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Religion
In reply to the discussion: Where do you atheists get your morals? [View all]TM99
(8,352 posts)133. Thank you
Dr. Haidt and I have actually had quite a few discussions on the subject. We come from different psychological schools - his is Positive Psychology with a strong grounding in scientific materialism and mine is a Psychodynamic Psychology with a grounding in the phenomenological philosophy of somaticism. We agree on some points and we disagree on others. But we do both agree that human beings have an innate 'ethic'. Now whether it fully develops into a chosen 'morality', a given cultural religious 'morality', or is perverted and damaged to the point of an 'anti-morality', I think he and I disagree on those.
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You can have mine. It's highly overrated and can be dangerous to your health. nt
Walk away
Jan 2013
#27
"The difference is we know that, and don't spin tales about some god giving it to us."
cleanhippie
Jan 2013
#91
"God" is also not a valid source of morality, and neither is "religious belief".
D23MIURG23
Jan 2013
#121
The virtue of atheism is that it enables analysis of moral precepts on their own merits.
D23MIURG23
Jan 2013
#128
Indeed, many religions make ridiculous claims about the origins of ethics and morality.
Warren Stupidity
Jan 2013
#96
No you are accusing atheism of not doing something it doesn't claim to do.
Warren Stupidity
Jan 2013
#152
Yes of course. I was being flip. I should have said that the discussion that
rhett o rick
Jan 2013
#159
Atheism couldn't speak if it wanted to. 'it does not apply' is a better way to say it.
AAO
Jan 2013
#188
My post merely points out that religion often has little do do with "morality"
intaglio
Jan 2013
#104
But the question in the OP concerns the source of morality for atheist, not religious people.
rug
Jan 2013
#105
Derived from basic Human Rights, just like it always was before some needed divinity to enforce it
on point
Jan 2013
#49
As a named concept yes, but I would argue early morality is human rights in religious guise
on point
Jan 2013
#149
Mostly I want to be honest and kind because I like people to like me and be happy.
brewens
Jan 2013
#53
It's the Great Potato. See the Dinosaurs episode "The Greatest Story Every Sold" (nt)
thesquanderer
Jan 2013
#61
I agree with your last sentence though people are imperfect and may act in unethical ways
yurbud
Jan 2013
#155
I was raised catholic, but my agnostic husband is more 'moral' than anyone I grew up with
Fight2Win
Jan 2013
#178