humanist morality

Submitted by skeptic griggsy... on Wed, 2007-04-18 11:58.

Like science our humanist morality is provisional and debateable. It is contextual.It serves us,not a god.It is objective in so far as we discern what is good for humans, other animals and the enviornment,using Bentham's pleasure-pain principle.It springs from our evolved moral sense,with empathy included.Rather than us living of the religious morality, theists live off ours if they use reason and facts to do morals.Ignorant men of yore just made up,for the most part, commandments out of their subjectivity- their whims and tastes,such as stoning for working on the sabbath or what woment should do during the menstrual period.Reason and facts,with empathy, help us to do morals.

( categories: Morality & Meaning )
Submitted by SecHumSC on Tue, 2008-05-06 19:10.

Initial consideration of the question, "Why do so many believers think those without religion have no ... morality in their lives?", leads one to ask another question. With respect to those religions which promulgate a moral code derived from some "moral authority" or "lawgiver", the question to be answered is, "Why do so many believers (and non-believers) think those with religion have morality in their lives?".

Making choices in life in absolute compliance with a moral code received from some "moral authority" or "lawgiver" constitutes the abnegation of personal responsibility for individual behavior. Obedience is as vice -- not a virtue.