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by PhileoTruth on December 8th, 2010

PhileoTruth

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If you define your own morality, then what compels you to be constant in what you currently deem to be "evil" (or "good")?

Could you not change your mind about what you deem "evil" if it suits you, since you are the author and definer of your own morality?

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Answers. 8 helpful answers below.

  • by Prunesquallor on December 8th, 2010

    Prunesquallor

    It is abundantly clear that many religious people define their own morality, although they claim not to. Christians who promote war, murder doctors, beat up gays, Muslims who indiscriminately bomb - all these things are completely contrary to their religious morality, but they have no hesitation in justifying them to themselves.

    As an atheist my morality is very simple, but of course in real life there is only one black and one white, but an infinity of greys. It is easy to make mistakes, and it is easy to do wrong, but overall I think I maintain a consistency over my definitions of what is good and evil.

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  • by Brian I on December 8th, 2010

    Brian I

    Any animal that lives in social groups has a system of norms - what behaviour is acceptable and what behaviour is not. The human animal is no different, and we don't need any outside agency to inform us of that which we instinctively know - what is acceptable and what is unacceptable. Consequently our understanding of what you call "evil" is constant.

    Please don't run away with the idea that simply not belonging to a religion (or a particular religion) equates with being immoral because that is not the case.

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  • by AnetteJet on December 8th, 2010

    AnetteJet

    I hope nothing. ' Evil' and ' good" , ' blak' and 'white' shouldn't be constant, but variables . And yes, I'll change my mind, not to suit me, but to suite the contexts in which I apply the judgment.
    The great problems in this world come from the fact that people so desperately need somebody or something ( I higher power ) to define the morals by which to go through life.

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  • by Desiderata on December 8th, 2010

    Desiderata

    Yes, what I deem as moral changes as I grow as a person. Since my morals (what I deem right and wrong) are based on a mixture of my experiences, society, and my upbringing, my morals are fluid.

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  • by RosieGHM Jetpacker on December 8th, 2010

    RosieGHM Jetpacker

    If you are talking about rationalization, of course. Human beings are extremely proficient at rationalizing whatever they need to in order to support what they want to do. Now...that said, abuse of children is evil for all time in all places. Murder of innocent people is wrong for all time in all places. Telling lies for the purpose of expressly harming people and actually harming them is wrong for all time and all places. Whatever society decides is right or wrong may vary from detail to detail but the overall frame doesn't change. :)

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  • by Shunyata on December 8th, 2010

    Shunyata

    I have no morality.
    the Christ in the gospel of peace as written by John suggested to " live by the law of the heart".
    In such one does not point at evil and good....
    In such one doesn't judge evil.
    if I see crime or injustice, I simply acknowledge it, and wish such beings well, and awakening. " father forgive them for they know not( yet)"
    there are other forces and especially heavenly forces which eventually will take care of this.
    evil to me would be if I INTENTIONALLY choose or plan to hurt an other being or nature or an animal.
    I don't
    so I have no quandry of this.

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  • by Stepper on December 8th, 2010

    Stepper

    I'm not sure that I know of anybody who "defines their own morality" in the way that you seem to indicate...certainly I do not. I may then not be the type of person whom your question is directed to. I will however give it a shot anyway.

    While morality exists objectively and cannot therefore be "customized" or defined into an out of existence, I do (as a free moral agent) have the ability (and the obligation) to define my system of ethics such that it conforms to and properly applies objective moral truths. I can indeed change my mind in this regard, if (for example) I made an error in assessing harm in the past. Not to do so would indeed be...evil.

    My desire to seek moral truth is the same as my desire to seek truth in every other domain. To deny that something is evil (when it is), or good (when it is) would be as preposterous to me as denying that A = A, or that 2 + 3 = 5.

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  • by thatsJustme on December 8th, 2010

    thatsJustme

    my moral and ethical values are defined , centered around , the 10 Commandments and the Golden Rule......
    humans do have their own minds about what is evil or good to them personally....as in Israelites before the time of the Judges, they were LAWLESS, 'everyone was doing what was right in their own eyes'........sinning away with no shame whatsoever...sounds like what we are becoming faster and faster...sinful, shameless and full of selfishness and self PRIDE.....and leaving God, as Israel did.....

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