as an atheist, what kind of morality do you foster in your lives?

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

But you specifically said that you DON'T swear. You're either embarrassingly forgetful or a liar. Which way will you have it?

Boru

oh stop it! such silliness :p I didn't swear did I? I just censored the words :p and to clarify, I was abused and used mostly by religious a**holes.

Sorry, how is it silly? You used the word 'assholes' in the same post where you claimed 'I don't swear'. In another post, you used the term 'bullshit' six times. If you're too stupid to not see the problem here, I have to wonder about your other claims regarding morality.

By the by, swearing is in no wise indicative of moral character.

Boru

[Jackalope]

I restrain myself from murdering people who richly deserve it every goddamned day.

And I swear. Fuck yeah I do.

[Cato]

Virtue ethics with just enough tribalism to make the breadth of consideration manageable.

[pocaracas]

Morals?
I follow the law... except for yellow lights, which usually mean "speed up". I've seen plenty of non-atheists live more or less under the same morality.

[MindForgedManacle]

What types of morality are there? Can someone fill me in?

Well, there are 3 major types of ethical frameworks:

Deontology - Duty-based ethics, which generally have to do with the intention behind an action and whether or not it conforms to one's duties.

Consequentialism - ethics pertaining to the outcome of actions, typically having to do with the harm or well-being of sentient beings produced by the actions of other sentient life.

Virtue ethics - Deals with actions which build virtuous character.

[Simon Moon]

You might want to check out Sam Harris's book 'The Moral Landscape'.

Or google the following 'the superiority or secular morality' by Matt Dilahunty. He has a couple of very good lectures.

Both of the above make some very good cases for consequentialism.

[MindForgedManacle]

Scientist/philosopher Massimo Pigliucci has a fun little book called "Answers for Aristotle: How Science and Philosophy Can Lead Us to A More Meaningful Life", which goes over the topic of ethics (and many other things) in an approachable and understandable way, which is often a hazard with philosophers (at least in their academic works). :p And if I remember correctly, he favors a virtue ethics approach to morality, for those interested in it.


My problem with Harris' "Moral Landscape" is that it doesn't come close to it's claim of providing a scientific approach to ethics. I found it kind of silly when Harris suggested using a fMRI scanner to show that a girl being genitally mutilated and use that as a way of objectively saying "Look, she's being harmed!" The screaming will do that for me, thanks. Harris' approach does at least give an outline of consequentialism that makes sense I guess.

However, there is a guy on YouTube calling himself "TheoreticalBullshit" who has a similar approach to Harris, but I think goes about it in a bit more cogent, and sensible manner.

[RobbyPants]

what types of morality do you foster in your lives as atheists?

Don't hurt people, steal their stuff, or lie. Try to think about their point of view. Treat them with respect.

Basic empathy.

[NoraBrimstone]

I give a shit about other people, so I treat them as I would like to be treated because I'm not a complete cunt. Simple as that.

[Kayenneh]

As an atheist? None. As a humanist? Well, altruism, I guess. I do not forget however that I am a human being too and that exercising controlled egoism is beneficial at times. I'm not always nice, but I am kind.