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Debate:If God does not exist, can anything be morally wrong? (view source)
Revision as of 04:50, November 28, 2007
, 04:50, November 28, 2007→Yes
Yes, there can be morality without the existence of god. The logical interpetations of laws based on universal maxims shows logical proof that specific acts (bound by duties) are immoral on the basis that, when applied to a universal status, logically self-defeat themselves. I'm basically reprising Kant here - I'm surprised that this concept came up without at least mentioning Kant once. Granted, I don't necessarily think Kant is the best moral system, and wonder whether there CAN be a perfect moral theory, however it does provide the framework that a morality can exist based on the rules of logic and reason, and thus one can (in theory anyway) conceive moral maxims based on their logical propositions. [[User:Royalcrown|Royalcrown]] 10:02, 5 November 2007 (EST)
Yes, there can be morality without the existence of god. The logical interpetations of laws based on universal maxims shows logical proof that specific acts (bound by duties) are immoral on the basis that, when applied to a universal status, logically self-defeat themselves. I'm basically reprising Kant here - I'm surprised that this concept came up without at least mentioning Kant once. Granted, I don't necessarily think Kant is the best moral system, and wonder whether there CAN be a perfect moral theory, however it does provide the framework that a morality can exist based on the rules of logic and reason, and thus one can (in theory anyway) conceive moral maxims based on their logical propositions. [[User:Royalcrown|Royalcrown]] 10:02, 5 November 2007 (EST)
"Why have morals?" I ask this question, not because I think morality is pointless, but because morality is not a universally recognized value and is thus not an ''inherent'' value. It is a ''subsidiary'' value, leading to something else. I have heard people state that without God, might makes right. Does the existence of God change that? As I mentioned, not everyone has the same concept of morality; from this one might assume that the lack of a universal and objective moral observer would lead to each individual choosing his/her own definition of morality. This is flawed. For the sake of argument, lets assume that God exists and is a perfect entity. This, however, does not account for the imperfection of man. God may have his word, but will every single human interpret that word in the same way? Consider this scenario: You hear a voice that you are absolutely certain is the word of God, but it tells you to commit horrible atrocities (im not saying that God is evil, this is hypothetical, cool off). Would you carry out the will of God, or would you side with your personal moral conflict? The latter debunks the argument that God defines morality, because you obviously have some conception of morality that you consider superior to the word of God. If you answered with the former...welcome to Al-Qaeda. 9/11 was the result of men who were absolutely certain that God willed them to slaughter thousands of innocent individuals. For them, God defined morality. Who are we to say that our perception of God's will is superior to anyone else's? None of this is to say that morality is invalid, ultimately subjective, or pointless. Nor is it to say that the belief in God negates the belief in morality. Personally, I like morality. I think our social structure needs moral fiber to maintain stability and the equitable distribution of happiness. But that's just it: we need morality, not because we require divine favor, but because ''happiness'' is the universal and inherent value for which morality exists to serve. Every action we do is instinctively geared towards increasing happiness (this is admittedly a complex conjecture, and, if you want more details, I suggest John Stuart Mill's ''Utilitarianism''. It's a good read:) The atrocities of 9/11 were immoral, not because they were against God's will, but because they're result was a massive net loss of happiness (pain and suffering).
If god does not exist, can anything be morally wrong? Absolutely.
==Questioning the Question==
==Questioning the Question==