by cofty 188 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Chimps do this - atheist chimps. So do birds and countless other species of animals.
I think you missed my point. I referred to compassion, charity and altruistic love as ethical values, not as affections that even animals are able to display. And since when a chimp is "atheist"?? LOL gawd.
Eden
Edit: I seem to be unable to make another post. Am I under some kind of restriction?
Edit: Nevermind, it's back
Thats not a rational argument. By the same token, you can "proove" fire is the cause of compassion. How? find any proof humans practiced compassion before the invention of fire...
Point is: Ancient humans have been able to display affections just like any animal can. But an affection becomes an ethical value by effect of a religious belief system, no matter how incipient it may be. Only in a later stage (modernity), such ethical values became rationalized and independent from religious beliefs.
Eden
Let's imagine for a moment that the superstitious notion of being watched by an invisible deity has contributed positively to morality.
So what?
We have grown up as a species. There are far better ways of thinking about morality.
since "Cofty" isn't your real name, I can freely use the term "persona"
Cofty is just a screen name it's not a persona. My name is Bill Blyth, what's yours?
So what?
So you concede that religion likely gave a positive contribution to human development. You may not find a place for religious belief in your ultra-rational system nowadays; I still do. So what - do you claim to be a more evolved species than myself, or something?
Eden
No just a bit less irrational.
My name is Bill Blyth, what's yours?
Nice to meet you. I'm Eden. That's all you deserve need to know.
Btw, nice punch below the waist line.
Eden
Eden:
Point is: Ancient humans have been able to display affections just like any animal can.
agree so far.
But an affection becomes an ethical value by effect of a religious belief system, no matter how incipient it may be.
thats what you claim and what I hope to see some proof of, you have not done that so far.
Only in a later stage (modernity), such ethical values became rationalized and independent from religious beliefs.
okay now i am confused. did our brains evolve in the meantime?
thats what you claim and what I hope to see some proof of
Do you have a better explanation for that? Let's hear it. You should benefit from reading some books on the subject of Anthropology. I recommend Émile Durkheim.
okay now i am confused. did our brains evolve in the meantime
Not necessarily. We simply accomulated more knowledge of the world around us and replaced magic explanations for empirical observations. When the epistemological leap from religiousness to rationalism was given, so were the ethical values disconnected from religious systems of belief.
Eden
Just because someone believes in God doesn't mean they haven't looked at the facts - tornapart
99.99% of the time it does.-cofty
Very good point tornapart, a bit of a generalisation cofty. Am I one of the 0.01% that has looked at the facts or is toranapart, or bith of us?
Kate xx
