Atheists Cannot be Moral Redux
Hi All,
We had a discussion many moons ago about atheists and morality and a lot has happened since then. I reached some new conclusions (which I'll withhold for now so I don't poison the water) and at least one other poster here has some new ideas about it.
So, I was wondering what the prevailing opinion is out there on this topic. Do you believe that atheists can be "moral"? Is it impossible for an atheist to be truly moral? Is "morality" something to which adherents have a valid claim? The infamous Dawkins and Harris had a discussion at Oxford about this about a year or so ago that was very good and I would also be interested in what anyone thinks of what was discussed there.
Thanks and all are welcome.
- kk
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Kir Komrik on -
Hey Simon,
I think this is one of your greats.
... Sam Harris would use it as a stick to beat religion with, because he's morally a child, ...
rflmao
... Sam Harris and Richard Dawkins are divisive and destructive in their approach. ...
Which is not how you sell a car.
The hypothalamus is all very well and all that - but for this system, you don't even need a brain.
lol, I understand.
- kk
-
Permalink Reply by archaeopteryx on -
Hmmm --
"No, it isn't - kk"
-
Permalink Reply by Kir Komrik on
-
Arch - where did I say that? - kk
-
-
Permalink Reply by archaeopteryx on
-
In your message to me.
-
-
Permalink Reply by Simon Paynton on -
Are you really sure about that, Arch? I see that you and Kir are not on each other's friends lists, and you don't seem to have had a comment on your page since October. I don't know of any other way that you could be messaged, apart from e-mail.
-
-
Permalink Reply by archaeopteryx on
-
You ARE aware that we all have TA emails, aren't you, Simon? That's how most of my friends communicate with me.
You, on the other hand, lost that privilege after your earlier comment: "Arch - give it a rest, frankly you're being a total asshole."
-
-
Permalink Reply by Simon Paynton on
-
If he wanted to tell me something he would just say it, because he has balls.
-
-
Permalink Reply by Simon Paynton on
-
"you and Kir are not on each other's friends lists"
"That's how most of my friends communicate with me."
Why, Arch? -
-
Permalink Reply by archaeopteryx on
-
RE: "If he wanted to tell me something he would just say it, because he has balls."
Again, Hmmmm --
-
-
Permalink Reply by archaeopteryx on
-
Why, what, Simon?
Why is it that, "That's how most of my friends communicate with me."? - because, astonishingly, we like to talk to each other.
Why is it that, "you and Kir are not on each other's friends lists"? - YOU're the one who said that that was the case, frankly I hadn't noticed.
-
-
Permalink Reply by Simon Paynton on
-
Regarding objectivity, the way I see it is that it is possible to identify a small list of moral values which all homo sapiens within 3 standard deviations would agree with. However, moral values are "high level" manifestations of the basic underlying principle, and that's probably why there is so much room for disagreement. Many moral values which people hold would only be shared by a fraction of the human race, which is why they are not called objective values. It is definitely true that not all values are completely based on my underlying principle. That in itself doesn't invalidate those values.
-
Permalink Reply by Kir Komrik on
-
Hey - wait ... three s.d. s or 4? Or 2? Shouldn't it be an even number? Anyway, I'm seeing your point here as well as from some other things you showed me. There is something nicely realistic about this - as opposed to the hypothetical hyperbola I sometimes get wrapped up in.
- kk
What's new today
Forum
What would be required to prove the existence of a "god"?
Started by Shawn Close in Religion and the Religious, Atheism and Atheists. Last reply by Jimmy 2 minutes ago. 71 Replies 0 Likes
Blog Posts
How Jesus' Views on Marriage Proves Yahweh's Laws are NOT Absolute OR Jesus is Mistaken
Posted by Cathy Cooper on May 17, 2013 at 10:00am 2 Comments 0 Likes
Events
Services we love
Check out our new mobile/tablet version of Think Atheist! www.ThinkAtheist.com/m
© 2013 Created by Morgan Matthew.
