Atheism and morality

[Inigo]

Labels don't matter. Label any position anything you want. All that matters is what arguments can be mustered for it.

Labels do matter. They are how you communicate which ideas and concepts you are talking and arguing about. Otherwise you'd have to keep repeating the entire description over and over again.

Here, for example, you've been incorrectly using the label of 'morality' for your unusual concept - a label already in use for something else, similar enough to confuse everyone and different enough to mean completely different things. Ans so we have 48 pages of discussion of people telling you how and why you are wrong and you repeating that you are right by definition. If you had started the thread by saying that atheism is incompatible with your gmorality - I don't think anyone would have argued against you.

You don't solve complicated philosophical matters by getting a dictionary! None of this matters.

If you can solve a complicated philosophical matter by a simple reference to the dictionary - well, why wouldn't you?

If I say that by 'morality' I am referring to instructions and favourings that have inescapable rational authority you know what I mean by the term 'morality' don't you? If you mean something else by the term, great! But I mean what I've just told you I mean. I don't care what YOU mean by it. If you don't have the concept, you don't have the concept.

I am then analysing the concept and showing that it presupposes a god.

Here is an analogy. I am taking something - say, some strawberry jam - and I am trying to figure out what it is in by analysing it.

If you come along and say 'your analysis is rubbish. Marmalade contains oranges' my reply will be 'so? I am analysing strawberry jam. go away!'.

Now, if you have a problem with my concept you can just go away. I'm not interested in debating with people who don't have the relevant concept. What's the point? they're just be talking past me.