-What happens after death?
I don't know, but I think it will be like before we were born: we didn't know anything or feel anything. We might enter into a new life. There might be a computer simulation that made this life. Who knows? To tell the truth, no one does. What I will say, though, is that this life is certain and a life after death is not. Let's live this life to its fullest with the understanding that we're going to die someday. Let's make the most we can out of this wonderful oppurtunity.
- Why, then, should we be good without God?
We should be good because we need to share this life with other human beings. Why should we be any less than good? We need to ask questions of morality to ourselves: "Do I want to be raped?" Since you don't you do not and should not want to rape others. We should be the best we can in this only life we know we have: goodness will make others' lives better and will make your own better. You also want to be good to establish and fortify meaningful relationships with others. Perhaps you want to do good to feel good. Whatever reason you establish is fine. At the end of the day we don't need God to do good. We choose to do good and should be great people. Wouldn't life be amazing if everyone agreed with this paragraph? Too bad, though, God got in the way. It's ironic, don't you think, that a being that wants so many to do good actually"causes" them to do evil? Once we can truly and fully idealize goodness we can be amazing people. The whole notion, though, of doing good just because of God, I believe, is immoral. Believer, are you only doing good to gain an eternal reward? You know (hopefully) it's more than that. Goodness is within us. Let's show it!
- Why are we here?
"Why" is an odd question to ask. This question typically presupposes that people were born "for a reason" and have a certain goal that is unknown, yet instilled by a creator.
We should assign and establish our own meanings. We're so ridiculously fortunate to be alive today! Let's make the most out of our lives.
- If there is no god, what is the point of life?
I believe that we ought to make the best out of this life that we possess. It's certainly wonderful, amazing, and breathtaking! The human body is so amazing! This computer is breathtaking! What a wonderful life we have! You need to make your life meaningful by deciding what you ought to do to achieve that end. There, is, though, one exception: don't do something that is harmful to humanity or yourself. Personally, I feel that my education, potential career, potential for a loving and meaningful relationship, authoring, the search for knowledge, and bringing joy to others makes life meaningful. I feel that this blog, my activism, and my future work as an author and psychologist is meaningful. If I'm able to make a significant impact on the world, I have won the game of life and surely will be remembered for ages to come. Death shouldn't be depressing. The realization that we have only one life should be stupendously empowering.
- How do you explain "x" without God?
Well, almost everything has been explained. If we can't explain at the moment, we are working on it. Some things may never be explained. This, though, does not mean that God has to be the answer just because we don't understand something. Perhaps an umber hulk "started" the universe, perhaps a team of fifteen beds made out of spherical cubes set our universe in motion....
- Are you taking away peoples' right to be religious or their free speech?
No, all I am doing is criticizing religion and beliefs. People will choose, after hearing and reading my arguments, what they will do with this information. Free speech, though, works both ways.
I don't understand your answer for why people should be good. If it is that simple why do people do bad things?
ReplyDeletePeople should be good because we have one life to live. Why would we want to do bad things to other people that we wouldn't want done to us?
ReplyDeletePeople do bad things because they are motivated by irrationality, or, otherwise, have mental disorders. It's very hard to justify an evil action that is rational. We also do good because it's in our self-interest and the interest of society to do so. You see altruistic behavior in chimps...they don't have a religion. Chimps don't tolerate stealing, rape, etc. I don't intend, ad noseum, to explain why we do good, but, rather, "Why do good if there is no God?"
If everyone thought that this life were precious, valuable, and
"Good people do good things and bad people do bad things, but for a good person to do bad things, it takes religion."
How do you account for evil then? If humans deem what is right or wrong than how could one person tell others what to do? Who is capable of making those decisions? Who has the right? Furthermore if I do something bad and get away with it should I feel guilty?
ReplyDelete"Good people do good things and bad people do bad things, but for a good person to do bad things, it takes religion."
ReplyDeleteAre you saying that people are either good or bad? If we are just the result of chemicals on this planet that happend to form us through evolution where do good and bad, right and wrong come into play?
You say that life is so wonderful and you have so much to look forward to. What if tomorrow you were hit by a drunk driver and paralyzed. Would your view change? Would you think it wasn't fair?
ReplyDelete@ How do you account for evil then? If humans deem what is right or wrong than how could one person tell others what to do?
ReplyDeleteWhen I look at morality is ask questions like these that help me guide decisions:
- Is this action going to hurt someone?
- Would I like this to happen to me?
- Is this action a gross and blatent representation of the truth that may severely hurt someone?
- Is pain and suffering caused?
- Is this action legal? If not, can I work to change the law? If not, is it hurting anyone and will I be arrested or fined for this?
- If I can, can I help someone? Is this really worth it?
- What are the pros and cons of this? Which side is best? Is this worth doing?
Who is capable of making those decisions?
Individual humans and society. Law is a great example! Humans have come to a consensus that certain actions are unlawful. We need to think for ourselves and make good decisions.
Who has the right?
^^
Furthermore if I do something bad and get away with it should I feel guilty?
Yes, you should feel guilty. I feel that a bad action is a bad action regardless of whether you get caught, are being watched, reprieved, etc. If something is wrong, it is wrong. Let me ask you this (It's quite easy)! If you raped someone and were not caught, would you feel guilty? Of course you would.
Are you saying that people are either good or bad?
ReplyDeleteI would like to say that actions people do should define whether they are good or bad. We ought not classify a person by few grievances, though I would say that a murderer is a bad person. I look, though, at the actions a person commits.
@If we are just the result of chemicals on this planet that happend to form us through evolution where do good and bad, right and wrong come into play.
Right and wrong come into play because we, as humans, tend to favor goodness and reciprocity. It's in our self interest and society's interest for us to do good. We do good, people reciprocate, we feel good. We also tend to favor our family members, friends, and significant others because we've ascribed "more meaning to them" that others. For example, you'll more likely let a family member borrow ten dollars than a homeless man. Kin selection, the tendency to favor family members, provides a good explanation and theoretical framework.
Also, as children, we tend to learn what is right and wrong through our parents and the process of socialization. We learn that doing good things and refraining from bad things allows us to be productive, liked, and adjusted. The child who constantly does bad things will most likely be punished, ostracized, and a deviant. No one wants to be that child.
Basically, what I'm trying to say is that there are common sense and fundamental human reasons for explaining why we are good, do good things, etc. that do not need to include God.
Thanks for the comments!
@You say that life is so wonderful and you have so much to look forward to. What if tomorrow you were hit by a drunk driver and paralyzed. Would your view change?
ReplyDeleteWell, my life would drastically change. I still, though, would continue to value life and live on with optimism. I could only do so much and am bound by the limitations of my body, health, and environment. I'd have to adjust, I suppose, to the "wheelchair world" and would need a team of nurses/aids/etc. I'd probably focus more on research, reading, and writing and, of course, less on mobility and social events(depending on the condition).
@Would you think it wasn't fair?
I don't think accidents are either fair or unfair; they are coincidences. I wouldn't like it, of course, but I would have to accept what has happened and press on to the best of my ability.
Thanks for the comments and questions!
ReplyDeleteIf you have a list of distinct questions, please feel free to e-mail them and I will create new posts.
When I look at morality is ask questions like these that help me guide decisions:
ReplyDelete- Is this action going to hurt someone?
- Would I like this to happen to me?
- Is this action a gross and blatent representation of the truth that may severely hurt someone?
- Is pain and suffering caused?
- Is this action legal? If not, can I work to change the law? If not, is it hurting anyone and will I be arrested or fined for this?
- If I can, can I help someone? Is this really worth it?
- What are the pros and cons of this? Which side is best? Is this worth doing?
Not everyone works that way. I know you would agree that people do bad things i.e. kill, rape, steal, lie etc. So why not do them as long as I know I'm not going to get caught? Why not put my own best interest and my desires at the center of my only one life? Why should I help others unless I am going to get help in some way?
You shouldn't do them because they are bad and hurt other people. Would you want people to rape you? No.
ReplyDeleteYou should be interested in your own interests, but your own interests ought not be interferring with the safety and well-bwing of others.
You should help others because being nice is a good think.
Do good for goodness sake.
(Let's not use rape, let's say harm. I don't want anyone to feel threatened) No I would not want people to harm me but that doesn't give me reason to not harm other people. What do we know. We are here in this body on this planet. If I may overpower you why should I not? In theory that gives others the right to overpower me but I'm alright with that. What I'm saying is theory and reality are different. Does anyone around me have the means to overpower me? If the answer is no, than why should I not overpower/manipulate/control/harm others?
ReplyDelete-You should help others because being nice is a good thing.
Do good for goodness sake.
Why is it good? What is good? Is it good because you say it is good? If I say I reject that, am I evil? What is evil?
I have already stipulated several definitions for good and evil.
ReplyDeleteThe reason why you don't harm others is because you care for human beings. It's to your advantage and society's advantage that you don't harm others.
No one has the right to overpower you. They may have the ability, but harming others is illegal and not good.
My point is this: we're all in this together. Let's treat others how we would like to be treated. Why should we do bad things when we can make this world and our lives better?
Doing bad things takes away from goodness and hurts others. Why would you want to hurt anyone?
The terms "good" and "evil" really don't matter to me, but I use them as descriptors to classify actions.
The reason why you don't harm others is because you care for human beings. It's to your advantage and society's advantage that you don't harm others.
ReplyDeleteHow is it not to my advantage? I understand that it would be beneficial to not harm some people but it would be beneficial to eliminate/intimidate others. I'm saying sometimes,are you saying never?
No one has the right to overpower you. They may have the ability, but harming others is illegal and not good.
Rights don't really exist do they. If you have the right to vote and I prevent you from voting your 'right' didn't matter. Also law is a human invention. If I have the power to do something laws don't prevent me from doing it.
My point is this: we're all in this together. Let's treat others how we would like to be treated. Why should we do bad things when we can make this world and our lives better?
Are we all in this together? Can you trust me? More importantly can I trust you? What o you mean make our lives better? How much better? Are we all going to be equal? It wouldn't make much sense to me to cooperate with you and you were going to benefit and gain more than me.
Doing bad things takes away from goodness and hurts others. Why would you want to hurt anyone?
What is goodness? I already said why I would want to hurt someone. There so many reasons. They have something I want. They are in the way of something I want. I receive pleasure from harming others. That is why I would want to hurt someone.
My point is why should I not do these things? You say I can't or rather I shouldn't. But you are a human being. I am also. What gives you the 'right', if I may use that word, to tell me what to do. It sounds like you are trying to 'correct' me.
@ How is it not to my advantage? I understand that it would be beneficial to not harm some people but it would be beneficial to eliminate/intimidate others. I'm saying sometimes,are you saying never?
ReplyDeleteSure, it may be sometimes. For example, someone breaks into your house and tries to kill you.
We have to look at things from situation to situation.
Laws don't prevent you from doing anything. They simply deter you when you are caught breaking them. Nothing really "prevents" you from doing anything. If you wanted to go into your local supermarket and rob someone, you can do that. Someone will stop you, though, or try to.
It totally makes sense for you to cooperate with every individual (or at least most). Society thrives on order. If you are in a room with 100 people, you best not try to harm someone or yell "fire!" Trust is key; I trust and hope that my neighbor doesn't bomb this building. It know that it would not be in his/her best interest to do so, so I trust him. We have to trust people everyday. You might need to trust your wife or significant other who you might sleep with...trust that she or he doesn't kill you while sleeping. It just makes sense that she won't.
Humans should all be "equal." We are all humans and ought to have the same rights regardless of race, origin, etc.
Goodness is altruism, helping others, maintaining order, doing nice things, making others happy, etc. Goodness is something that is not taking away from society or harming others. It's probably impossible to stipulate a perfect definition.
You shouldn't hurt others, again, because you don't want to be hurt. You shouldn't hurt others because you care for fellow human beings. You shouldn't hurt others because you want to do good rather than bad. I probably shouldn't have to tell you what or why your basic motivations ought to be. Surely, you have reasons that you don't do bad things.
We, as humans, all have agreed or agree what is right and wrong forming a system of laws. When people break laws, they are penalized. If we think someone is right and the law says it is wrong, we try to change the law.
Mabie people are just naturally violent. Or mabie there is something wrong with there brain. Studies of the frountal lobe of serieal killers and other dangerious criminals show abnormally low amounts of activituy meaning that the part of there brain that would otherwise prevent them from acting on their dangerious impulses and fanticies isn't working to its full capacity. But how can they last so long weithout killing you ask? The reason why killers can last so long is because there able to relive the crime over and over through the useof momentos such as recordings or pictures taken of the crime or personal belongings wich they will then view to allow them to relive the crime in there minds. Another reason could be because they need a trigger an event (such as a job lay off or something) that will in effect make them feel inadiquet or out of control whiuch will cause them to act again in an attempt to regain the feelings of control they experienced in the inital crime.
ReplyDelete