Using Reason and Evidence to develop Moral Systems

[whm1974]

This partly an response to @FelixDeCat and to partly help explain how Humans can and do develop Ethic and Moral systems.

I do have several premises here that I hold and based my ethics and morals on.

1) Our actions and behavior always has consequences.
2) These consequences have to various degrees effects that are beneficial, harmful, or neutral.
3) At the very least most Human beings value their own life and well-being and that of their family and friends.
4) Human are social creatures that live in "societies" and are in fact dependent on each other.

Now I do have other premises that I have to think about and the above list is be no means complete but to state it simply, Ethics and morality are tools Humans developed to aid in survival and well being, and to enable them to to live in large groups.

 

[whm1974]

@realibrad what are your thoughts about the above?

 

[realibrad]

@realibrad what are your thoughts about the above?

Pretty much inline with what I believe creates morality. As you said, its not everything that could be said, but its close enough for me to agree with it.

 

[realibrad]

I see no reason that "morality" cannot come from evolution. Morality to me is nothing more than a default position that guides people on maximizing human well being and flourishing. Now, morality is entirely a human construct and thus is limited by our ability to rationalize as well as seeing things though our limited perception. There are also times when that default position is flawed during margin cases. But, morality need not come from a deity or something supernatural. Morality is never something that limits humans, so as such it is simply what I said above.

 

[whm1974]

I see no reason that "morality" cannot come from evolution. Morality to me is nothing more than a default position that guides people on maximizing human well being and flourishing. Now, morality is entirely a human construct and thus is limited by our ability to rationalize as well as seeing things though our limited perception. There are also times when that default position is flawed during margin cases. But, morality need not come from a deity or something supernatural. Morality is never something that limits humans, so as such it is simply what I said above.

Well I want to start a thread like this for a while now, but I had hard time putting it words. And I also wanted to see other folks thoughts on how Secular Ethic and Moral systems could be developed.

 

[realibrad]

Well I want to start a thread like this for a while now, but I had hard time putting it words. And I also wanted to see other folks thoughts on how Secular Ethic and Moral systems could be developed.

Generally speaking, when I debate religious people that say all morality has to come from a higher power, I ask them to give me an example of something moral that following it does not make people better off. You can ask the converse as well. The only time it gets annoying is when they try and say that not having god in your life makes you worse off. If they don't pivot to that, then it usually hits them and they move off of that position.

 

[whm1974]

Anyone else have any thoughts on how to develop moral systems? I'm surprised that there are not any naysayers here.

 

[whm1974]

To add to the list. We have Empathy which allows ourselves to live in groups without being out each other throats.

 

[whm1974]

@Younigue what do you think of this thread?