Our server costs ~$56 per month to run. Please consider donating or becoming a Patron to help keep the site running. Help us gain new members by following us on Twitter and liking our page on Facebook!
Current time: February 6, 2025, 9:59 am

Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Evolutionary explanation of morality self-refuting?
#3
RE: Evolutionary explanation of morality self-refuting?
(April 17, 2012 at 7:16 pm)teaearlgreyhot Wrote: But anyway, one of the things that is keeping me from leaving theism or at least Christianity is an issue of morality.
Do you believe in Christianity? Do you believe in any god? If you don't then I'd suggest sticking with those concepts simply because you don't like the alternative (a lack of 'objective' morality) is a poor reason. Besides, let's say god(s) exist - how does that make the morality sanctioned by them objective? Because they created us? Because they're powerful enough to enforce it? Ultimately I've found that 'objective' morality tends to break down when you think about it too hard.

(April 17, 2012 at 7:16 pm)teaearlgreyhot Wrote: A typical notion I read is that morality is simply tendencies in humans caused by evolutionary processes. But W.L. Craig (and probably others) say this is self-refuting:

I'm not usually so dismissive like this, but seriously - do yourself a favour and don't waste time with W.L. Craig.

(April 17, 2012 at 7:16 pm)teaearlgreyhot Wrote:
Quote:Given the truth of naturalism, all our beliefs, not just our moral beliefs, are the result of evolution and social conditioning. Thus, the evolutionary account leads to skepticism about knowledge in general. But this is self-defeating because then we should be skeptical of the evolutionary account itself, since it, too, is the product of evolution and social conditioning! The objection therefore undermines itself (On Guard, 2010, p. 144).


I'm sure this argument has been dealt with elsewhere but I haven't been able to find any refutations as of yet.

I doubt it's been dealt with because it makes no sense. It's an observable phenomenon that human psychology is/can be greatly affected by conditioning social and otherwise. But let's pretend this argument (which as far as I'm concerned isn't even an argument at all) is vaild. Let's change the terminology around:

Quote:Given the truth of Christianity, all our beliefs, not just our moral beliefs, are the result of God. Thus, the Christian account leads to skepticism about knowledge in general. But this is self-defeating because then we should be skeptical of the Christian account itself, since it, too, is the product of God! The objection therefore undermines itself.

As you can see the argument cuts both ways.
Reply



Messages In This Thread
RE: Evolutionary explanation of morality self-refuting? - by Tempus - April 17, 2012 at 7:47 pm

Possibly Related Threads...
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  Morality Kingpin 101 9295 May 31, 2023 at 6:48 am
Last Post: The Grand Nudger
  Here is Practical Explanation about Next Life, Purpose of Human Life, lunwarris 49 5841 January 7, 2023 at 11:42 am
Last Post: arewethereyet
  A Case for Inherent Morality JohnJubinsky 66 8930 June 22, 2021 at 10:35 am
Last Post: John 6IX Breezy
  Morality without God Superjock 102 12197 June 17, 2021 at 6:10 pm
Last Post: Ranjr
Exclamation Here is Practical Explanation about Next Life, Purpose of Human Life, barji 9 1805 July 10, 2020 at 10:42 pm
Last Post: Peebothuhlu
Wink Refuting Theistic Argument Ricardo 40 5126 October 7, 2019 at 3:11 pm
Last Post: BrianSoddingBoru4
  self illusion joe90 18 3848 April 8, 2019 at 2:34 pm
Last Post: no one
Exclamation Here is Practical Explanation about Next Life, Purpose of Human Life, asthev 14 2794 March 17, 2019 at 3:40 pm
Last Post: chimp3
  Morality Agnostico 337 48234 January 30, 2019 at 6:00 pm
Last Post: vulcanlogician
Exclamation Here is Practical Explanation about Next Life, Purpose of Human Life, auuka 21 3868 October 7, 2018 at 2:12 pm
Last Post: Reltzik



Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)