Jonathan Kaye
Aug 9, 2017 · 1 min read

Your title is provocative, but I think your argument is really against a moral precept being applied absolutely (especially as it impinges on the beliefs and rights of others) rather than tolerance specifically.

Right out of the gate, you restate your thesis in those terms — your title is “Tolerance is not a moral precept”, but then your restate it (first bold point) as “Tolerance is not a moral absolute”. I would not equate ‘moral precept’ with ‘moral absolute’ at all.

I do think your point about viewing tolerance as a ‘peace treaty’ is the right idea for understanding tolerance as a moral precept, and I can see how that perspective is appropriate for framing other moral precepts as well.

    Jonathan Kaye

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