RE: Christians take on the more nihilistic atheists
December 30, 2015 at 8:08 pm
(This post was last modified: December 30, 2015 at 8:09 pm by henryp.)
(December 30, 2015 at 7:49 pm)robvalue Wrote: Yes, pragmatism is a part of everything. I use pragmatism to achieve any specific goal.
My distinction was between the pragmatism of someone who only cares about themselves, yet still acts vaguely "morally" to a limited extent for their own interests (what another person might consider moral), versus someone who cares about others. Of course the person who cares can then approach their goal pragmatically. I think this is the confusion.
Like I said, I don't label things good or evil. I have opinions on what I think should happen and what shouldn't. Ultimately, they are based on emotion.
Maybe this is where the free will stuff complicates it a bit. Since I believe people are solely a product of biology/environment, I think of them caring about just themselves vs. caring about others as just a description of who they are, rather than a conscious choice they had to make.
I think your belief in that choice (or my disbelief. I don't mind taking the blame as I'm the one with the weird opinion) adds another step in the process which might be why we are a bit out of sync even though we are agreeing with eachother for the most part.
