Where do atheists get their morality?

[YukonGlocker]

Asked this question of another group I'm in and got a great Darwinian response.


Evolution. Our ethics are an evolved behavior same as a dog circling its bed. We just think they're special because our intelligence gives us hubris.

Those of us with an empathy behavior apparently succeeded as social creatures much better than those without. We bred more, so there are more of us, so we win. That empathy behavior forms the basis of the one near-universal ethical principle: do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Our biological drive for survival forms the basis of our other, corollary ethical principle: do unto others before they do unto you.

That meshes nicely with the video I posted.

 

[HonkyTonkHale]

I openly profess that I am a Christian so I do not have to wonder where my morals come from. If I were an atheist, I would have to believe that whatever created us (even if it were just luck of the universe aligning properly to form life) that every person came from the same place. If we all came from the same point of origin, I do not think it would be surprising that we share many of the same characteristics. As a general rule (although there are always exceptions), we all have two eyes, two ears, two legs, and a consience and morality. Some people may be born without all of these characteristics, but that is outside the norm. We all choose what we do with our lives after we are old enough for rational thought.

 

[ConstitutionCowboy]

I openly profess that I am a Christian so I do not have to wonder where my morals come from. If I were an atheist, I would have to believe that whatever created us (even if it were just luck of the universe aligning properly to form life) that every person came from the same place. If we all came from the same point of origin, I do not think it would be surprising that we share many of the same characteristics. As a general rule (although there are always exceptions), we all have two eyes, two ears, two legs, and a consience and morality. Some people may be born without all of these characteristics, but that is outside the norm. We all choose what we do with our lives after we are old enough for rational thought.

No one is born with a conscience or morality. It has to be developed. After the age of about 6, if a person has not developed a conscience, they never will. They become sociopaths. Morality is a part of a conscience. Having a conscience allows a person to develop good moral behavior.

Woody

 

[YukonGlocker]

No one is born with a conscience or morality...

Any evidence of this? How would you test to find out?

 

[ConstitutionCowboy]

Any evidence of this? How would you test to find out?

Use the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) test.

Woody

 

[Dave70968]

No one is born with a conscience or morality. It has to be developed. After the age of about 6, if a person has not developed a conscience, they never will. They become sociopaths. Morality is a part of a conscience. Having a conscience allows a person to develop good moral behavior.

Woody

[citation neeed]

 

[Boehlertaught]

OK. So what I think I hear from a lot of the post is there's a chance that no person on this planet 2000 or more years ago had morals.

 

[YukonGlocker]

Use the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) test.

Woody

And how do you administer that to infants and small children?

 

[dennishoddy]

And how do you administer that to infants and small children?

I don't have the study at hand, but Its been reported that infants develop their personality by the age of two. Totally dependent on their parents and surroundings.

I have no back up other than second hand testimonials of people that are successful that came from low income, minority communities that have made it big time.

Their parents always encouraged them to try to achieve higher goals, and went out of their way to make sure the kids did not get involved in "street communities"

Kids can be molded by their parents IMHO.

 

[Okie4570]

Has anyone ever actually failed an MMPI? IIRC, it's still pencil/color in the ABCD circles.

"Do plants make you angry?"
"Do you despise your mother?"