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Is morality an illusion?

Posted: Fri Aug 02, 2013 6:44 pm
by Baltazorg
One question that has plagued me is whether or not objective morals exist. As a Christian this is very disturbing because if they don't then neither does god. The only explanation I have heard christians say was that it feels wrong to do this or that, therefore objective morals do exist. However just because we strongly feel something is true doesn't make it true. And if objective morals do exist why are some people able to sin without remorse, could this suggest that morals are purely of cultural influence? I don't think that is likely, but it doesn't prove that there is objective morality, it could suggest that it arose purely out of Darwinian evolution as a way to reproduce our species, then again one could argue that god is the one who implimented that into our minds, but if this is true one might expect to see morals that doesn't serve a Darwinian process. And those other ideals that are not morals could be a result of cultural influence. I'm really scared about this concept and am losing sleep and faith over it, please help me. :(

Re: Is morality an illusion?

Posted: Sat Aug 03, 2013 2:02 am
by Silvertusk
Firstly how we discover objective morals does not negate there existence in the first place. So if we discovered them through social evolution then so be it. Also if someone does not feel remorse for sin it just means they are evil and not that there are no objective morals.

God Bless and welcome to the board.

Silver tusk

Re: Is morality an illusion?

Posted: Sat Aug 03, 2013 9:27 am
by jlay
Baltazorg wrote:One question that has plagued me is whether or not objective morals exist. As a Christian this is very disturbing because if they don't then neither does god. The only explanation I have heard christians say was that it feels wrong to do this or that, therefore objective morals do exist. However just because we strongly feel something is true doesn't make it true.


Really? Is that statement true? :pound:
Actually, I agree that your statement is true, and feelings don't have anything to do with it.
And if objective morals do exist why are some people able to sin without remorse, could this suggest that morals are purely of cultural influence?
When someone doesn't feel remorse, are they lacking something? If so, then what is it "objectively" that they lack?
I don't think that is likely, but it doesn't prove that there is objective morality, it could suggest that it arose purely out of Darwinian evolution as a way to reproduce our species, then again one could argue that god is the one who implimented that into our minds, but if this is true one might expect to see morals that doesn't serve a Darwinian process. And those other ideals that are not morals could be a result of cultural influence. I'm really scared about this concept and am losing sleep and faith over it, please help me. :(
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Certain moral preferences are the result of cultural influence. That subejctive reality doesn't negate whether morality is an obejctive truth.