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Philosophy 201 Guidelines
Cogito ergo sum
Here in the Philosophy forum we will talk about all the "why" questions. We'll have conversations about the way in which philosophy and theology and religion interact with each other. Metaphysics, ontology, origins, truth? They're all fair game so jump right in and have some fun! But remember...play nice!
I would disagree. Culture is about much more than mere survival. It is also about flourishing. It's reductive to see humans are merely survival machines.
I would disagree. Culture is about much more than mere survival. It is also about flourishing. It's reductive to see humans are merely survival machines.
Strictly speaking, humanity is no more exempt from evolutionary pressure than any other living thing. So everything we do will ultimately be "evaluated" by the forces of evolution. We may see culture as related to "flourishing," but if "culture" and "flourishing" do not provide an evolutionary advantage, then the inevitable will happen. Indeed, sentience itself is an evolutionary development that is too young yet to know if it provides a long term evolutionary advantage. It seems to in the short term, given humanity's rapid spread and domination of the planet. However, it may be that sentience causes a species to "burn hot and fast" and ultimately destroy its own habitat and, with it, itself. Or it may be that sentience provides the ultimate evolutionary advantage because a species can constantly adapt via technology to changing circumstances. Our species is too young to know which it is. If all of earth's existence were mapped onto a 24 hour clock, life itself would emerge around 4:00 AM, but humans wouldn't emerge until 11:58:43 PM. We are a VERY young species.
The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy...returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Martin Luther King
I would unite with anybody to do right and with nobody to do wrong. Frederick Douglas
I would disagree. Culture is about much more than mere survival. It is also about flourishing. It's reductive to see humans are merely survival machines.
Agreed. And there are pro-environmental groups who actually see the survival of the human race, and evolutionary imperatives as moral wrongs. The popular slogan for The Church of Euthanasia, for instance, is "Save the Planet, Kill Yourself," and the popular slogan for the Voluntary Human Extinction Movement is "May we live long and die out." Antinatalism as a philosophical moral position has existed for ages, so, at least for these groups, there's certainly more to morality than maximal survival of the human species.
You said: Your moral law is based upon a non-existent entity.
It is on you to prove your claim
No. It is up to you verify your premise that Unless you justify the premise of God's existence, you have no argument because without a true premise you cannot arrive at a true conclusion.
No He doesn't, not when it comes to His moral nature, in other areas yes.
So you agree with JimL that God is determined and doesn't have free will? But being "determined" means that all events, including moral choices, are completely determined by previously existing causes. So what were the preexisting causes for God?
So you agree with JimL that God is determined and doesn't have free will? But being "determined" means that all events, including moral choices, are completely determined by previously existing causes. So what were the preexisting causes for God?
No Tass, I did not say that all God's choices are determined just His moral character - he can not lie, be unjust, be evil etc... He is perfectly free to create, not to create, what to create, who to create, how and when to create, etc...
Atheism is the cult of death, the death of hope. The universe is doomed, you are doomed, the only thing that remains is to await your execution...
No Tass, I did not say that all God's choices are determined just His moral character - he can not lie, be unjust, be evil etc... He is perfectly free to create, not to create, what to create, who to create, how and when to create, etc...
So, if god, morally speaking, is determined, what is it that determines him?
ANY government has the right to rule when that right is conferred by those ruled. In America, we recognize that "the consent of the governed" does not mean we will always get our way. That's part of the social contract. Those who think like you have decided that the majority should rule, until they are in the minority, and then they want the minority to rule. In other words, they always want their way. In a representative government, we have representation. That doesn't mean we always get our way.
This doesn't make sense, where is this even hinted at in the definitions of authority? Again this idea of consent is a qualification you have added. But if you have citizens who don't buy into your social contract (let's say criminals) does the government have a right to punish law breakers even when they don't consent to the law or government rule?
Atheism is the cult of death, the death of hope. The universe is doomed, you are doomed, the only thing that remains is to await your execution...
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