What morals can we derive from science and nature

[helemon]

Religious leaders always claim to have a lock on the ability to develop ethics and morals for how people should live their lives. I have often wondered if this claim was true or if it would be possible to develop some morals based on scientific or natural laws?

A few that come to mind:
Only take what you need.
Live sustainably.
Monoculture is bad, diversity is good.
For every action there is a reaction.
Our survival is inextricably connected with the survival of the other life forms with whom we share the planet.
Evolve or die.
Find your niche.
Don't be afraid to question your belief structure.
Change is inevitable embrace it.
Contribute to the growth of knowledge for in it you will have eternal life.
Create balance in all things.
Give a hoot, don't pollute! :D

[free thinker]

First harm no one!!! Did I get that right zilla?

That one to me is a slam dunk!!


This topic comes up in the book " Demon Haunted World" by Carl Sagan. He outlines several ways in which societies can be ordered, and successful, without theistic dogma. I will not name them here, but I agree that it is absolutely possible to have morality without theism!!


Free Thinker

[Born Free]

"Religious leaders always claim to have a lock on the ability to develop ethics and morals for how people should live their lives. I have often wondered if this claim was true or if it would be possible to develop some morals based on scientific or natural laws?"

If the ideal of human morality is a self-governing being, with an internalised morality, then does religion assist or hinder?

My experience is that, in the name of assisting people to being truely moral beings, religion actually, teaches people to stay stuck at that stage of development where they defer to outside authority figures, who claim they are better at determining what God intends for mere mortals. The net effect is to hold people as perpetual teenagers in their moral development.

So, I strongly believe that if the hindering, confusing, and damning effect of religion can be overcome, then, yes, people can go ahead to establish viable moral, ethical models and patterns of behaviour.

Let me anchor this in a personal experience. I recall once being sprung and having to take a Sunday School class of kids about 7 years of age, at short notice. I had not time to prepare the lesson, as the class start time had passed.

The lesson subject was something about being loving to each other. Rather than teach all the crap in the manual cold, I asked the kids to close their eyes and imagine two different responses to a scenario.

In one they would be cruel or insensitive, in the other they would be compassionate. I asked them to imagine in great details the scenarios, and then take the time to observe how they felt in their bodies, as they thought about that. I then asked them which felt best?

To the individual they said they they felt better about the compassionate response. Lesson taught: The Golden Rule supplants the miriad of rules that religion teaches.

Only stupid people lacking compassion need endless rules to live their life by.

The rest are quite capable of developing civil society just fine without the heavy hand of religion, which has had more than its fair share of influence in starting wars for thousands of years.

For my money, philosophy is a far more viable source to moral thought, consistency and behaviour than religion any day.

Daryl

[dogzilla]

First harm no one!!! Did I get that right zilla?

That one to me is a slam dunk!!


This topic comes up in the book " Demon Haunted World" by Carl Sagan. He outlines several ways in which societies can be ordered, and successful, without theistic dogma. I will not name them here, but I agree that it is absolutely possible to have morality without theism!!


Free Thinker

You got it, babe! :D

I think all of the "laws" in the OP actually boil down to that one, but hey, we can say it 15-20 different ways. Won't hurt a thing.

I particularly liked this: Only stupid people lacking compassion need endless rules to live their life by.

Heh.

[aether]

First harm no one!!!

LOL, is that a rule we get from nature? I'm guessing all the pumas and eagles and sharks and ants and wasps must be evil then.. ^_^

Just kidding. I realize that the more social an animal gets, the less they hurt each other. As for myself, I pretty much just worship the golden rule, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." That's not religious, to me.. it's just logical common sense. But it is definitely one of the few jewels in the bible.

[dogzilla]

I hear what you're saying, Misha, but consider the higher social animals against your cited examples, which are all predators. (Eyes in front = predator, eyes on sides of head = prey). I'm thinking of mostly mammalian species such as we primates and elephants, but also the cetaceans (dolphins, whales, manatees, etc.). All of those species mate for life thus supporting monogamy from a "rules of nature" point of view. All make every attempt to protect each other, rather than lying, cheating and stealing from one another.

But then again, how many DVD players are there to steal out there in the jungle? :p

I would add to this list: Protect and nurture the young.

[free thinker]

LOL, is that a rule we get from nature? I'm guessing all the pumas and eagles and sharks and ants and wasps must be evil then.. ^_^


Thanks for keeping me honest, and on my toes!!

All make every attempt to protect each other, rather than lying, cheating and stealing from one another




Hmmm ,and Dogzilla makes another interesting point!!


Free Thinker

[dogzilla]

I was thinking about alligators.

First, one must assume that any body of water in Florida could probably contain a gator or ten. They prefer fresh water, but they'll hang out in brackish or even salt water if they have to. When their clutch of eggs hatch, the mama gator carries the baby gators around in her mouth to a safe place. After a couple weeks, when they're big enough to fend for themselves, she abandons them.

It's really amazing to see a 12-foot prehistoric creature, that's designed to kill and eat, very gently scoop up her young in her teeth-laden mouth and carefully move them.

However, the males will eat the young if they can... so there's another lesson for ya. :p