Do good and evil exist in atheism? Why or why not?

Question

OK, let's substitute right and wrong for good and evil. The basic concept of my question remains the same.

And if right and wrong do exist, please explain WHY.

Answer 1

Human societies are like ant colonies. If one of the ants decided to kill the queen, then that colony would die out.

Now if this colony believed in good/evil, the worker ant would be more likely NOT to kill the queen, and the colony would survive.

Which type of colony are you going to find more of? Exactly.

Therefore, I conclude that good/evil (morality) is an evolutionary mechanism used to boost the survival rate of groups of animals that are both conscious and social by nature (humans).

If you disagree with my simple logic, you are an imbecile, and should be destroyed.

Answer 2

Of course they exist! Atheists aren't drooling animals! They just don't run around reciting blah blah from a book to show off what a good memory they have and gather with others to discuss who's following the rules in the book and who aren't! Civility isn't a virtue possessed only by religious advocates!

Atheists grow up learning the laws of the land, knowing right from wrong, brushing their teeth and bathing frequently. They aren't barbarians just because they don't go to a polished, shiny, gold-leaf building and listen to someone read the big Rule Book every week. They aren't savages just because they haven't had water poured on their head in an obsolete ritual performed by foreigners in a strange and foreign land some 2000 years ago; foreigners who used to carve their eating utensils out of wood, ride donkeys and sleep on a dirt floor every night!

The religious right aren't the only ones who think murder is bad and will probably stain the carpet and disturb the neighbours! Atheist probably only get really anal about the serious laws of the country whereas religious people aren't satisfied with that but have gone and piled on a whole boat load of additional rules that must not be broken. They set themselves UP for being the brunt of jokes by lecturing perfect strangers and admonishing them for not following their strict rule book too!

Atheists have the good sense to live within a code of morality that keeps them within the boundaries of the law. They just don't become SO sanctimonious that they watch their fellow citizens like hawks so they can catch them breaking the code, and if they can't catch them in the act of violating the basic rules... they start making up newer, tougher ones.

Atheists live free of persecution by family and friends, free from rigid ritual and free of fear of the future.

Answer 3

Not intrinsically in things. As concepts, good and evil are associated with benefit and harm respectively. But no object, act or person is good or evil in itself, only in its effect on the world around it. And the attribution is subject to revision in the light of better information.

Compare the idea of "meaning". Theists like to ask "why" something is, as if everything was just lying around waiting for its essential significance to be discovered. Atheists accept the world as they find it and give whatever meaning seems appropriate to what they find.

Atheists believe that waiting for some external archon to explain the "significance" of the world and its contents is childish, disempowering, and an invitation to exploitation by anyone with an aura of authority. They prefer to discover, understand and utilize the resources they find in ways that are inclusive and sustainable. They are open to revising their evaluations of what is or isn't working out (good/evil) as they learn. It's not as convenient as being absolutely "certain" about everything, but it approaches life with eyes open and responding to the environment.

Answer 4

I use the term evil, but just because it has more impact than "bad". I don't believe in evil in the biblical meaning of it, but I do know the difference between right & wrong.

Answer 5

Rather than talking about "good and evil" - these are really religious, doctrinal evaluations, we atheists like to talk about doing things that are useful or not useful in civilized society.
Make more sense now?

Answer 6

Do good and evil, right and wrong, exist in theism?

Yes, to both.

edit: btw, I view the difference between good and right, and evil and wrong, to be purely semantics.

Answer 7

Not "good and evil". I see it as "right and wrong" i'm not sure what other Atheist think.

Answer 8

No. good and evil are seen as outside forces, similar to God.

Answer 9

It exists everywhere. We are just able to think for ourselves rather than have some one else telling us what is wrong.

Answer 10

Yes, we realize that there are people and acts that are good, and people and acts that are bad. We just don't define "good" and "evil" in terms of religious scriptures. Most of us use common sense.