Black and White, or Shades of Gray ?

[GePap]

Originally posted by SlowwHand
The death penalty is an excellent example of black and white, if you have the facts.
To the people insisting on gray, you're remembering to dig down to the lowest level, right?
If you have the facts, there can be no gray; that's what I'm saying.

What lowest level? There is no such thing when it comes to moral decisions.

[Japher]

That's very true. It's sad that for most people admitting that they don't know is very very hard. Even if there is nothing else at stake! They just have to have an opinion or they think they are weak.

In my field "I don't know" is an important phrase to remember. However, "I don't know" is not a gray phrase, it is black or white. Saying things like "I believe", or "I think", or "If I remember correctly" are gray phrases.

[Hot Mustard]

Personally, I prefer the Billy Joel song (Shades of Grey) to the Michael Jackson one (Black or White), but I believe Jackson's song was more popular.

[SlowwHand]

Thanks for that insight, dejon.

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

Interesting to see legal examples being used. At criminal law, the burden of proof is to establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt. At civil law, it's to establish guilt/fault on the balance of probability.

A great example of grey think bringing black and white outcomes. It all boils down to the fact that no-one is omniscient, I suppose.

[Zero]

no mortal can see everything in black and white.

But I believe everything is ultimately black and white...

[Japher]

no mortal can see everything in black and white.

is that a gray statement?

[Nubclear]

I see in colour, thank you.

[tinyp3nis]

Originally posted by Japher


In my field "I don't know" is an important phrase to remember. However, "I don't know" is not a gray phrase, it is black or white. Saying things like "I believe", or "I think", or "If I remember correctly" are gray phrases.

Do we have a different definition of "I don't know"???They are all "I don't know"'s, more exactly "I don't know for sure, but most likely". Even this is hard for some people to admit If that's not you, then good for you. Sometimes you know what was the right decision after you had to make it, sometimes never. Tons of desicions have both good and bad consequenses, or even unknown ones.

[Jon Miller]

Originally posted by Buck Birdseed
I think of it as loads of little issues, all black or white, that together forms a complex picture in which the issues weighted against each other will nevertheless give the appearance of grayness. Like a digital picture- all ones and zeroes really, but nevertheless resulting in a 256-colour grayscale.

I acutally agree that there are lots of black and white things

and that it looks gray

that does not change the fundamental nature though

Jon Miller

[Jon Miller]

Originally posted by Zero
no mortal can see everything in black and white.

But I believe everything is ultimately black and white...

I agree

Jon Miller

[SlowwHand]

Tassadar, I know I said no flames, but you're in the good old U.S. of A. now.
You need to spell it c-o-l-o-r. No "u".

Carry on.

[Imran Siddiqui]

I think you hold some black and white positions here.

I don't hold any black and white positions here. I back 'grey' positions because that is all there is.

[Shi Huangdi]

Black n' White!

[tinyp3nis]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

I think you hold some black and white positions here.

I don't hold any black and white positions here. I back 'grey' positions because that is all there is.

One might say that your position about this is extreme, no? "Everything is certain way" is black or white.