Replacing Religious Morality

[Simon Moon]

I need a new reason to apply worth to the people of Africa, and I haven't figured one out yet.

Morality is really about the well being of sentient beings.

Even with out empathy, it is easy to use evidence, and rational and logical thought in order to discern that, in general: life is preferable to death, health is preferable to disease, comfort is preferable to pain, etc.

Even without a sense of empathy, morality can be rationally ascertained.

As for empathy, I think we mistakenly believe empathy is baser and purer than it is. I personally believe it is a conditioned response. I believe that based on it's arbitrary and erratic nature. It's just another religion. Society says care about other people, or you're bad. But what real authority does society have?

It would seem that empathy is an evolved trait of higher social animals. Not everyone has it, but they would seem to be the vast minority of humans. They sometimes get labeled as sociopaths.

Empathy is the ability to put yourself in someone else situation, and to feel their feelings. Not sure how that can be classified as a religion in any sense of the word.

Who's society says to care about other people? African tribes that are performing ritual female circumcisions? Societies performing Honor killings?

I get the list of rules I follow from society, but that doesn't mean I get my ability to care about other people from society. I get it from my own innate sense.

As an example, Western society has said that cannabis is illegal in all circumstances for decades. I know that it helps some ill people. My innate sense tells me that cannabis use for some people is the caring thing to do.