IGS Discussion Forums: Learning GS Topics: Criticism and Right & Wrong
Author: Ralph E. Kenyon, Jr. (diogenes) Thursday, July 31, 2008 - 08:21 pm Link to this messageView profile or send e-mail

To "criticise" does not strictly mean to evaluate as bad or good. One can criticise something by offering an improvement, which may further be criticised by another to offer another improvement.

Good, better, -> (best)
bad, worse, -> (worst)

"Right" presumes contrasted to "wrong" - a two-valued orientation.

Criticism presumes that the criticizer has what he or she considers to be "knowledge", and he or she evaluates his or her knowledge as "better than" his or her evaluation of that which is criticized.

"Right" or "wrong" is a yet higher evaluation. Most of us take "right" or "wrong" in a relative to context perspective, but Kohlberg's level 4 hold that "right" or "wrong" is absolute.

Mostly, criticism presumes that one who criticizes "knows" something comparable to what gets criticized, and is able to evaluate differences on a better-worse scale. But Right and Wrong is a two-valued orientation evaluation that presumes a unique "correct" standard.