their own good, then somehow for the 'common good' or some 'greater good'.

First the notion of 'common good'. Does this imply that there exists some collective whose good trumps that of any individual within that collective? This seems nonsensical. If this is not what was meant then what, exactly, does 'common good' mean?

Next comes 'greater good'. Does this imply that there exists some good greater than your own to which you must defer? As for myself, I fail to recognize any good greater than my own. If you feel differently then please explain the nature of this 'greater god' and why any individual should be expected to summon up his resources and/or life to accommodate it.

If there does exist a 'common good' and/or a 'greater good' then are there any limits to them? Put another way, are there any limits to any sacrifice any individual must make in order to accommodate them?

Not trying to start an argument here, I really want to know what others think.

 

[HDvinyl]

Do you have neighbors?

 

[Marlene]

to me common good is something we all agreed to when we decided to live in groups. without it there would be chaos if we all were running around doing our own thing. an example of common good would be it is against the law to kill another person unless it is self defense. the common good in that is we agree that killing each other is bad and it keeps us from doing it for just any old reason. greater good sounds more like something you would hear from a cult leader to me. it sounds like we are doing something that sucks but the outcome will be the big pay off. common good I'm OK with as it can apply to daily life. it is our common good that kids don't blow their nose on people's shirts. we can all see the common good in that as it spreads grems and is just plain gross.. the greater good, I don't like the sound of that but I may not be using it correctly. to me it sounds like we will drink maple syurp in lemonade, kill ourselves and wait for a space ship hiding behind a comet to pick us up

 

[Fred Weiss]

It seems to me that both concepts are related and only different in the level of subjective judgment that goes into imposing a solution in the name of one or the other. For example:

There is an intersection that had been the scene of more than 100 accidents a year since it opened including an average of 50 deaths a year. The county traffic control department recommends to the county council that a traffic signal be installed for the "common good" and safety of all motorists who travel through that intersection. One citizen objects citing the possibility that he might be caused to occasionally be delayed in his travels if he encountered a red light. The county council votes to approve the traffic signal because the inconvenience of having to sometimes halt in one's travels is not as significant as the deaths, injuries and property loss of leaving the intersection unregulated. The "greater good" is cited as the reasoning for the decision.

It could be argued that the term "common good" is absolute and accepted until there is an objection at which time the term "greater good" comes into play. Real problems arise when there are larger numbers of individuals arguing for each side of any question along with winners and losers in any decision under consideration.

In the case of the discussion in question which I also listened to, my opinion is that the original speaker was stating his position and opinion and was properly challenged by the moderator for stating opinions as if they were proven facts. So, while I do accept the notion that governing officials are correct in weighing in concepts such as "common good" and "greater good" in their decision making, I do not accept them doing so without fact based data on which to base their use of such concepts.

 

[rjssigns]

Mayhaps citizens are confusing Common Good with Public Goods? e.g. Flood control. Since it is provided by the government it is non-rival and nonexcludable. Flood control allows everyone in the flood plain to enjoy the benefits simultaneously. By it's very nature it also makes it impossible to exclude someone who did not wish to pay for this protection.
Public Goods fall to the government to implement since no single entity would invest in such things as flood control. No ROI = not interested.

See I did remember something from college.

 

[Gino]

Whichever good is deemed good for whatever reason, what's in it for the person at the end ??


To me, taking what and only what you need and not being greedy is a common good or waiting at the stop sign and pulling out in your turn respectively. In other words, treat others as you want to be treated. So, by not short-changing ourselves, in turn we don't short-change our neighbors.

Therefore, it is my belief where if you treat others as well as yourself honorably, you are doing common good, and to achieve the greater, you must treat other groups or individuals as well as your own making for a unity of/for all. Having little or no interest in helping, usually results at the expense of others. I heard it said one time, this is where the greatest dangers and threats to the whole of society lie, me at the expense of you.

Serving yourself and only yourself provides nothing to no one. That could be a very lonely village.

Get simple. Think of a bee hive or an ant colony. Which is it there ??
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[John Butto]

I do not like using the word good as a noun and having a word in front to describe it. But the other night after having an encounter with a women she ask me how it was. I said "Good". She then proceeded and ask me if it was "Greater good, or common good"? I replied "Really good"!

 

[GWSigns]

My understanding of it is the common good is for a small community involved in day to day living.

The common good is that which is to the benefit of those in a single group or community.

The greater good is more of an all emcompassing level of action and thought involving everyone involved in the combination of smaller groups and beyond.

Buzz Light Year and Woody fighting to escape the day care center would be involved in actions for the common good of the toys there.

Once Buzz sets out with his thoughts of "To infinity and beyond" he has risen to thinking within the realms of the greater good and all toys everywhere.