One of the biggest criticisms I hear about books such as The God Delusion and God is not Great is this:
“Where does an atheist get his morals?”
Ah, see. We’re begging an important question here.
Sonny, I don’t have morals. I have ethics. Ethics trump morals. Let me explain.
When we talk about crimes in American culture, we talk about the big three: violence, theft and privacy. Everything else pretty much falls under those three. Now, we ask a question: why are these three things so important? Because we live in a culture that has come to reasonable conclusions that these three things are important. In other cultures, such as Saudi Arabia or Iran or North Korea, these three things aren’t so important. But in our culture, if we read books by Plato, Aristotle, Sarte, DeCarte, Locke, Paine, etc., we can all agree that murder, theft and invasion of privacy are Not Good Things.
(I leave it up to the reader to come up with arguments as to why murder, theft and invasion of privacy are Good Things and should be celebrated by our culture.)
Now, like I said, we came to reasonable conclusions based on logic and solid argumentation. Almost 2,000 years worth of arguments. We began with primitive ideas, then progressed forward. The evolution of ethics: strong memes thrive, weak memes perish.
But again, if I must continue to emphasize this, we come to reasonable conclusions based on good argument, reason, logic, etc.
Again. Reasonable arguments. Arguments that have survived criticism and debate.
So, in American culture (and others as well, but I’m an American, so I can only speak for myself), when you commit violence against another citizen, the crime is a violation of that citizen’s rights. When you steal from another citizen, the crime is a violation of that citizen’s rights. When you invade his privacy… a violation of that citizen’s rights.
Murder isn’t an issue of morality–is it wrong? is it right?–it’s an issue of ethics. Everyone in our society has a right to be alive.
Theft isn’t an issue of morality–is it wrong? is it right?–it’s an issue of ethics. Everyone in our society has a right to keep what they earn.
Privacy isn’t an issue of morality–is it wrong? is it right?–it’s an issue of ethics. Everyone in our society has a right to be left alone.
Not an issue of morality, but an issue of ethics.
When we bring morality into the question, we start deluding the water. Why? Because what I consider to be moral and what you consider to be moral are two entirely different things.
For example, if two consenting adults decide to trade sex acts for money, you may find that offensive, you may find it disgusting, and you may even find it repulsive… but who’s rights are violated? The right to be alive? The right to keep what you earn? The right to be left alone?
What actual crime has been committed? Or is it just that someone has inserted their morality into our ethics?
If a same-sex couple wants to enter into the same kind of legal contract that a different-sex couple can legally enter into, who’s rights are being violated? The right to be alive? The right to keep what you earn? The right to be left alone?
What actual crime has been committed? Or is it just that someone has inserted their morality into our ethics?
If a citizen wants to drink liquor–a clearly damaging substance–or smoke cigarettes–a clearly damaging substance–or watch Sex and the City–a clearly damaging substance, do we leave them alone? Yes. But if they want to smoke pot, snort coke, or drop LSD, suddenly, we have a crime. But who’s rights are being violated? The right to be alive? The right to keep what you earn? The right to be left alone?
What actual crime has been committed? Or is it just that someone has inserted their morality into our ethics?
Morality has nothing to do with our legal system. At least, it shouldn’t. But some people want us to believe that morality has everything to do with our legal system.
“Forget the Ten Amendments! Make the Ten Commandments the Law of the Land!”
Morality. Ethics.
“If I want to murder my daughter because she’s shamed me, it’s my right!”
Morality. Ethics.
Don’t get confused. Morality and Ethics.
Don’t get confused. One of these is mutually agreed upon and based on reasonable arguments. The other is an appeal to the authority an invisible power that no-one can prove.
Morality. Ethics.
Here endeth the lesson.
