Does Atheism Lead to Nihilism?

[Mister Agenda]

So what "inspires us to live beyond selfish interests and so achieve social coherence...and compels us beyond self-interest, beyond ego, beyond family, nation, and race." Why don't we live only for self-interest like evolution taught us to do?

For one thing, that's not what 'evolution taught us to do'. We're a social species, we survive as individuals by cooperating effectively. Even chimps and gorillas have social mores, and enforce them. It's in our own best interest to have a well-functioning society that keeps most people safe and healthy and content. And we've evolved innate sentiments that help with that. One of the most satisfying feelings we get is from helping those less fortunate than us. We have evolution to thank for that feeling.

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So, a different set of parents and a little less empathy would yield a different set of ethics? That does not seem shaky to you?

It seems to comport closely with observed reality, with the caveat that children come equipped with varying predispositions that must also be taken into account. A resilient child can turn out okay with bad parenting whild a fragile child might need 'extra good' parenting to get a similar good outcome.