Morality

Back: Common Theist Arguments

Summary

Morality is a construct by which entities involved in a social structure define rules that are ideally meant to minimize harm to themselves and provide comfort and security.

Ultimately, morality is subjective. While many cultures may claim the idea of morality as an absolute standard, you would be hard pressed to find any consistent example of absolute moral standards throughout the history of any culture. Slavery is a prime example. Today, the concept of owning human slaves would not be considered moral, but several hundred years ago, this was the norm.

This still doesn't stop various groups and institutions from trying to claim a monopoly on the construct of morality, however inappropriate.

Perspectives

• Religion is the source of human morality. Where religion is rejected by communities, morality declines.
• Animals don't practice religion, so they can't have morals.

Examples

• Catholic definition of morality

Problems

• Evidence of moral, rational activity in animals (Animals do show evidence of having morals.)
• Is Morality Innate and Universal? (When morals are tested objectively they're found to be the same in humans who are theist or atheist.)
• We are all Prisoners (Mathematically everyone benefits from cooperation, no religion involved.)
• Tit for tat (or "an eye for an eye") discovered via evolution even before mathematics.
• The Economics of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (Desynchronized "tit-for-tat" responsible for long running religious intolerance in the Middle East.)