Ethical Systems?

[Inept At Normal]

Considering we're all pretty much atheists, how do you respond to the fundamentalist's 'hurrr you have no moral compass'?

Me, personally? Rule utilitarianism.

 

[Sypl]

I like compasses
(That is how I respond)

 

[Crazy Linoone]

Me, personally? Rule utilitarianism.

Utilitarianism basically says that we should all die, and I'm not really for that because I'm a selfish bastard and I don't want to die :(

Anyhow, I follow the simple rule of "don't be a jerk"; that is, don't tread on other people's business unless they tread on yours, or at least they invite you to tread on their business. It's worked pretty well so far...!

 

[Furiianda]

Uh... like this?
If that's what you mean.

You raise a valid point and I appreciate you pointing out my failings as a parent. Practising a system of ethics based on the promise of a reward, in your case an afterlife, is certainly preferable to practising a system of ethics based on it simply being the right thing to do.

Also, what Crazy Linoone said. Uh... there's that phrase in a bunch of religious teachings or something which is like "Don't do anything to someone else that you wouldn't want to happen to you", which, in most cases, is pretty swell. However I must admit that I occasionally do bad stuff to others when I believe they deserve it in return for something bad they did (for example making a rude comment when they say something discriminatory). [: Although in that particular case it's kind of equivalent on both ends... isn't it...
Well, you know what I mean, hopefully. >;

 

[Tarvos]

Golden rule. Don't do something to somebody else you wouldn't want them to do to you.

 

[shy ♡]

Uh, "fuck you" usually works. :v

In all honesty, philosophy is a lot deeper than just 'lol religion' and people who think you can't have any morals if you aren't religious... well I just can't be bothered to argue with them. Because there is nothing to gained from that other than a headache.

 

[Automata heart]

be kind to one another, don't be an asshole, and don't kill people.

 

[Mendatt]

I make snarky comments at them until they try to slap me, and then I make another one and walk away to the accompaniment of laughter. Unless there isn't anyone else there, in which case there isn't any laughter. I know many, many wonderful people who believe in god, many of which are priests, but belief that it's the only belief you can have without being some sort of devil/morally skewed/insane I have trouble putting up with.

 

[Crazy Linoone]

Golden rule. Don't do something to somebody else you wouldn't want them to do to you.

Hm, I don't really follow the Golden Rule, per say, since my personal bubble of safety is a bit larger than most people's, so I get nervous when people stand too close in front of me even though that person might think he/she is standing at a perfectly normal distance. This means that I often end up in awkward situations when a person with a small personal bubble try to walk closer to me while he/she talks, and I start scooting backwards because I'm feeling uncomfortable.

The thing is that, if I were to talk to a person, I wouldn't want that person to keep on scooting backwards.

So yeah. Some people can tolerate some things others can't, and some people can't tolerate some things some can. Therefore, I prefer the "don't be a jerk" moral instead, because it means that I can scoot backwards when I feel uncomfortable, because this is my personal bubble and the person talking to me has no idea that he/she is breaking my bubble.

(Or I can tell the person to scoot away a little, but that's even more impolite...)

 

[Tailsy]

I'm an atheist, not a sociopath?

 

[Blastoise Fortooate]

Basically agreeing with everyone here, but Ursula Vernon put it more interestingly:

Okay. Morality in a nutshell. Don't hurt people if you can avoid it. Don't steal stuff unless you're starving or it's really, really important. Work hard. Pay your bills. Try to help others. Always double check your math if there are explosives involved. If you screwed up, you need to see it gets fixed. And don't eat anything that talks. If it doesn't fall under one of those categories, just do the best you can.

 

[Ryan the Terrible]

Rules of Life:
1. Don't be an asshole.
2. Use common sense. (See Rule #1)
3. HAAAAVE FUUUUUUNN

 

[Phantom]

I'm an atheist, not a sociopath?

Pretty much this.

Though I did want to give my parents the smackdown when they said I didn't have morals because I wasn't Christian.

 

[thunder]

I make all ethical decisions based on the philosophy of rational egoism, that is that it is rational to pursue my own interests and always irrational not to. This basically means I do whatever benefits me the most in the long run, I believe every action taken should have long term benefits to me and that any other effects are irrelevant. This obviously does not mean I go around commiting crimes as that will cause others to treat me in a way which is not beneficial.

 

[Inept At Normal]

I make all ethical decisions based on the philosophy of rational egoism, that is that it is rational to pursue my own interests and always irrational not to. This basically means I do whatever benefits me the most in the long run, I believe every action taken should have long term benefits to me and that any other effects are irrelevant. This obviously does not mean I go around commiting crimes as that will cause others to treat me in a way which is not beneficial.

What if, say, you are put in a situation where either you die or the entire population of Shanghai dies (but no one else knows it is you who made this decision, so you won't be held responsible or put or death)? Would you see it as ethical to save yourself over all those people?

 

[thunder]

What if, say, you are put in a situation where either you die or the entire population of Shanghai dies (but no one else knows it is you who made this decision, so you won't be held responsible or put or death)? Would you see it as ethical to save yourself over all those people?

Yes because if I die I would have no perception or thought of the world, this means that from my perspective the entire world would have ceased to exist, therefore my death would have the effect of ending the world, which is bad.

 

[Minish]

This obviously does not mean I go around commiting crimes as that will cause others to treat me in a way which is not beneficial.

So... the only reason you don't commit crime (all crime?) is because of that? Would you commit crimes if it could go unnoticed?

 

[thunder]

So... the only reason you don't commit crime (all crime?) is because of that? Would you commit crimes if it could go unnoticed?

Depends on the crime I would probably commit crimes which benefited me if I could do so without negative effects to me, but not crimes which did not benefit me as they would be pointless and therefore not a good or efficient use of my time, except for vengeance.

 

[Inept At Normal]

Yes because if I die I would have no perception or thought of the world, this means that from my perspective the entire world would have ceased to exist, therefore my death would have the effect of ending the world, which is bad.

But, uh, isn't that sort of dick-ish? And doesn't it defeat the entire point of ethical systems in the first place? If millions of people are willing to kill millions of others to save themselves and only themselves, can't the world just go to hell because of one person's selfishness?

Don't get me wrong - selfishness has its place, even in ethical systems, but I don't think an entire one should be based around it.

 

[thunder]

But, uh, isn't that sort of dick-ish? And doesn't it defeat the entire point of ethical systems in the first place? If millions of people are willing to kill millions of others to save themselves and only themselves, can't the world just go to hell because of one person's selfishness?

Don't get me wrong - selfishness has its place, even in ethical systems, but I don't think an entire one should be based around it.

It is the choice between egoism and altruism, a choice between benefiting those who follow the system and benefiting those who do not.

The way my way benefits those such as me who follow it is pretty obvious. The way altruism (the opposite) does not benefit its followers is that it says they should sacrifice themselves.

A quote summarising a reason for my belief well is this "I am not primarily an advocate of capitalism, but of egoism; and I am not primarily an advocate of egoism, but of reason. If one recognizes the supremacy of reason and applies it consistently, all the rest follows.” Ayn Rand

Furthermore as I stated in my post I believe that from the perspective of the person/people sacrificing himself/herself/themselves the world goes to hell if they act selflessly.

Being selfish brings the greatest benefits to the practicer in life and that should be the goal of any ethical system as we get one shot at life before ceasing to exist so logically we must make the most of it and keep it going as long as possible.

I look forward to your reply as I am enjoying this.