Moral Authority

[Theland]

Without God, where do atheists look for an objective moral authority to determine absolute right and wrong?

[sherrardk]

Not usually my thing, but why do they need to look anywhere else?

[Mamyalynne]

I'm not an atheist but surely they have an inbuilt moral compass?

They presumably haven't been raised by wolves.

[vulcan42]

Theland, There are hundreds of different religions, you I assume have chosen one and rejected all the rest as being wrong. I have rejected just one more then you, do you think that one extra rejection turns me into a murderous monster?

[Cloverjo]

I think the law and society play their parts.
I don't believe in a god but I know what's right and what's wrong. It's probably the same view that most people, religious or not, have.

[1ozzy]

Some people refer to it as a conscience.
I wasn't aware that someone needed to be a godbotherer to have one ;-/.

[Theland]

So where does it come from? Your conscience hearks back to being made a moral being in the image of God.

[Buenchico]

I most definitely do NOT believe in either the existence of, or a need for, 'absolute moral authority'. Morality has always changed as society does and it must always do so.

[Theland]

So we are all the centre of our own little worlds deciding on right and wrong?

[1ozzy]

I prefer to think we all all members of society and behave as such.

[naomi24]

God qualified to teach morals? I think not.

[jomifl]

Not sure that morals can ever be objective...daft question really.

[jomifl]

/Your conscience hearks back to being made a moral being in the image of God. /
I don't have a conscience too do I? where did that come from

[mibn2cweus]

Morality is fairly simple in principle . . . perhaps a bit more complicated in practice.

Morality is that which promotes the wellbeing of those with the capacity to reason, learn and choose. Without options there can be no moral imperatives. Options arise from our ability to grasp the nature of reality and our relationship to it. Morality follows from the will and desire to determine what is in our mutual best interest and an appreciation for the value in making such determinations correctly.

As for the source of moral authority, reality is the final arbiter of right and wrong based on a realisation of the consequences that arise from our actions that comes with years and generations of experience and understanding of that reality and those consequences.

What's right is that which promotes knowledge and understanding of what is ultimately in our best interest, the choices that are available to us and the will to chose that which adds value to our existence. Armed with reason and knowledge we enter the arena of the potential to become moral beings.

[Clanad]

It's strange (at least to me) that many of the answers to Theland's pertinent question are themselves, questions.

Point is, consience, knowledge of right and wrong, care about others is inherent only in the human species. It cannot be demonstrated elsewhere in the animal kingdom. Hence, why only humans? I thas to be attributed to something else other than evolution since, if that behavior were beneficial it woul have developed in othe species.

I would say that Chris' reply is cogent only in that those societies that have developed the ability to exist without (or at least greatly diminished) consience have easily demonstrated what such a society becomes... look no farhter than Nazi Germany.

[naomi24]

Given God's alleged record, I fail to understand how or why anyone would consider him to be a beacon of morality.

[jomifl]

/It cannot be demonstrated elsewhere in the animal kingdom./
moral codes are just a sophisticated code of behaviour such as exist elswhere in the animal Kingdom, don't kid yourself that you are special.

[andy-hughes]

I don't require 'an objective moral authority', anymore than I require 'guidance' from worshippers of any 'god''.

If I can look at myself in the mirror, then I have not contravened my own moral sense of right and wrong - it really is that simple - you should try it.

[naomi24]

///knowledge of right and wrong, care about others is inherent only in the human species. It cannot be demonstrated elsewhere in the animal kingdom. //

Food for thought.

http://www.livescience.com/24802-animals-have-morals-book.html

[jomifl]

From Naomi's link I found this

http://www.livescience.com/47799-morality-religion-political-beliefs.html?li_source=LI&li_medium=most-popular