Yes. Morals are predicated on the social instincts that all social mammals share -- empathy and altruism. They, like all instinct or propensity, arise from evolution.
And yes, we, like all social mammals, can choose to ignore these instincts, though humans tend to do it a bit more willfully.
The fact that some people are missing these instincts or propensities, causing sociopathy when there is lack of altruism or psychopathy in the lack of empathy, is proof that ethics were not "inscribed on the hearts of all men," and calls into question the existence of free will especially as it relates to theistic viewpoints.
---------
Militant Atheist:
The use of G-D is a Jewish tradition forbidding the full writing of the word or any other name of the divine to prevent desecration of the name. For example, when a Torah is retired, it is given a burial with full honors in a Jewish cemetary because it contains the name of the divine.
Please understand a thing before you thrash it. It helps keep you from looking like a fool.
2007-03-21 05:18:59
·
answer #1
·
answered by Anonymous
·
4⤊
0⤋
I think you can have great ethics and morals without that because I know as I was growing up, I looked into other faiths, churches, whatever. Not to become like them but really to see what they were like, I think it gives one perspective to see things different ways, when you are maturing to get a sense of the world.
I think Ethics and morals come from family, friends and any others that are really supportive of you and give you a good example of simply being a well balanced person. I think when you have the support, understanding and good example of others, it gives perspective to help you to become the person you want to be.
That has been my experience.
2007-03-21 12:23:20
·
answer #2
·
answered by dmh7593 3
·
0⤊
0⤋
Yes, you can have morals without God. They mainly come from society. Comparing the two will show you that not all our morals even come from there. Using the Bible, you can see that slavery is acceptable... even to the point of selling your own children into slavery. Would we accept that today? Not without a fight.
Of course you can choose to ignore them. God handed down laws people ignore all the time... why would this be any different?
2007-03-21 12:36:26
·
answer #3
·
answered by riverstorm13 3
·
0⤊
0⤋
Yes, it's easily demonstratable that people have ethics and morals without G-d. When people look at the Bible and see "Shellfish and homosexuality are abonimations," but only choose to follow one of those, they are making a moral choice. They are holding the Bible to society's moral standards, instead of the reverse.
The Bible condones slavery, capital punishment, and a lack of rights for women -- all of which have been thrown away within certain societies because we have an independent moral code.
Ethics are to psychology like medical advice is to biology. The facts of biology are translated into "ought" statements for the goal of being healthy. Likewise, the facts of psychology are translated into "ought" statements for the goal of happiness. For example:
A doctor says,"You should eat right, otherwise you will suffer a heart attack."
And an ethicist says,"You should treat people right, otherwise you will find yourself unhappy and without friends."
You can choose to ignore both, but only at your own peril.
2007-03-21 13:02:23
·
answer #4
·
answered by Michael 4
·
0⤊
0⤋
We humans are born with intelligence, reason, common sense, empathy and the ability to predict the consequences of our actions. That's all you need to be able to figure out how to live with morals and ethics. Sure, we COULD choose to ignore them, but so can people who believe in God. Atheists and believers are not that different. Atheists just believe in one less Deity than believers do.
2007-03-21 12:31:38
·
answer #5
·
answered by Jess H 7
·
0⤊
0⤋
Yes.
There are any number of moral codes out there. Some claim to be god given, some claim to be human derived. Good moral codes are based on natural law. The "golden rule" is an example of this. Throughout human cultures we see it crop up again and again. It can even be tested by game theorists and has been found to be an excellent strategy.
You can choose to ignore them just as "people of the book" (jews, christians, and moslems) choose to ignore their "god" given laws. Religious people have decided that some laws no longer apply in general. When was the last time they executed someone for cursing their father or mother according to god's law? Some have also decided that some laws don't apply to them. The prisons are filled with jews, christians, and moslems (as well as those of other religions) who ignored the laws of their god and of society.
One of the fundamental differences between Atheists and people of the book is that Atheists believe that mankind can act well, given the opportunity, while god says that mankind is inherently evil and in need of divine threats to restrain their actions.
2007-03-21 12:17:05
·
answer #6
·
answered by Dave P 7
·
4⤊
0⤋
Ethics and morals come from human ideals, our sense of right and wrong, not from any of the gods.
The arguement that the church uses is - - - - we teach morals, so anyone who does not support us is without morals. That arguement is about as senseless as a lot of the other ideas of religion.
2007-03-21 13:00:33
·
answer #7
·
answered by Anonymous
·
0⤊
0⤋
People who are supposed to get their ethics and morals from Christianity and other religions choose to ignore them just as much as anybody else. So if you're inclined to ignore, then you're going to do so no matter what faith or philosophy you claim to follow.
My ethics come from Buddhism and YES I'm atheist.
_()_
2007-03-21 12:18:53
·
answer #8
·
answered by vinslave 7
·
2⤊
0⤋
Yes ofcourse you can. But, good deeds and good ethics and morals will not buy you eternal life. Only Christs blood can do that. Christians do not do good works because we are trying to gain favor with God. We do good works because we already have been given God's favor through the blood of Christ.
2007-03-21 12:22:29
·
answer #9
·
answered by Poohcat1 7
·
0⤊
0⤋
You learn ethics and morality as you grow up. No one religion has the corner on these things. We learn these lessons from those around us.
Bright Blessings )O(
2007-03-21 12:40:22
·
answer #10
·
answered by Stephen 6
·
1⤊
0⤋