For atheists: What is the basis for what you do?

Question

I am an atheist, and I am extremely logic-oriented. because no belief system can be proven correct, I essentially have no basis for anything that I do, except ideas that aren't really based on anything (preservation of life, for example). Does anyone else have this problem? What do you do?

The problem is that there's absolutely no basis for anything… which is kind of an issue for me.

In response to Lynn C: I have no evidence of the divinity of Jesus, and for that matter, I am a jew….

I'm receiving a lot of responses about bases, but what are these bases based on? To me, it doesn't make sense to base life off of something which has no basis itself.

I'll clarify: many are talking about furthering the species and such, but what is the logical basis for doing so?

Answer 1

WOW! What a deep question!
I am a Christian, but I totally understand what you mean!
I am not going to attempt to "convert" you.

If you are an atheist, then you believe that once you die, that's it. You're gone. There is no after-life.
In that case, it would seem to me that "this life", your time to be alive, your time on earth would be even more precious to you than to a person of faith. I mean, a person of faith believes that there is more waiting after death and has more to look forward to. But if you believe that there is nothing more than what you have here, then wouldn't you want this time to be as long as possible? It seems to me that preservation of life would mean even more to an athiest than to a person of faith.
Even if a person's life is miserable, isn't there always hope that some twist of fate may change things and make life more enjoyable? Look at Shakespere's Hamlet "To be or not to be"
sililoquy, "To sleep, per chance to dream. Ah, there's the rub. For in that sleep of death, what dreams may come?"

I had a cousin. Just graduated form high school.
Within one week of graduation, his 4-year high school sweetheart dumped him, then he got a D.U.I. ticket. So he put a rifle in his mouth and pulled the trigger. WHAT A WASTE OF POTENTIAL!
WHAT A WASTE OF A LIFE!

Sorry, back to the question...
If you don't believe in a divine being or a divine power, then your basis for your life's existence MUST be, the betterment of humanity. O-K, so once you are gone, that's it. What do you care? Then, to the age-old question, "Why are you here?"
Just some fluke of evolution? Just some chance of a man and a woman pro-creating? Then I say this...
Do the absolute best you can do in anything you do.
Harm no-one, and try to prevent others from harm.
If you truly believe that this brief time on earth is all that we have and then that's it, then try to live the best life that you can and, whenever possible, try to help someone else also have the best life that they can. Otherwise, what's is it all for?

Answer 2

One basis for behavior is to "make yourself pleasing in the mirror" . Did you like your weight when you looked at yourself this morning . Did you like your personality , reputation , record of past deeds , etc . Your life is like a photo album . You want to put forth those photos you are personally proud of . Doesn't matter if someone else thinks your skirt was too short or doesn't think water skiing is a good activity . You put in those photos that define you . Hopefully these photos will make you proud .
Another basis is to take care of and make happy those people and animals you care for .
The third basis is "karma" , what goes around comes around , what will be good for society is good for you because you live in society .
The fourth basis is pleasure . There is no "sin" in feeling good . Eat a chocolate covered apple , have an orgasm , bask in praise . As long as you don't hurt anyone - enjoy life . Dance , sing , walk in the woods . It's all there to make us feel good . ( This is in opposition to those religions such as Islam that teach us we are here to be angry , motivated and to suffer , all in preparation for the next life .)

For Damo_m , Glad to see you are honest . You seem to be trying to be a good person . But the lack of logic is what created religion in the beginning . You should try to increase your logic quotient by using it more often and even by creating imaginary situations in your mind and trying to figure the logical best course of action . Trying to answer questions in R&S is a great exercise also .Also push yourself to do some productive things so you can put some good photos in your album . ( BTW I gave you a thumbs up .)

Answer 3

Every act and action has a basis.For example, you work to be able to pay bills (a basis) and allow you to have a home (a basis) and have electricity (a basis) and have food (a basis).The basis of everything we do in life comes from the foundation upon which something rests.Which also happens to be one of the definitions of the word "basis".And, so, all acts and actions have a basic underlying causality for an effect upon the basis of the act and/or action.

The basis of life itself rests on the individual to figure out.It is easier for most to just say that the basis of life is a God or Gods.But a God or Gods do not have a basis except to serve a need to find a basis which renders the entire concept void since you can't have a basis that has no basis other then that you need a basis.Anyone can invent a basis of life.But if their basis has no basis then it renders their basis moot.

Answer 4

I am an atheist but I am not at all logic orientated.
Most of what I do is based on habit, of if I "have to" do something, such as go to work or school. If I think about what I'm going to do, I'll go by what my heart desires most at the time: but I'll use restraint if I'm likely to hurt myself or someone else (e.g. I won't cheat on my girlfriend).
Because I don't use logic, I don't usually make the best decisions all the time. If I do anything productive it's usually because someone either encourages me or makes me.

Answer 5

I guess I don't get what you mean by "no basis for anything. I have plenty of basis for things. I KNOW that to hurt someone isn't logical... it doesn't further the species and just plain makes me feel bad so I don't do it. I KNOW that stealing is wrong and that I can feel bad when I do it.

Why does there HAVE to be something external to make it real?

Answer 6

I guess you're a nihilist, and worried about it.

How about humanism, the idea that human life has value, that we can reasonably understand what the universe is about through scientific study, that values of community cooperation and non-harm can guide morals, and that humans helping one another allows for the greatest good for the most people.

Granted the only "basis" for such thoughts are the anticipated positive outcome. But quite frankly, for me that's enough.

^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^

Answer 7

The basis of what I do is contingent on Maslow's hierarchy of human needs:

1) fulfill basic needs, such as food and shelter....in today's society (or at least the society in which I live), that means to be gainfully employed

2) fulfill love and procreate....that means find a mate and have children.....and to provide for them as well

3) self-actualize....that means find meaning in your life, and fulfill that meaning.

Life is the journey, not the destination.

Answer 8

Most of our lives are driven by two instincts - continuation of the species and self preservation, in that order.

Beyond that, humans have developed a complex society and intricate modes of interaction founded on those two instincts. Since we now have the ability to worry about more than those very base instincts, we can pursue more altruistic approaches to life. I am driven by trying to contribute to this world, rather than detract, and do whatever I can to make it better. In the end, that still boils down to continuation of the species and, indirectly, self preservation.

Answer 9

I see Religion as a brilliant idea to command people who are normally too intelligent to control. Because I believe that Religion was founded simply to govern people and give power to the Church, I really don't have any reason to believe that what they say is true. I believe the only reason they ever said the things they did was to control people, and they wrote down whatever they thought would be an effective way of doing it.

Answer 10

i admit while there is no difference in what happens to me after i die if i'm a psychopathic killer or peace-loving philanthropist, there is a difference while i'm alive. i'm aware of what causes pain to myself. my sense of reason tells me that these same things bring pain to other people. so in the event of, should i do this or that, the question is what is the most reasonable approach for handling the situation? sometimes, the ability to clearly define what is right from wrong is not always easily defined. we know death causes pain to others emotionally, but can we sometimes justify it? yes.