Atheists, what do you base your moral code on?

Question

I've read a lot on R&S that suggests religious people feel they know who they answer to, so they are moral, but atheists only answer to themselves, so they are destructive hedonists. I don't see this, when I look around. So all you atheists living good, productive lives--will you share what guides you?

Personally, I feel like humans have an instinctual moral code. We're a social species (we live in groups, we need each other) so there's an automatic distaste for actions that would cause chaos in the community and threaten our survival. On a gut level, I believe an atheist believes stealing is wrong the same way a religious person believes stealing is wrong.

We only get into conflict about whether or not sex is dirty before marriage or whether gays should be left in peace--secularists see these as victimless crimes and have no objection. (I'm clearly a champion of moral relativism...a jaywalker is just not as bad as a murderer, no way.)

Answer 1

Evolution has caused us to have, as social mammals, two primary social instincts/predispoitions -- empathy and altruism.

Together, these are the basis of the golden rule.

That is the foundation. Every human culture or religion has shared this foundation, in fact only two phrase it uniquely.

Classical: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Buddhist/Negation: Do not do to Other what would be unpleasant, in the same circumstance, to the Self.

Satanic/Reactionary: Do unto others as they've done unto you.

Answer 2

No, you're right. I'm an atheist, and because I don't believe there's a dude in the sky watching my every move and judging me for it, I'm gonna go rape some puppies with a soldering iron and run over some old people. And you would undoubtedly do the same if you were an immoral atheist like myself, right? And on another note, your logic is perfect with absolutely no flaws or enormous, glaring holes in it. If this country didn't follow the bible as closely as it does, we would descend into complete and total anarchy. I mean, just look at Sweden, those people are insane! After all, it's been scientifically proven that human f*cking decency alone isn't enough to make us act like decent human beings. No, we need a 2000 year old book to tell us that killing someone is just a tad bit f*cked up. Everyone knows that!

Answer 3

I think you already understand where atheists get our morals but I am pleased that you took the time to ask.

Me personally, I base my morals on not wanting to cause pain or suffering for others. My morals are based on my compassion for my fellow man (empathy/sympathy). Like anyone else, religious or not, I always try to justify my actions.

I agree with your statement that we humans have an 'instinctual moral code'. All humans are born with an inate sense of right or wrong, our conscience. Animals even have a sense of 'morals' in a way, especially social animals (like humans). Although I wouldn't necessarily call them morals (when it comes to animals) it just seems that they instinctually know what will and will not benefit them and their community if you will.

Answer 4

It's pretty much what you said in your second paragraph :)

A few weeks ago, my kids and I had a discussion on right and wrong. After I quizzed them on things like "Would you harm someone's property if you knew you would not get caught?" Their answers were always "no"... the overlying reason was "Because I would know what I'd done"

I told them that if I imagine myself harming someone's property, keying their car for example, I see the look on the face of the person as he comes out and sees his car with the long scratch on the door. I see the confusion, the pain, the anger, the despair that someone would do something so pointless. I could not do that to another person.

That is what motivates me to do good. Not punishment, but my empathy for other people.

Answer 5

Not an Athiest, but not a follower of any religion.
I follow my OWN morals, pehaps summed up by the one and only commandment of white Witchcraft (so I have ben told)

Harm No One.

If you're having sex before marriage,and both paries consent, who's being harmed? If two people of the same sex are lving together joyfully, where is the harm?

Christians and their ilk might say that they're harming society, and any children they (the homosexuals) might have. But who's REALLY harming the children--two loving, providing parents who love each other, or the "good Christian family" whose kids and parents keep telling the children that their two daddies or mommies are living in sin and will burn i Hell?? Which is more damaging to a young child's developiong psyche?

Answer 6

Right and Wrong. That's about it. We usually do what we expect or want others to do. I don't think sex before marriage is a crime at all, unless the participants are unwilling, underage or both. I'm also a bit of a moral relativist... I can't say that all killing is bad because I would kill anyone at all that threatens the life of my wife and child, and I'm sure most christians feel the same way.

Answer 7

The law and morality are very different...

My "moral code?" I try to not infringe upon the rights of others. I have a few other beliefs, but they may or may not stand the test of time. I am confident that my respect for others' freedom will last. However, this does not mean that I won't argue against them if they are displaying ignorance. I am ready and willing to point out hypocrisy, logical fallacies, etc.

Answer 8

The Libertarian Credo: "Do not initiate force or fraud." This is pretty much the same as the Golden Rule.

My primary value is to be true to my own values, i.e. to take care of myself. The Libertarian Credo is the best way to do that.

When people have a choice about who to associate with, they logically choose to associate with people who won't take away all their other choices. So they associate with people who obey the Libertarian Credo (although most don't call it that).

I learned the Libertarian Credo (or the Golden Rule) on the playground. Kids learn early: be nice or be alone.

I also agree with all the people who say empathy is a survival instinct.

Answer 9

But we do answer to people - we answer to those we love and we answer to those who maintain the law in our countries.

Your moral code is instilled by sense of empathy (ie you find it upsetting to find other people upset). The golden rule (you don't steal, rape, murder etc because you don't want it to happen to you.) Both help our species survive

and then there is your upbringing. Your parents and other authority figures (eg teachers) instill you what is considered right and wrong.

If the only thing stopping you from stealing, raping, murdering etc is fear of punishment from a god then there is something wrong with you. Normal people don't want to do any of those.

Answer 10

Maybe not in general, but most Agnostics/Athiests I know are morally and ethically inclined. Just because you do not have a God telling you what you should or should not do, doesn't mean that you aren't a human being, and cannot love.

Just as in there are many Theists out there who hate, commit crimes (in the name of God), judge others, etc.; and believe they have the right to act any way they want because they are either "acting in God's name" (God told me to do it) or because they know they will be forgiven.

Generally, I believe exactly what you said in your middle paragraph.