The greater good - a post from back in 2009

The question is raised – what is life all about? What is the meaning of life? Why am I here? The student states that her head is spinning out of control as she looks at what is happening in the world. She sees one side of health care reform and thinks it is very good. Yes, I am healthy, she says. But then she is exposed to the other side that speaks of how older members of society, the crippled, those born with defects could be led to suffer because the cost of caring for them will be too much. She realizes that Nana would be dead by now if there was a dollar limit on her care – basically her worth to society. 
Doc, you say that there two ways to look at this whole issue – freedom or free will and determinism. Ok, if there is free will, why are we choosing to put a price tag on life? But if it is determinism and through events this is the path that a superior being has put in motion, then we can’t stop “it” but only live it out?

From the wiki, we find that the greater good is part of the utilitarian philosophy. There we find the topics of moral worth of an action, consequentialism, happiness, pleasure, life stance and more. Just an overview of the wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utilitarianism) provides some insight to some various levels of utilitarianism. One of the key issues of the greater good is whether we accomplish actions for the greater good or for our own pleasure or intentions. Whether we are talking of war or writing about health care reform, one must look at the outcome from a utilitarian perspective as to what is the greater good. Human life in total is for the greater good. Terminating a life because it is costing too much is a bit of an extreme, but there are those that look at human life in that very way. Then what is the greater good? What is the greater good of God? 
Isn't God the sugardaddy of the sky and nothing bad is to happen to us? Why then is there suffering and why are we having a discussion on whether cancer is an elective medical condition or not? What does the Bible say about the greater good? My recommendation is to read Ecclesiastes in total. As students tell me as they read the first few chapters, geez this is discouraging - even Solomon looked at life in a questioning mode. But just like any good book, be sure to read the last chapters. They provide some insight that is needed to answer this question of the greater good. 


Not much of a heavy metal guy, but I came across some Iron Maiden music whilst looking for some music videos for an upcoming philosophy class. I found the lyrics to much of the music they play. Very interesting. Here is one that seemed to fit the topic of the greater good. Ponder this…

Iron Maiden “For the Greater Good of God”
Are you a man of peace 
Or a man of holy war 
Too many sides to you 
Don’t know which anymore 
So many full of life 
But also filled with pain 
Don’t know just how many 
Will live to breathe again 

A life that’s made to breathe 
Destruction or defense 
A mind that’s vain corruption 
Bad or good intent 
A wolf in sheep’s clothing 
Or saintly or sinner 
Or some that would believe 
A holy war winner 

They fire off many shots 
And many parting blows 
Their actions beyond a reasoning 
Only God would know 
And as he lies in heaven 
Or it could be in hell 
I feel he’s somewhere here 
Or looking from below 
But I don’t know, I don’t know 

Please tell me now what life is 
Please tell me now what love is 
Well tell me now what war is 
Again tell me what life is 

More pain and misery in the history of mankind 
Sometimes it seems more like 
The blind leading the blind 
It brings upon us more famine, death and war 
You know religion has a lot to answer for 

Please tell me now what life is 
Please tell me now what love is 
Well tell me now what war is 
Again tell me what life is 

And as they search to find the bodies in the sand 
They find its ashes that are 
Scattered across the land 
And as the spirits seem to whistle on the wind 
A shot is fired somewhere another war begins 

And all because of it you’d think 
That we would learn 
But still the body count the city fires burn 
Somewhere there's someone dying 
In a foreign land 
Meanwhile the world is crying stupidity of man 
Tell me why, tell me why 

Please tell me now what life is 
Please tell me now what love is 
Well tell me now what war is 
Again tell me what life is 

Please tell me now what life is 
Please tell me now what love is 
Well tell me now what war is 
Again tell me what life is 

For the greater good of God (x8) 

Please tell me now what life is 
Please tell me now what love is 
Well tell me now what war is 
Again tell me what life is 

Please tell me now what life is 
Please tell me now what love is 
Well tell me now what war is 
Again tell me what life is 

For the greater good of God (x8) 

He gave his life for us 
He fell upon the cross 
To die for all of those 
who never mourn his loss 
It wasn’t meant for us 
to feel the pain again 
Tell me why, tell me why 

Norman Mattoon Thomas (November 20, 1884 – December 19, 1968) was a leading American socialist, pacifist, and six-time presidential candidate for the Socialist Party of America. 

The Socialist Party candidate for President of the US, Norman Thomas, said this in a 1944 speech: "The American people will never knowingly adopt socialism. But under the name of liberalism, they will adopt every fragment of the socialist program, until one day America will be a socialist nation, without knowing how it happened." He went on to say: "I no longer need to run as a Presidential Candidate for the Socialist Party. The Democratic Party has adopted our platform." 

"The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money." ~~Margaret Thatcher

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ns-fQRnm9sk&feature=related