Originally posted by JimL
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In science, one uses a hypothesis to ground the experiments---it creates a perimeter or framework to base tests on....Otherwise one randomly stabs in the dark in a hit or miss fashion to test this or that hoping one thing or other "works". It makes the difference between consistent and arbitrary.
Torture---The Quran says oppression is worse than death---so that would mostly put torture in the unethical/immoral category...science also says torture is a useless tool. It does not yield trustworthy results...rather incentives lead to more trustworthy results compared to torture. So with or without God we can "reason" to the same conclusion. Basing ethics on science can be arbitrary or inconsistent because it is constrained in time but metaphysics/religio-philosophies work over longer periods of time. (difference between knowledge and wisdom). By giving meaning to human existence, we also open up space for idealistic/altruistic aspirations for humanity.
Human mind fits pieces into a larger whole to make sense of it. That is just how we are. We can try to fit metaethics into some idea of "humans as animals" one of a large number in a mutually dependent ecosystem? or, we can define human purpose as that of a higher calling/duty...as having the responsibility of caretakers---language can define it as karma, mandate of heaven, trusteeship....etc and build our metaethical values base on such a premise? or perhaps find other creative metaphyics premises?
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