Morality and ShwaNerd

In this video I give my thoughts on ShwaNerds video called "An Athiest Goes to Bible Study".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEShabBPkPA

Topics includes divine command theory, voluntarism, desires, happiness, moral foundations and objective vs subjective morality

Category:

Education

Tags:

• moral
• morals
• ethics
• ethical
• debate
• discussion
• Epydemic2020
• ShwaNerd
• an
• atheist
• goes
• to
• bible
• study
• Christianity
• divine
• command
• theory
• voluntarism
• God
• commands
• Sam
• Harris
• Moral
• Landscape
• utilitarianism

[h0tsex0r]

G. E. Moore, not J. E.

[Epydemic2020]

@h0tsex0r

oops. I got it right in my script but not in my speech.

[psalmsurfer1]

See? This is what too much knowledge does to people..it works against them..it leads to endless debating instead of endless living. For the record...I like CS Lewis the apologist...not CS Lewis the fiction writer.

[Epydemic2020]

@doireallyneed1

If I am hardwired to recognize that "killing non-consenting humans for entertainment is wrong" is a true statement of fact, then there must be some explanation as to why it is true.

As soon as a human is able to grasp the concepts in the question, the above statement becomes obviously true.

[doireallyneed1]

@Epydemic2020,

If you were ready to accept the plausibility of intuition being a product of evolution then why do you insist on linking the intuition of morality to an outside source? I still don't understand how you arrive at objectivity through intuition - can you explain a little further how you mean "self evident"?

[Epydemic2020]

@doireallyneed1

Our intuition tells us that certain actions + intentions are wrong. If certain actions actually are wrong, then objective morality exists.

I said objective morality is self-evident because many moral values are intuitively obvious.

[doireallyneed1]

@Epydemic2020,

I don't understand how you get to objectivity through intuition. Also, how do you establish that objectivity is 'self-evident'?

[Epydemic2020]

@doireallyneed1

"I will contend that the intuitive element is evolutionary in origin and the objective element is non-existent"

I also contend the intuitive element is evolutionary.  However, our intuitions inform us that the action + intention you mentioned is objectively wrong. To accept the existence of moral intuitions and reject the conclusion is to deny the self-evident. In order to do that, you must have a good reason or counterargument.

[doireallyneed1]

@Epydemic2020,

So action can't be separated from intent ... I'll have to think some more about that. Meanwhile, can we perhaps examine a "narrower" example? You labelled " 'killing solely for entertainment'...intuitively (and objectively) wrong". For the sake of argument (if you are still interested) I will contend that the intuitive element is evolutionary in origin and the objective element is non-existent. How do you conclude that it is objective?