At 6:57 AM -0400 4/6/07, Louis Schmier wrote:
I am assuming that some of the vocal contributors to this
discussion are atheists
or agnostics. So, I'd like to ask two simple questions. First,
what is the basis of your
moral code and ethical behavior? Second, what is your creed, that
is, your moral code?
Getting a bit personal, are we?
As a psychologist, one knows that there is no necessary relationship
between what one says and what one does (indeed, between what one
says in one context and what one says in another).
Religiosity is a poor predictor of behavior (any religious studies
people on the list to provide current references?), other than the
behavior of making judgements about other people. Moral (or immoral,
depending on what you know is moral) creeds are more likely to be
justifications for doing what you would have done anyway than causes
of behavior.
So again, as an atheistic behaviorist "of the Hebrew persuasion" (as
my sainted grandmother phrased it), the basis of my behavior (verbal
and nonverbal) is a combination of my history and current
circumstances, within the boundaries set by genetics.
As for the specifics, I don't presume to have any absolute knowledge
of right and wrong.
I try not to do unnecessary harm, and to make my life and the lives
of others (and yes I have a hierarchy of who comes first -- this is
one place where genetics comes in) better (a very poorly defined
term). Within these boundaries, don't scare the horses ;-).
As you have pointed out, most religions espouse something like this
(see above about saying and doing).
Since altruistic behavior has been shown in nonhumans, either
religion is not a necessary condition, or some animals are religious.
Have a good one (by whatever standards your experience has led you to
believe are appropriate).
--
The best argument against intelligent design is that people believe in it.
* PAUL K. BRANDON [EMAIL PROTECTED] *
* Psychology Department 507-389-6217 *
* 23 Armstrong Hall Minnesota State University, Mankato *
* http://krypton.mnsu.edu/~pkbrando/ *
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