Register | Sign In


Understanding through Discussion


EvC Forum active members: 65 (9162 total)
2 online now:
Newest Member: popoi
Post Volume: Total: 915,815 Year: 3,072/9,624 Month: 917/1,588 Week: 100/223 Day: 11/17 Hour: 0/0


Thread  Details

Email This Thread
Newer Topic | Older Topic
  
Author Topic:   A personal morality
Neutralmind
Member (Idle past 6123 days)
Posts: 183
From: Finland
Joined: 06-08-2006


Message 1 of 6 (392856)
04-02-2007 5:55 PM


Okay, just recently I realised that with evolution comes a presumption of relative morality, and I've always thought about morality being objective.
But now, reading through and learning a lot more about evolution I now understand how morality in fact is very subjective, and the proof can be seen around the world with different cultures ascribing different things as moral and immoral. And even individuals in the same culture.
I've never really believed in a god, but I've always believed in an objective morality. That we all have a natural instinct of what is right and wrong, and that this natural instinct is the same for all of us. I can now see how I am wrong.
But here's the real problem.
I still refuse to believe in it (relative morality). I have a fear, no... I know that if I KNEW for sure, that there was absolutely no doubt that relative morality is correct I'd become one of the most immoral guys in this planet. I'd start "playing" girls just to get sex and doing one night stands. I'd cheat everywhere I could in the working life and so on...
I know this isn't the case for most. For many I know this wouldn't change much in their life but in mine... I KNOW I would become like that and I have no idea why I wouldn't want to be like that, now that I know (not KNOW) that relative morality is in fact correct.
So, should I hold onto my illusionary belief of absolute morality or will someone here help me find ways to deal with knowing the truth and still not turning "immoral"?
I know it may sound crazy to some but it's seriously a real problem to me.
Edited by Neutralmind, : No reason given.

Replies to this message:
 Message 2 by AdminNosy, posted 04-02-2007 6:19 PM Neutralmind has replied

AdminNosy
Administrator
Posts: 4754
From: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Joined: 11-11-2003


Message 2 of 6 (392859)
04-02-2007 6:19 PM
Reply to: Message 1 by Neutralmind
04-02-2007 5:55 PM


Good question...
just too much of it.
May I suggest a change of title to something like: "A personal morality"
The issue of morality seems to be central to your OP (opening post) so I suggest you get rid of about half of the post you have here and get to the point a lot quicker.
Since lots of people will point out to you that evolutionary science, by itself, has nothing to do with your personal morality I don't see why you need to bring it up at all.
You can just bring up the athiest/believer struggle you have been through as a back ground to your concerns about moral issues. Is that ok?
Since I'm taking the trouble to deal with this I'm going to cheat and toss in a personal opinion.
We are told, over and over, by many believers that without a belief in a God we atheists will run amok as you describe. Since I know lots of atheists who don't run amok what I learn from this is that there are many believers who have no conscience of their own unlike the more moral atheists.
Maybe if you are one of those who has no conscience but needs to be scared into behaving you should stop questioning what belief you have left and just stay where you are.
Since this isn't ( I don't think) a question about evolution at all it shouldn't go in the science fora. Maybe it is just a coffee shop discussion or do you think there is somewhere else for it to go?

This message is a reply to:
 Message 1 by Neutralmind, posted 04-02-2007 5:55 PM Neutralmind has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 3 by Neutralmind, posted 04-02-2007 6:54 PM AdminNosy has replied
 Message 5 by Neutralmind, posted 04-02-2007 7:08 PM AdminNosy has not replied

Neutralmind
Member (Idle past 6123 days)
Posts: 183
From: Finland
Joined: 06-08-2006


Message 3 of 6 (392866)
04-02-2007 6:54 PM
Reply to: Message 2 by AdminNosy
04-02-2007 6:19 PM


Re: Good question...
May I suggest a change of title to something like: "A personal morality"
....
Maybe it is just a coffee shop discussion or do you think there is somewhere else for it to go?
That topic title is actually better and yeah it's definitely one of those threads. If it's moved there should I still cut off my jibberish or leave it as is?
Since lots of people will point out to you that evolutionary science, by itself, has nothing to do with your personal morality I don't see why you need to bring it up at all.
I know I should have probably pointed out more clearly, that this relative morality thing is the last and maybe only thing that's in the way of my belief in evolution. Though yeah, it's got nothing to do with evolutionary science but evolution itself. Hope you catch my drift
Edited by Neutralmind, : No reason given.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 2 by AdminNosy, posted 04-02-2007 6:19 PM AdminNosy has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 4 by AdminNosy, posted 04-02-2007 7:05 PM Neutralmind has not replied

AdminNosy
Administrator
Posts: 4754
From: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Joined: 11-11-2003


Message 4 of 6 (392868)
04-02-2007 7:05 PM
Reply to: Message 3 by Neutralmind
04-02-2007 6:54 PM


Edit the first post
Change the title; shrink the darn thing so people will read it and get started in the right direction;
and
I don't catch your drift. Maybe it does need to stay in there but you'll have to explain better.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 3 by Neutralmind, posted 04-02-2007 6:54 PM Neutralmind has not replied

Neutralmind
Member (Idle past 6123 days)
Posts: 183
From: Finland
Joined: 06-08-2006


Message 5 of 6 (392869)
04-02-2007 7:08 PM
Reply to: Message 2 by AdminNosy
04-02-2007 6:19 PM


Re: Good question...
sorry, offtopic...
Edited by Neutralmind, : No reason given.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 2 by AdminNosy, posted 04-02-2007 6:19 PM AdminNosy has not replied

Neutralmind
Member (Idle past 6123 days)
Posts: 183
From: Finland
Joined: 06-08-2006


Message 6 of 6 (392875)
04-02-2007 7:26 PM


Ok, I hope this'll do. Or else!!!............. Or else, I'll just re-edit it.

Newer Topic | Older Topic
Jump to:


Copyright 2001-2023 by EvC Forum, All Rights Reserved

™ Version 4.2
Innovative software from Qwixotic © 2024