Sam Harris speaks at the TED convention Part 2

[parras65]

Genius!!



[AntitheistPOV]

Without diversity in culture and morality, how is it possible to define what is optimal? Moral evolution occurs by comparison with inferior values. If everyone assumed the same standard of morality, there would be no input available whereby to weigh the comparative value of one practice against another.

[PointLarusso]

@AntitheistPOV Okay. Let's say everyone does assume the same standard of morality, and then someone tries it by committing murder. Everyone will know that is wrong and will steer clear. Let's now say someone decides that he will split all he makes with his neighbors in true altruism. This might beget the most sincere reciprocal altruism. Harris isn't offering answers. He is saying that they exist. It is up to us to find them.

[ProportionalResponse]

@AntitheistPOV But with the knowledge we have gained, with "us" being a decently young species, we can use what we know from years of experience and build on that. It's not irony, it's moving to the next level, or at least he is suggesting a method to do that. It's like any knowledge, like say nautical navigation. Of course there was a learning period, but then a method was established, and improved on. The same is true for anything.

[AntitheistPOV]

@ProportionalResponse

Except that it's not. Nautical navigation made use of multiple inputs (stars, tides, maps, writing, language, carpentry and so on and so forth). To use your analogy, if you take one civilization and its morality and eliminate the rest, it would be like taking carpentry and trying to figure out navigation with no stars.

[ProportionalResponse]

@AntitheistPOV I'm not sure you follow.. I was saying take the collective of what we know. I'm not throwing out lessons learned from some "other"civilization. This is a collective of humanity. No one is saying throw out any knowledge. Use collective knowledge (in the analogy - stars, tides, maps, writing, language, carpentry to make navigation better) to make a better moral system.

[AntitheistPOV]

@ProportionalResponse

Where do we get that information in a moral vacuum? We're still learning. We know barely enough to demonstrate how much we don't know.

[ProportionalResponse]

@AntitheistPOV HOly cow, I have no idea if you are trolling me or not. Read what I said, before responding, please. Where did I come close to saying we should exclude anything?? Moral vacum? Take what we know, try to do better. Yeah we're still learning, doesn't mean we can't fix shit along the way. If you respond with anything like that, where you are trying to put words in my mouth, I will not reply, and chalk you up to trolling.

[lalaurentide]

@AntitheistPOV Only if we burn all of our history books and knowledge. You are either disingenuous or very short sighted.

[BlackJacketStudios]

The most rational, refreshing take on morality and the fundamental ills of religion I've heard in a long time.

[iansaidhi]

7:25 What the world needs now is love, sweet love. It's the only thing that there's just too little of

[mdjur327]

this guy is an amazing speaker. very well tempered too

[justatallguy]

I watched it 2 times in a row so the conceopt sticks in my mind, and I'll probably watch this every once in a while, because really, this is sex to my brain.

Sam Harris kicks ass!

[unitedstrike]

This guy is brilliant

[avz2r]

@MaryannS1977 Anyways it was nice having a civil discourse that didn't result in childish name calling. We can agree to disagree. Have a good one. Caio

[avz2r]

@MaryannS1977 how is that a contradiction? I can forgive YOU if YOU cause me harm or steal from me, etc. How dare I forgive YOU for causing harm to john doe who is the person hurt by your actions. How dare I act as the chieff person hurt by you harming john doe. Thats ridiculous

[avz2r]

@MaryannS1977 reply back any time. I would love to share some immoral, unethical bible verses with you. After all this is the literal word of god..

[avz2r]

@MaryannS1977 Had you been alive during jesus time, would you let him die and be a scapegoat for your sins? Even if the only sin you committed was not observing the sabbath. If so how can you claim to be any moral or ethical than a non-believer? And if you would step in to stop jesus death then surely you disagree with scapegoating anyone as a sacrifice. No one can take your responsibilities away from you.

[avz2r]

@MaryannS1977 Why am I born in sin when I wasn't even born in that time period. My morals and ethics would today not allow any person, even you, to be harmed, or scapegoated to wipe clean the slate of others sins.

[avz2r]

@MaryannS1977 If you could explain to me some troubles I have with the bible and the story of jesus sacrifice for our sins. If god is all knowing and omnipotent, could he/she not think of a better way to nullify socities sins other than to deliver himself in the body of jesus to earth just to sacrifice himself to himself?

[avz2r]

@MaryannS1977 the golden rule was mentioned thousands of years before the bible..."do unto others as you would have them do unto you" - confucius.

[avz2r]

@MaryannS1977 why must a prime mover exist in order to be moral? I don't understand this position. Out of the hundreds of gods that have been mentioned throughout civilization, in your opinion, which god resonates the message of absolute morality?..For example the 10 commandments mention nothing of protecting children from rape and abuse.. if an absolute moral giver exists, how is this point missed?

[sanphaka04]

Undeniable. Brilliant.