Atheism and Ethics

[Lucian]

Everything? If I don’t treat someone like a jerk but am polite and courteous towards them then I am avoiding immoral behaviour and acting in a positive moral manner. That doesn’t cause suffering? Sure, in some instances it may cause me to have to put up with things I don’t want to… but not always

How do you know that politeness and courtesy is what someone wants? I routinely hold doors open for people and once had a man yell at me, ‘I’m not some fucking cripple!’

The point is that it isn’t remotely possible to know in advance with any degree of certainty what the ramifications of a given action will be.

Boru

Well first, screw that guy. Second, my point is more that whilst everything can cause suffering not everything does. I have bipolar disorder, sometimes just loud noises can cause me great discomfort, so someone laughing loudly can make me really struggle. Everything can cause suffering, it is not the case that everything does