Is the concept of right and wrong subjective? Does the universe care one way or the other?

Question

I´ve heard of thermodynamics and relativity, of electromagnetism and gravity. I´ve heard of many more that have an effect in and on the universe.
But I don´t think that the law of ethics moves planets, lights bulbs or limits the velocity of light.

Right and wrong have a place in society, because without it, no order could be established among living beings. The hubris is when we humans lend leverage on the universe to a "higher entity" invented by us. We lend creative and destructive powers to a virtual construct in the name of right and wrong.
As a matter of fact, you could throw all the goodness or all the evilness in the face of our world, and it wouldn´t even be visible
from Mars. We should realize that there is nothing special about this place, and that the universe wouldn´t even produce a hiccup if we disappeared.
Now, what was the glory of god about, again?

Answer 1

I agree with you that concepts of right and wrong are for the good of society and for making living run smoothly. Ethics makes people happy and happy people are good to each other and productive. When people are unhappy, everything comes to a grinding halt and angry people want justice and justice takes time and money.

In the scheme of the universe, not only is right and wrong unimportant, but the human race is insignificant as well. We are only important to us. This earth (and the universe it is in) got along for billions of years without us and would do fine without us again.

atheist

Answer 2

The blunt answer is that we can't. If you are looking for precise *universal* definitions of moral concepts when morality is culturally defined, it just cannot be done. Not without cultural imperialism. But there is probably no need to be as pessimistic as you sound. Just because something can't be precisely defined doesn't mean it is arbitrary. Probably every society has some rule against unlawful killing, for example - though the nature of what is lawful may vary. Most societies, if they are to count as societies at all will have good/bad rule about keeping promises. If a society has property, there will usually be something against theft and moral conventions about gifts. And so on. So it is not precisely definable, but it is not arbitrary either. Like most things in life, really.

Answer 3

Well put! No, the universe/reality doesn't care - it's neutral on the matter of our survival, but humans are embedded in the system and there are consequences in reality related to our state of consciousness (or unconsciousness, which is usually the case). Religious beliefs tend to make people more destructive because they misperceive threat and are easily manipulated because of their fears.

However, concepts of right and wrong, i.e. beliefs in 'duality DO have a powerful psychological effect - on our human PERCEPTION of reality. We experience reality as a recurring limited hologram mirroring those early programmed beliefs about self and the world. Learned back when we were at the mercy of the reptilian (survival) and old mammalian (emotional) brain - before the thinking part of the brain developed.

Excessive religious types tend to be obsessed with duality and perpetuate fear of sin(being bad) and shame with its serious psychological consequences from generation to generation. You can't think rationally when you're fearful and ashamed.

Answer 4

Yes, right and wrong are inherently subjective. Good and bad are relative to each other and depend on a person's perspective.

You can create an objective morality, but only after you define the subjective values you're trying to quantify, and even then it is up for interpretation. For example, you could embrace Humanism, which basically says that good and bad are defined relative to what's good or bad for humans, in general. But, of course, the value of humans is one that is subjective, primarily to humans.

As for the universe, it's not really affected by us much. The Earth could blow up tomorrow and it would hardly be noticed elsewhere. Much larger explosions happen in it all the time.

God is just a superstition.

Answer 5

The vastness of the universe virtually guarantees that other life exists. One of the problems with most religions is that they cannot grasp this probability since their doctrines were written long before the modern scientific age. Astronomers were often jailed or executed for theories that we now know as fact.

The glory of God is in the vast infinite wonders of His universe. To think that we on Earth are all that matter would seem a bit naive then wouldn't it...?

Peace,

AAD

Answer 6

The universe has no comprehension of an intelligent thought, nor can it contemplate its navel. In that respect you question is sort of perplexing. It's like asking if a glass of Pepsi appreciates the beauty of a warm summer breeze.

Answer 7

I believe that right and wrong are an exaggerated form of creation and destruction. Most things that could be termed either right or wrong could also be termed either creative or destructive.

It's like if you build a house. To build a house, you have to destroy what was there first. Is that right? Is that wrong? Who knows?

Answer 8

If there is no absolute right and wrong based on the bible, then who among us can determine the degrees of right and wrong? And who will not challenge those standards?

Why should we care what the universe thinks? It ain't gonna affect anyone but us.

Answer 9

i don't think that, at their core, right and wrong are subjective. i think the reason we're here is to resolve the issue on the universe's behalf. so, yes, the universe cares, but it's letting us do some of the dirty work. but that doesn't make us special. we're just a paver on the road to enlightenment.

Answer 10

Wow. You're a bucket of fun.