The Basis of My Ethical Philosophy
The other week, Andrew wrote an excellent comment on my post about Pascal’s wager, ending with this:
By the by, plonkee, I’ve searched your site and I’ve found some references to your ethical philosophy, but nothing justifying it. I mention this because I thought it would be interesting to see a post on the one thing atheists should be talking most about - not whether a god or gods exist, but the foundations of an atheist moral and ethical philosophy.
It certainly will be a challenge to write about the foundations of my ethical philosophy as I’m not entirely sure whether I really have any foundations.
Starting from the beginning, one of the things that lead to my realisation that I was atheist was my decision to live my life without reference to god or gods. That is, to do the right thing, regardless of the teachings of any given religion.
I’d like to say that my essential philosophy is the Wiccan creed:
An it harm none, do as you will.
I’d like to say it was that - I really think that things are wrong when they harm someone else. The problem is that it’s almost impossible to live without adversely affecting someone, somewhere. And it doesn’t really address some of the more difficult ethical problems which are all about the competing needs of different people.
In fact, my self-declared definition of a successful life is if the world is better when I leave than it was when I arrived. Better to me, currently means that people are happier, more alive, less persecuted, more knowledgeable, and the world is a fairer and more peaceful place. This sounds like a pretty tall order, I’ll settle for better on average.
How does this influence me? Well, it means that in a really broad sense, I am pro-life. That is that I am generally opposed to violence of all forms, and I think that people should be given every opportunity to live meaningful and ordinary lives. I tend to see people everywhere as broadly the same, with the same needs and desires, and empathise with them all.
In my personal life, like pretty much everyone, I try to be nice, and obey the golden rule - to treat people as I would like to be treated. Politically, I am certainly a social liberal. I would probably be described as an advocate of social justice, and I am a member of Amnesty International, and I support fair trade and campaigns to end poverty.
I don’t think my ethical philosophy has or needs much of a basis. I am nothing special, like everyone else, I do my best.
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violence and incompetence
Hi, my name is plonkee, and I’m a science fiction geek.
I’m a big fan of science fiction novels, and I particularly like the Foundation series by Isaac Asimov. One of the major characters in the series Salvor Hardin lives by the maxim that
Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.
It’s funny, but I’ve always heard that you get more conservative, traditional and right wing as you get older, whereas I seem to be getting more pacifist.
There rarely seem to be reasons to justify personal violence - maybe self-defence is one. In general, I think “do as you would be done by” is a good idea, and so I dislike the hitting of small children in much the same way as I dislike them hitting anyone else.
I am also of the opinion that if the state does not approve of private citizens killing each other, then it shouldn’t do the same. This means that I am strongly against the death penalty and would be even if death row sentences were never overturned.
But, I haven’t quite got to the conclusion that conflict between countries is always unnecessary. I mean, often it is - I’m not a fan of some of the latest conflicts that the British armed forces have been involved in - but I don’t know that I can say that it always is.
I wonder whether my thoughts on violence will alter further as I get older. Have anyone else’s views changed gradually in this way, and if so, how do you feel about it?
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How Hypocritical Am I Really Being?
Do you avoid religious celebrations?
I don’t. In fact, I’ve no objection at all to going to church, my non-Christian worship experience is pretty thin. I’ve been to friend’s weddings without a qualm, Christmas services, even regular Sunday church services with my extended family. You might think that this is ok, as these could be construed as “special occasions”.
However, whilst I’m at church services, I have no hesitation in joining in, even though I don’t believe what I’m saying. I really enjoy singing and will happily sing hymns that I know, and hymns that I don’t know. If there are responses that I know (or there are words to follow) I normally take part. I draw the line at taking communion when it’s offered, but will gladly shake my neighbour’s hand at the appropriate moment.
Generally, few people would realise that I was an atheist unless I told them. Which, of course, I never bother to. I feel a bit uncharitable going “you know it’s all made up, don’t you?”. A bit like you don’t tell children that there’s no Tooth Fairy - it’s just not the done thing.
I mostly think that this is a little hypocritical, but I don’t think it’s harming me. And really, everyone else is there for themselves. If I turn up, I don’t think it really matters whether I join in, or stay silent. But, maybe I’m not a proper atheist if I can stomach church (or even, heaven forbid, take pleasure in it). Maybe I’m wrong to say things that I don’t think are true, just because I see no great harm to me in them.
What do you think? How hypocritical am I really being? Leave a comment and let me know.
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