Atheism and morality

[genkaus]

you don't seem to have grasped my argument at all. Of course we can and do have concepts of things that do not exist.
We have a concept of morality. My point is that there would only be something answering to that concept if a god and an afterlife exists.

Your point fails completely. We do have many moralities answering to that concept without the necessity of god or afterlife.

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Answering to us? What are you on about? Have you taken a drug?

Answering to the concept. That's what I said.

Here's an example. We have the concept of a unicorn. But there isn't anything answering to it, so far as we can tell. Unicorns don't exist. We have the concept of one, but there aren't any out there.

So, all together now: we have the concept of a unicorn, but there is nothing answering to it. We have the concept of a unicorn, but there is nothing answering to it. We have the concept of a unicorn, but there is nothing answering to it. WE HAVE THE CONCEPT OF A UNICORN BUT THERE IS NOTHING ANSWERING TO IT. (I'm bellowing that last one right into your ear).

So, having the concept of a thing isn't the same as that thing existing.
A unicorn isn't a concept. It is something we have a concept of. We have the concept of a unicorn. But unicorns don't exist. (If a unicorn just was a concept then one would have to say unicorns exist, for we certainly have the concept of a unicorn). So it isn't a concept, is it? It is something we have a concept 'of'.

We have a concept of morality. But if atheism is true there is nothing answering to it.

Bzzzzzt. Wrong. We have many moralities out there answering to it.