what are we supposed to say again when christians ask us where we get our morality?

[Whateverist]

[Are behavioral dispositions moral because they evolved or did they evolve because they are moral?

That’s awesome Chad; Plato just smiled a bit in his grave.

Many thoughtful Christians really are Platonists, aren't they? Never could make that work for me.

Better to say that prosocial behavioral dispositions evolved because they had survival value. Does that make them moral? No. Does it underpin what we describe as moral. Most likely. Morality is more like beauty than it is like reality. There is no objective basis for morality.

If morality is like beauty then could someone stipulate that raping children is a morally good act? You still seem to be supporting the Christians’ position on this. Without God, morality is meaningless because any act could be arbitrarily defined as a morally good act.

I don't think beauty is absolutely flexible anymore than morality is. In either case, not just anything goes even though there is enormous flexibility in expression. Partly owing to individual differences but also in part because every situation is unique and impacts individuals in a differing ways.

I'll try not to be peevish toward the word. Is the absence of an objectively based morality identical to moral nihilism? Why not moral relativist? I guess I'd rather not focus on the words. If you mean to attribute to me the belief that morality is personal, elastic and resistant to absolutes then yes, count me in. I don't find that description at all alarming. Should I?

Is morality absolutely personal, elastic and resistant to absolutes? If someone believes in moral objectivism are you going to force them to ascribe to moral relativism?

Are you being humorous deliberately? If moral absolutes is the best a person can do why should I fault them or attempt to change them. It is absolutely there call.

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[Are behavioral dispositions moral because they evolved or did they evolve because they are moral?

That’s awesome Chad; Plato just smiled a bit in his grave.

Many thoughtful Christians really are Platonists, aren't they? Never could make that work for me.

Better to say that prosocial behavioral dispositions evolved because they had survival value. Does that make them moral? No. Does it underpin what we describe as moral. Most likely. Morality is more like beauty than it is like reality. There is no objective basis for morality.

If morality is like beauty then could someone stipulate that raping children is a morally good act? You still seem to be supporting the Christians’ position on this. Without God, morality is meaningless because any act could be arbitrarily defined as a morally good act.

I don't think beauty is absolutely flexible anymore than morality is. In either case, not just anything goes even though there is enormous flexibility in expression .. partly owing to individual differences but also in part because every situation is unique and impacts individuals in a differing ways.

I'll try not to be peevish toward the word. Is the absence of an objectively based morality identical to moral nihilism? Why not moral relativist? I guess I'd rather not focus on the words. If you mean to attribute to me the belief that morality is personal, elastic and resistant to absolutes then yes, count me in. I don't find that description at all alarming. Should I?

Is morality absolutely personal, elastic and resistant to absolutes? If someone believes in moral objectivism are you going to force them to ascribe to moral relativism?

Are you being humorous deliberately? If moral absolutes is the best a person can do why should I fault them or attempt to change them. It is absolutely there call.