(May 6, 2011 at 6:44 pm)Watson Wrote:(May 6, 2011 at 6:40 pm)Napoleon666 Wrote: I'll try and give an example. We don't believe killing is wrong because god tells us it is wrong. We believe killing is wrong because it ends a persons life, it ends a persons ability to live, and will more than likely inflict them great pain, or prevent them from having positive experiences.By what standard do we say an experience is 'positive'? Or even painful? There are plenty of people out there, whether they be whiny about it or not, who would argue that death may in itself be a positive experience. Not believers, mind you, but people who believe death would be preferable to living. What say you to them, Bonaparte?
Quote:Why do we believe this? because we wouldn't want it to happen to ourselves, right?Depends upon the person you ask.
Ofcourse there are exceptions, just like there are exceptions where you say it is okay for mentally ill people to commit these crimes.
Fact is the vast majority of people believe these experiences to be negative. this is how we can come up with our own moral systems. Certain people probably don't think death is bad, they are more than likely murderers, or suicidal. Either way their minds are not operating the same way as the vast majority.
Like i said moral beliefs are subjective to the individual, but collectively there are human impulses which we all share. Therefore by assessing what not only we as humans percieve as positive, but by assessing what others percieve as well, we can assess our own moral codes, and come to a rational conclusion.
My point stands, we don't need a god to do this. Prove otherwise.
