Justify morality?

Question

I dont believe i will ever give up my principles, as they seem to come too naturally to me. However i have always been cynical as to my actual reasons for acting morally. I have no religious belief, or any spiritual beliefs at all, and i cannot agree that it is simply easier to get on in society if you're 'nice'. Why should i not just give up and do whatever i want, regardless of right and wrong?

But, to both of you, should i resent not being born as the type of person who is happy with having fun all of their lives at other peoples expense, and gets away with it?

Answer 1

Because ethics is not a religion or a advice from God, instead is a set of rules as to how to play the game. The more far-off the result of the action is, the more abstract, almost mystical, the rule seems, but it's just a very well planned self-interest strategy. Not because we are altruist we behave morally, but because thus our own good is better sought, as we depend on the rest of the humanity.

You should embrace the fun to be found in being moral then.

Answer 2

Without a religious belief, it is hard to justify an absolutist ethic, but I think a relativistic one can be justified.

People usually then say something about the 'social contract', but I think this a cold, crude way of viewing the reasons for acting morally without the existence of God, or some kind of lawmaker.

I think that you can place a certain value on other people's lives because they are experiencing the world and have the potential for more experience, which can entail suffering. This experience, even if not God-given, should have value because it is all we have (from an atheist perspective) to value.

Therefore a reason to be moral is to try to preserve the lives and good experiences of others, because there is value in that, even though it would have to be done relatively. There is no 'reward' as such after death, and you will never be judged objectively, knowing whether you did the best thing you could morally in life, but the preservation of (good) experience over suffering or death in all conscious living things is the best thing for an atheist to achieve, and I suppose this should make a person content before death.

Answer 3

"Right" and "wrong" are relative terms as well as being very subjective. For example, stealing is "wrong" (and punishable around the world in various ways from fines and/or jail time to loss of limbs!). But if your child or other family member were starving and you had no money, would you steal food (or money to buy food) for them?
Killing is globally considered "wrong" (and if you individually kill someone, you could be charged with murder or, at the very least, manslaughter), but people are being killed daily in wars around the world, for a variety of "reasons"given by various governments and political factions.
You could "just give up and do whatever" you want, but be careful where (and when) you do it! And be prepared to take responsibility for your actions and suffer the consequences. We don't live in a vacuum on this planet; there are all sorts of laws (some extremely dubious and dubiously extreme).
Even the anarchists I've come across seem to have followed some sort of "moral" code.

Answer 4

Indecision and unhappiness with your identity as a human being is not uncommon. Attention deficit disorder is on the rise as is with many other mental disorders. To error is human has never truer than in our time. Morallessness is simply an indecisiveness when confronted with the question of our value as a species and what our universal nature is.

My concept and discipline: the human Will is positive and the Judgment is negative. When the Will is subsumed in the Judgment, you have crossed that line from moral to hypocrite (like a Nazi).

From: Ute Bublitz (1998)

Beyond Philosophy

"Nature engenders nature, and nature only, in its reproduction and in its life. The rose brings forth more roses, never anything ‘unnatural’ or ‘unrose-like’. The human being creates humanity, but with this difference: what is human can at the same time be either ‘human’ or ‘inhuman’. The results of human action range from creations which fill our hearts and souls with lasting strength and delight, to crimes whose shame no atonement can wipe off the face of the earth."


http://www.marxists.org/reference/subject/philosophy/works/ge/bublitz.htm

I think you can stop being cynical to your self.

Answer 5

Morality exists because God exists. He created you with a moral code. If you don't believe that God created you, but believe that life is a product of random chance, then morality is simply unjustifiable. You're a cosmic accident who is here for a little while and then you die, that's it. ENJOY!

Not believing in a transcendent being who made the universe and all that is in it carries many other consequences as well, but that's for another question.

Answer 6

--IF YOU ARE in doubt do without--Really even if you are not sure of your stand one way or another, you would be mistaken to make a decision.

Biblically there is no question that not making a moral decision is indeed not the smartest thing to do. ESPECIALLY if indeed God exist of which I have no doubt, the IF is for your benefit!

--SO IF GOD EXISTS please note the caution about indecision:

(James 1:5-14) “5 So, if any one of YOU is lacking in wisdom, let him keep on asking God, for he gives generously to all and without reproaching; and it will be given him. 6 But let him keep on asking in faith, not doubting at all, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and blown about. 7 In fact, let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from Jehovah; 8 he is an indecisive man, unsteady in all his ways.”

--OF INTEREST the Bible even references people who do not have much , if any understanding of christianity.

(Romans 2:14-15) “14 For whenever people of the nations that do not have law do by nature the things of the law, these people, although not having law, are a law to themselves. 15 They are the very ones who demonstrate the matter of the law to be written in their hearts, while their conscience is bearing witness with them and, between their own thoughts, they are being accused or even excused. . .”

--The conscience is a very powerful tool to the degree that Hitler called the conscience a CHIMERA a many headed beast!
--AND he got others to believe very much in his way!

--PLEASE DO NOT dismiss the proding of your conscience, as we read in "Romans" the concience, when allowed to act without any type of perversions can "accuse or excuse" our actions without tricking us!

--ON THE MATTER OF PRINCIPLES--please keep in mind that principles are based on laws not stubborness.
--YOU CANNOT be immoral(honesty, sexually, etc.) in any way and have principles!

DEFINITION OF PRICIPLE:
1 a : a comprehensive and fundamental law, doctrine, or assumption b (1) : a rule or code of conduct (2) : habitual devotion to right principles c : the laws or facts of nature underlying the working of an artificial device

--SO IN REALITY you do not have principles, Sorry but let us be honest!

Answer 7

Listen to your inner self. Every action you do has a reaction in your body. Listen to what it says and let it guide you to make your choice of right/wrong. For you are the only one who has to live with yourself 24hours a day.

Answer 8

I can't justify morallity either. There is just too many shades of gray. If you were to insist on absolutes, I'd have to reach for a coin.

Answer 9

Well...that all depends on your definition of what's morally correct. I find that being "nice," and "good," usually has better outcomes than being "bad."

Answer 10

Because life all by yourself, with no one else choosing to spend time with you (due to your selfish behavior), would be pretty boring after a while.