How do evolutionists identify right from wrong?

Question

With no moral standard to go by how do you identify right from wrong?

Answer 1

evolution =/= lack of belief in God.



atheism =/= lack of morals



It is human instinct to be able to tell right from wrong. Even if they don't have a God, they still have a conscience. I think there are probably a higher percentage of moral Atheists than there are moral Christians, especially the ones that believe they are automatically saved.

Answer 2

The cultures of the world all have codes of conduct, even the ancient ones, and many of these codes predate the writing of the various books of the Bible and almost all predate each cultures first exposure to the Bible.



Where did the Greek Philosophers gain their insights? Did Socrates have no morals? Was Pythagoras lost? Confucius? Buddha? The American tribes? Eskimos?

Much of what is contained in the Old Testament is simply the conduct codes of the ancient Middle East. Some of these codes are commonly found in cultures all over the world, such as the prohibition against murder, but many are unique to the region and were never adopted by anyone else, like the prohibitions against eating pork or working on Saturday. Many are tribal rules, such as the requirement for a man to marry and have children with his brother's widow in order to ensure the survival of the tribe. Much of the New Testament is a reinterpretation of the older Biblical laws from the perspective of a culture that had been exposed to Greek and Roman thought for several centuries.



We have access to thousands of years of religion, history, philosophy, ethics and sociology from all over the world. We can see what worked well, and what didn't work so well, and we acknowledge that many things should never be allowed to happen again, such as genocides, witch burnings and Inquisitions. We do not believe that any group or culture has had all of the answers, and we refuse to be tied to laws that should be abandoned and rules that do not work. Claiming to have all of the answers is a dangerous game, and claiming to be the "One True Path" has led to some of the most horrific abuses and tragedies in human history.



"A man's ethical behavior should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties and needs; no religious basis is necessary. Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death." - Albert Einstein, "Religion and Science", New York Times Magazine, November 9, 1930





It is hilarious that the really stupid ignorant fundies need a pastor to them robbing the 7/11 is wrong. Atheists know not to because they have common sense.

Answer 3

No moral standard? Where do you get evolutionist equals immoral? Just because one believes in the laws of nature does not mean one doesn't have a moral code.



If you are a grown person and you still have to refer to an external source (ie the Bible) for your morality then there is something wrong with your psychological development. By the time of late adolesents morality should switch from being external (your parent, society, family, school, religion telling you right from wrong) to being internal (you judge for yourself.)



One does not need to believe in a book written by ancient man and an invalid theory to know that killing is wrong, that lying is wrong, that being faithful to your partner is right and to treat people with kindness and respect.



While religion may help form some people's morals the reverse (that morality is not possible without religion) is far from true.

Answer 4

They can't face up to this question because they know science has no moral compass.



During World War II, the evolutionary scientists of Adolph Hitler committed the most abominable crimes against humanity, experimenting on "subhuman" Jews to carry out murderous experiments in the name of science.

The godless state of communist Russia continued in this vein, experimenting with political prisoners, in the name of science.

They will do the same today.

They start by redefining words. For instance what was called an unborn baby a few decades ago is now a "fetus".

Far game to the abortion doctors.

After all - it's survival of the fittest - and unborn babies can't really mount much of a defense.

Answer 5

the belief of evolution and a concept in God are no longer unavoidably at the same time unique. the belief of organic decision is in a wy undemanding sense. some thing it fairly is larger adapted to the atmosphere that that's in is extra in all likelihood to proceed to exist and breed than an organism it fairly is far less nicely adapted to that atmosphere. the belief of evolution is in actuality that this form of provides up and eventually finally leads to some thing in assessment to the unique. The question of whether there is a few guiding intelligance at the back of that technique or no longer would nicely be considered quite much thoroughly seperately. you're ideal there is an inclination for scientists to declare that if some thing can not be measured it does no longer exist. particularly what they might desire to declare is they won't instruct whether it exists or no longer. 2 examples of this being God and human souls yet additionally the two ghosts, ESP etc. there is honestly info exhibiting that the strategies controls our strikes and our strategies would nicely be considered as chemical reactions in the strategies. The question of whether it particularly is the reason at the back of strategies or a reaction is open to non-public opinion. in my opinion there is not any longer something incorrect with being a scientist and likewise believing in a some distance better ability

Answer 6

You bring up an interesting point. Evolution is based on faith in a scientific theory than can never be proven as an absolute fact. Every belief system has moral implications. If we are accidents, our lives have no meaning, and there is no such thing as absolute right or wrong. Everything would be relative.

Answer 7

Wow, you stirred them up. I always like a question that gets this much response.



Darwin actually reported to believe in God. He did not see his theory(emphasis on theory) in any way denied the existence of a Holy Creator.



But I hear people all of the time say they believe in or don't believe in evolution. It is not this question which calls this a belief system, it is the popular notion evolution is a fact, which it is not. And that it is something to believe in, which it is not.



I believe people are born with a conscience provided by God which supersedes our natural compulsion to sin. I always wait for science to catch up with the Word of God which it seems to be doing constantly.

Answer 8

The moral standard doesn't come from evolution. It doesn't come from a book either. Every culture has had the same basic moral standard: don't kill, don't steal, don't lie, don't cheat, don't poach on other people's mates, etc.



Right is what allows you to get along well with your community, work harmoniously with others, and so forth.



Wrong is selfish, uncooperative, harms yourself and others.



It's as simple as that.

Answer 9

Some atheists have higher moral standards than some Christians. Do we see more ethical behavior in religious people than in atheists? No. There appears to be no correlation between religious beliefs and ethical behavior. The prisons are full of Christian murderers & rapists.

Answer 10

Religious people go through the same moral stages as atheists. No religion has more moral followers, even the ones without a god. Moral stages are a matter of personal development, based on innate human developmental patterns, not deities.

Answer 11

They CAN'T. As soon as they DENIED THE WORD OF GOD, they ABANDONED the ability to perceive the difference between Right and Wrong. There are things one needs to be lobotomized not to know are wrong. But if one extrapolates from those points, one arrives at the existence of a Higher Power, namely, God.

Answer 12

This is like asking "How do plumbers know right from wrong"? Or "How do geologists know about grocery shopping?"



Evolution is a branch of the science of biology. It doesn't address human social things like ethics. Tha'ts not science's job. Or plumbing's job for that matter.



It's also wrong to assume that one has to be an atheist in order to accept the discoveries of evolution. It's even more wrong (in fact, insulting) to assume that atheists have no sense of ethics.



Try learning about the subject before you embarrass yourself even further.

Answer 13

They make their own morals. If you want to kill, go ahead: what right for you, may not be what's right for me.



How can anyone blame Hitler for what he did? I mean, if morality is in the eye of the beholder, can we really blame him for the massacre of 6 million people?

Answer 14

They say that morality is not absolute but relative. So they say it might be moral for Tom to rape a baby but it is wrong for Bill to rape a baby. It may be ok to rape a baby in New York but wrong in Texas.



That concept of morality seems random to me and makes no sense.



The atheist concept of morality lead the major atheist tyrants of the past 100 years to murder over 100 million people.

Answer 15

Your question is illogical because you are starting from the incorrect assumption that evolutionists have no moral standard.

Answer 16

People can develop their own moral standards based on their own experiences and thoughts. It might actually be healthier than following the masses.

Answer 17

hey did you know that some evolutionists also believe in the existence of God? I bet that fries your brain when you try to determine their morality (moral, NO immoral, no moral, immoral, wait! moral.. $hit....)

Answer 18

We buy these little wheel things like you use in a board game. One side says "Right" and the other "Wrong". Just spin!

Answer 19

Things that harm other people, organisms or the environment are wrong.



Things that benefit other people, organisms or the environment are good.



How frikking hard is that? Do you truly believe you need some book purported to be written by a bearded skydude who will punish you if you disobey to figure that out?

Answer 20

In-built moral compass which all primates seem to exhibit.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Three_chimpanzees_with_apple.jpg



If you'll notice in the above image there appears to be a severe lack of these creatures killing each other.

Answer 21

People who don't believe in any Gods still have morals and values. They aren't all killing machines.

How do Christians that murder identify right from wrong? Hm?

Answer 22

You assume that people who hold to the theory of evolution have no morals. Where did you get that mistaken motion?

Answer 23

We put bees in a cage with two piles of honey. If they go to the left honey, it's wrong. If the go to the right honey, it's right.

Very straightforward.

Answer 24

By "evolutionist" I guess you mean "scientist"? I'm sure scientists understand morality the same way as everybody else... a combination of social conditioning and good old fashioned empathy.

Answer 25

Evolution is not a religion. It's the the prevailing scientific consensus.

Answer 26

evolutionists isnt a word



and that makes absolutely no sense, what do you mean moral standard, how does any of this **** have anything to do with evolution?

Answer 27

By NOT being sociopaths.



Dude, haven't you ever taken a philosophy class? I mean, even a basic one? If not, get to it. If so, take one again and pay better attention.



You've got a lot to learn.

Answer 28

Site your sources on "no moral standard"

Answer 29

Laws? Just because I don't live by what some fictional book tells me, I'm going to go around murdering and raping children?

Answer 30

Religion spawns from morals, not the other way around.

Answer 31

They cannot even identify between good and evil.

Answer 32

evolutionism=/= evil, contrary to common Christian thought.

Answer 33

Remember, eating Babby is always right.

Can you really be this...?

Answer 34

The same way you do we just don't confuse societal will with god's will.

Answer 35

Hormone buildup from the brain causing the feeling "guilt."



You are uneducated.

Answer 36

oh good grief.



Take an ethics class.



BTW, if you need "god" to be moral (ie, know right from wrong)... then you're not.

Answer 37

We don't need a book to tell us right from wrong. We're not that brain-dead.

Answer 38

Of course :)

Answer 39

...and what if there are conflicting opinions, who arbitrates?

Answer 40

*drink*



I'm right, you're wrong.



DUH.



Yet another christian who would be out raping and murdering if it wasn't for your little mythbook, hmm?? Well, at least you folks admit it. It's rather extraordinary that more atheists aren't in jail, isn't it?

Answer 41

You're silly.

Answer 42

Are you daft?

Answer 43

what small southern town are you from? wherever you are, please stay there!