Full Read-Through - Pt 3
Grading Moral Progress? Wait—Is Change Even Real?
If morality evolves, does that mean we’re actually progressing? Or is the change we see just an illusion?
Before we dive into the idea of moral progress—whether our values and ethics are truly evolving for the better—it’s worth asking a deeper question: Is change itself real? This might sound strange, but ancient philosophers like Parmenides and Aristotle wrestled with this very idea. Their debate helps frame whether “progress” is possible at all or merely an illusion.
Parmenides: Change is Impossible
Parmenides argued that change is an illusion. For something to change, it must shift from something that is not to something that is—and he saw this as impossible because:
- If something doesn’t exist, it’s nothing.
For example, consider a hot cup of coffee that eventually becomes cold. Right now, the cold coffee doesn’t exist—it’s nothing. But how can “nothing” suddenly become “something”? That would mean something (the cold coffee) is created from nothing, which Parmenides believed was absurd. - Conclusion: Change is logically impossible because it requires things to come from “nothing,” and nothing doesn’t exist. What we think of as change is just an illusion—the world appears different, but nothing actually transforms.
Aristotle: Change is Real and Rooted in Potential
Aristotle countered Parmenides with the idea of potential. Change doesn’t involve creating something from nothing; it’s about actualizing potential.
Here’s how Aristotle’s explanation:
- Potential vs. Actuality:
A hot coffee has the potential to become cold. The cold coffee doesn’t exist right now, but it is “potentially present.” The coffee can’t become a chicken because it lacks the potential to be a chicken—it only has the potential to cool down. - Examples of Potential:
- A parked car has the potential to move forward.
- A seed has the potential to grow into a tree.
- Similarly, a society has the potential to expand its moral understanding (e.g., abolishing slavery or recognizing LGBTQ+ rights).
- Change as Actualization:
Change happens when potential becomes actual. The coffee cools, the car moves, the seed grows, and moral ideals are realized. For Aristotle, change isn’t an illusion—it’s the process of something becoming what it has the potential to be.
From Change to Moral Progress
Now that we’ve established that change is real (thanks to Aristotle), we can ask: Does morality change in the same way? Can it progress?
What is Moral Progress?
- Progress implies improvement. For example:
- The abolition of slavery is widely seen as moral progress because it reflects greater recognition of human dignity.
- Gay rights represent progress as they expand equality and reduce discrimination.
- How do we grade morality? Is moral progress just about personal preferences? What makes one moral stance “better” than another?
Moral Progress and Potential
If we think of morality through Aristotle’s lens, progress is about actualizing potential:
- Potential for Inclusivity: Societies have the potential to include more beings in their moral framework. For example:
- Slavery was abolished because people recognized the potential for everyone to be treated as equals.
- LGBTQ+ rights became possible as societies saw the potential for inclusivity and fairness.
- Potential for Reducing Harm: Progress often aligns with reducing unnecessary suffering (e.g., improving working conditions, ending child labor, or advocating for animal rights).
Challenges: Is Moral Progress Just Personal Preference?
You might wonder: isn’t morality just subjective—an extension of personal or cultural preferences? For instance:
- Someone might see eating meat as morally acceptable because their culture normalizes it.
- Another might see it as wrong because they empathize with animals.
This subjectivity makes it hard to measure progress. But if we look at moral potential, we can find some common threads:
- Does a change increase fairness?
- Does it reduce harm or suffering?
- Does it promote well-being for more individuals?
Even if people disagree, these principles offer a way to “grade” progress objectively.
Conclusion: The Actualization of Moral Potential
Through Aristotle’s framework, moral progress isn’t arbitrary. It’s about societies realizing their potential to become more inclusive, just, and compassionate. The shift from slavery to equality, from persecution to acceptance, reflects not just personal preferences but the actualization of moral possibilities that were always present but not yet realized.
And so, moral progress, like cooling coffee or a moving car, is not just an illusion. It’s the slow, imperfect realization of what could be—and that’s what makes it real.
While moral facts aren’t provable like mathematical equations, they can be supported through:
- Logical reasoning (fairness is necessary for cooperation).
- Empirical evidence (reducing harm improves well-being).
- Universal intuitions (most people agree needless suffering is bad).
Ultimately, the strongest argument for moral facts is that they appear to be woven into the fabric of human experience—consistently guiding actions, shaping societies, and enabling progress, even if we can’t “see” them in the same way we see physical objects.