Non-Religious Ethics
Created | Updated Sep 21, 2005
Please note: this article is under construction and will probably be under construction for several months.
At various times, both on and of H2G2, I have heard both atheists and theists claim that ethical systems are incompatible with atheism or require theism. As an atheist, I dispute this and intend to disprove it.
Most ethical systems claim to be absolute--that is, they are the only correct guide. Such systems claim that they are the only correct ethical system and have a monopoly on right or wrong. Such systems are often based in religion and use religious texts as their authority. In my opinion, such systems are illogical and incompatible with atheism. However, that does not mean that all ethical systems are. I think that it is possible to create a logical, non-religious ethical system, as long as it is recognized to be non-absolute. Such a system must be based n postulates that make sense to the person who designs the system, but they must be recognized as improvable and that the system is neither the only correct system, nor the best system, nor even necessarily a very good system.
My goal here is to develop such a system. If anyone has any comments, or would like to help in designing such a system, please let me know by posting to this entry
At various times, both on and of H2G2, I have heard both atheists and theists claim that ethical systems are incompatible with atheism or require theism. As an atheist, I dispute this and intend to disprove it.
Most ethical systems claim to be absolute--that is, they are the only correct guide. Such systems claim that they are the only correct ethical system and have a monopoly on right or wrong. Such systems are often based in religion and use religious texts as their authority. In my opinion, such systems are illogical and incompatible with atheism. However, that does not mean that all ethical systems are. I think that it is possible to create a logical, non-religious ethical system, as long as it is recognized to be non-absolute. Such a system must be based n postulates that make sense to the person who designs the system, but they must be recognized as improvable and that the system is neither the only correct system, nor the best system, nor even necessarily a very good system.
My goal here is to develop such a system. If anyone has any comments, or would like to help in designing such a system, please let me know by posting to this entry
