Atheism and morality

[genkaus]

2 and 3 are only true for most of us who are aware. Yes. But if you like to suffer, than you are not really suffering. Which brings up some other additions. I reasoned through that maybe a little too quickly... If Inigo keeps going on about his gmorality, though arg... Good one btw.

What other moralities do not require the existence of suffering to work, though? I'd be interested.

Putting aside Inigo's inane gmorality for the nonce - here would be my views on morality.

Simply put, morality is a set of principles that a person refers to when trying to decide whether or not he should do something. However, in practice, these principles are so strongly internalized that one does not need to explicitly think about them when considering a particular act - the feeling of wrongness becomes almost automatic and subconscious. A good analogy would be how when you see "2+2=7" or "he is doesing nothing", you don't need to refer to the principles of mathematics or the English language - you seemingly automatically know that this is mathematically wrong or semantically wrong - or in context of actions, morally wrong. But the fact is, it is not automatic. It is something you have been learning since childhood. It is the result of beliefs that you conceptually hold.

For example, I don't doubt that when Christians say that gay sex is wrong that their sense of moral revulsion is anything but genuine. Similarly, I don't doubt that when people used to say that interracial marriage was wrong that their moral compass was faulty or broken. Their sense of moral wrongness was the result of their deeply held beliefs.

And since different people, communities, societies and ages hold different beliefs, there can be innumerable moralities in existence. The next question for us usually is - which morality should I choose to live by? Which morality is correct? And since this question precedes acceptance of one, it does not have a moral aspect to it. Only someone who has already accepted and internalized a particular morality (which happens to be almost everyone in the world) would consider another person's choice to be morally wrong.

But the answer to that is simpler than that. Most of the time, you don't need to choose. That choice is often the automatic result of what you believe about the world, the nature of humanity and yourself. For example, if you believe that the world is created and ruled by a vengeful spirit, that humanity is corrupt and sinful and you yourself are destined to suffer unless saved by an external agent - then presto - you have a Christian morality. If you believe that world works according to specific rules, that humans are mostly rational and working for their own welfare and your own desire is to live a productive and fulfilling life, then you have the makings of a secular morality.

But, if it were a choice and someone were to ask me which morality one should choose to live by, I would answer, pick the one that is most rational. Morality is required to live in the real world. So, it makes sense that the one that best reflects reality is the better one. The idea morality - though one doesn't exist yet - would be the one that takes in account the universal facts about human psychology. And to hold this morality - and by that, I mean internalize to such an extent that your automatic, sub-conscious and seemingly instinctual moral sensations are in accord with it - one would need to have a completely rational worldview.

Consider empathy-based morality, for instance. Barring any great psychological damage, it is true for most humans that we do not wish to suffer. It is also true that if we identify someone as similar to us, we suffer due to their suffering. However, identifying someone as similar is an intellectual issue. Historically, we've seen that if we can irrationally consider someone to be "not like us" - such as another race - we can easily perpetrate suffering among them without feeling a twinge of guilt. Further, this morality requires us to suspend this instinctive response in certain cases - such as when punishing criminals. Also, if someone does not have that instinctive response (or has unlearned it), then this morality wouldn't apply to them either. So, while viable option, it is not perfect.

Another example would be ethical egoism with the premise of self-actualization. Consider, for the moment, that leading a happy and fulfilling life is the natural and universal desire of all human beings. It may not be true - of if it is, atleast it isn't evident yet. Also, assume that "true" happiness - as different from simple physical pleasure - is the effect of self-actualization and the degree to which you are happy is related to how actualized you are. This may very well be true, since we see that those living up to their potential are usually happier. These facts would then serve to be the premises of a morality where you should act in your rational self-interest and, assuming the universal nature of the premises, it'd be universally applicable as well.

Utilitarianism gives us another morality, where the ultimate goal is to maximize pleasure. Virtue ethics, which regard specific virtues as required for the ideal state of eudaimonia - which in turn serves as the ultimate goal - is another morality that wouldn't require you to empathize with others.

And then, of course, there is the old favorite gmorality, where your belief that there is a vengeful spirit issuing direct instructions that is the cause of your moral "sensations" and that it'll torture you if you don't comply.

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Actually, even granting the broad definition of atheism and the definition of religion to include any fundamental perspective on life - this would still be wrong. It would just re-classify all philosophies - including atheistic ones - as being religions.

Yes, that's exactly what it says it does... classifies all philosophies as religions. Your statement is confused. You don't grant the broad definition.

I do grant the broad definition. All it would mean is that we atheists are religious people. There would be atheists who practice the religion of naturalism. Others who practice materialism. Others practicing rationalism, or humanism or objectivism or utilitarianism and so on.