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this testifies to hte fact that there is a universal moral code

"Universal" is not the same thing as "objective"--not the way I think the author means it, anyway. I think that when he refers to "objective" morality, he means a moral code that exists in the absolute, abstract somewhere, regardless of whether anybody follows it. And I'm not necessarily denying that it exists, just that it is impossible to tell it from an evolved moral code, since the only evidence we have is what people do.

Unless one believes that the only reason people do the right thing is because they're following the objective code as written down for them--if they didn't have this set of rules to follow, there's no telling how they'd act. I don't happen to believe that.

Another way to put it: I agree there's a generally universal conscience. I don't think it's possible to tell an evolved conscience from an implanted conscience, as the author seems to think it is.

[[”Universal” is not the same thing as “objective”—]]

Usually this is correct- universal could be subjective as well- however, the subjective comes from within person’s subjectiveness, while universal objective laws lie outside as THE standard by which everythign is measured- uggh- I’m exhausted today- did that make sense?

[[I think that when he refers to “objective” morality, he means a moral code that exists in the absolute, abstract somewhere, regardless of whether anybody follows it.]]

Yes, that’s what he meant- it’s the ‘ought’ that I spoke about- this ought is both objective and universal (not open to interpretation) An objective universal, again, lies outside of our opinions and is a constant.

[[And I’m not necessarily denying that it exists, just that it is impossible to tell it from an evolved moral code, since the only evidence we have is what people do.]]

I see why you’d think that- however, because we know good and evil exist, we know that a higher standard of judicial code also exists by which we measure all our own ‘personal moralities’ by. IF there were nothign but subjective codes to judge by, again, species would have destroyed themselves a long time ago- the philosophy discussion I spoke of talked about htis much more deeply than I can today-

[[I don’t think it’s possible to tell an evolved conscience from an implanted conscience, as the author seems to think it is.]]

I know hwat you’re saying, and why you are- I wish I remembered the link to that philosophy site- it addressed this very quesiton in detail- lemme see if I can find it tonight- it made a strong enough case for objective code that it was a ‘beyond reasonable doubt’ case made for it- it involved writings from philosophers such as Kant and Hume and several others I beleive if I remember right