Morals without God A Secular System of Ethics
Ian Bryce
Secular Party
www.secular.org.au
Ethics teacher
www.primaryethics.org.au
A Secular System of Ethics
Can we have morals
without a god?
We will try to construct a system
of ethics based instead on
scientific principles and reason.
What to practice? Examples of ethics
• Golden Rule - do
unto others…
• Allow rape of
daughters
• Slay heretics
• Love and respect all
beings
• Torture the innocent
in order to forgive
the guilty
• Help others in your
family
• Be nice to others in
your pack
• Attack anyone
outside your tribe
Why practice it? Examples of
reasons given
• Because the Chief said
• Because God said
• Because its written in
our Holy book
• Because the priest said
• Its good to be good
(Kant)
• Duty for Duty’s sake
• For my own benefit
(reciprocity)
• For reward in the
Afterlife
• Survival value
• The Altruistic gene
• Family benefit
• To make society
function
• To avoid jail
• It feels good
Chronology
• Dark Ages 300 AD1500 AD
• The Church
was in charge.
• Witchcraft,
• drownings,
• Inquisition
Cartoon
The Enlightenment
• The Age of Enlightenment (or simply
the Enlightenment or Age of Reason)
was an elite cultural movement of
intellectuals in 18th century Europe that
sought to mobilize the power of reason
in order to reform society and advance
knowledge. It promoted intellectual
interchange and opposed intolerance
and abuses in Church and state.
Chronology
THE ADVANCE OF SCIENCE
• Galileo - described
planetary orbits -1610 (earth
no longer at the center)
• Newton - gravity, laws of
motion - 1687
• Lavoisier - chemistry - 1877
• Ampere - electric current 1820
• Darwin - 1858 - attributed
species to nature not a deity
THE ENLIGHTENMENT
The advance of Reason in human
affairs 1600-1800
• Spinoza - 1660 - criticized the
Bible, the mind is the body
• John Locke - 1680 consciousness, monetarism,
knowledge is gained through
perception
• Didero - 1750
• Newton
• Voltaire
• Benjamin Franklin
• Thomas Jefferson
Classical philosophers
contributing to secular ethics
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David Hume
Immanual Kant
John Stuart Mill
Friedrich Nietzsche
George Holyoake
Bertrand Russell
Ludwig Wittgenstein ?
1743
1785
1861
1887
1896
1927
Classical contributors
to secular ethics
• David Hume
1743 “A Treatise on Human Nature”
• Ethical questions are subjective,
unlike matters of fact
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• Hence, Reward & punishment only to change future behavior
Classical contributors
to secular ethics
John Stuart Mill
(and his father James Mill,
and Jeremy Bentham)
1861 “Utilitarianism”
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• Use experience not intuition
• Greatest happiness principle:
• Actions are “right” of they promote
happiness
• “Wrong” of they promote pain
• Happiness of everyone, not just the
doer - “nobleness”
Classical contributors
to secular ethics
Friedrich Nietzsche
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1887 On the Genealogy of
Morality
• Rejected Christianity “God is dead”
Classical contributors
to secular ethics
George Holyoake
1896 “English Secularism”
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• Work for this life (not an
afterlife)
• Uses material means and
science
• It is good to do good
Classical contributors
to secular ethics
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Bertrand Russell
1927 “Why I am not a Christian”
• Religion …is the enemy of
moral progress in the world
• Promoted science and reason
• A good world needs
knowledge, kindliness, and
courage
• Political activist - Anti-war
stance
• Sexual freedoms
Modern secular ethicists
(or contributors)
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Peter Singer
Richard Dawkins
Michael Shermer
Christopher Hitchens
Michel Onfray
Tenzin Gyatso
1977
1991
2007
2007
~2000
Modern secular ethicists
Peter Singer
1977 Animal Liberation
1981 The Expanding Circle
Utilitarianism
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Ethical reasoning since primitive
times
Large perspective: equal concern
for all human beings
We should bear a small pain to
relieve another’s large pain
Thus, are Americans immoral?
Greater happiness through sharing
Modern secular ethicists
Christopher Hitchens
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2007 “God Is Not Great: How
Religion Poisons Everything”
• Religion misrepresents the
origins of humankind and the
cosmos
• Religion demands
unreasonable suppression of
human nature
• Religion inclines people to
violence and blind submission
to authority
• Religion expresses hostility to
free inquiry
Modern secular ethicists
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Ayaan Hirsi Ali
2007 “Infidel: my life”
• Recounts her story as a Moslem
woman
• Has suffered all the indignities
including genital mutilation and
forced marriage.
• She blames Moslems who refer
to the marriage of the prophet
Mohammad to a girl of nine to
justify these things (even in
Melbourne).
• And the West has failed to
speak out.
Modern secular ethicists
Who?
Tenzin Gyatso
~2000 many speeches
• If science proves religion
to be wrong, then religion
must change.
• Progress in research,
especially in the life
sciences, needs to be
directed by 'secular
ethics': ethical principals
that transcend religious
barriers and are common
to everyone.
Modern secular ethicists
Tenzin Gyatso
~2000 many speeches
• “If science proves
Buddhism to be wrong,
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then religion must change.”
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• “Progress in research,
especially in the life
sciences, needs to be
directed by 'secular ethics':
ethical principals that
14th Dalai Lama
transcend religious barriers
and are common to
Leader of Tibetan Buddhism
everyone.”
Popular leader of Tibet
Facts - Religion
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See Table - broad
Highlighted comparisons:
Sacred texts
Prophet-founder
Gods
Beliefs
Chosen race
• Thus, a comparative analysis establishes, on
many different bases, and beyond any doubt,
that of any 100 religions or sects, no two can
be true. 99 of them are wrong or 100 are
wrong.
More Facts - Religion
• Scientific evidence discounts intervention by any
supernatural being
• All thorough tests of prayer show zero effect
• The biblical miracles are impossible, according to the
laws of physics, which have held since the Big Bang
• Most religions have a known (and very human) origin.
The holy books, prophets and miracles are clearly
designed to give power to a particular sect.
• This does nothing to trouble the believers.
• Christianity - basis: Ancient Sin - Adam, Eve,
nakedness, hence the crucifixion.
Morality of the religions
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• Much of human folklore and
legends convey moral
principles and altruism
• Many have been
incorporated into religion,
such as the Parables of the
Old and New Testaments
• Good and bad instructions
have become mixed
• Eg Thou shalt not steal, but
you should slaughter any
nonbelievers.
Morality of the religions
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• The teachings of churches
vary through history,
according to the whims of the
person in power, eg Henry
8th.
• The instructions for extreme
cruelty have been used to
justify most wars, genocide,
inquisitions etc in history.
• Religious leaders hold up
their sacred texts as their
moral authority - yet they are
full of immoral instructions
Morality of the religions
• Religious leaders
themselves have a long
history of using prostitutes,
child sex, abusing boys etc
• Those instructions and
actions of the churches
which are sound, clearly do
not come from their holy
books
• Hence are available to
secular thinkers too
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Morality of the religions
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• Religious leaders of most
creeds have a consistent
history of oppressing
minorities, eg the unmarried,
the unhappily married, the
pregnant, gays, and
particularly women
• It is virtually impossible to
improve this - can’t argue
with their authority
Morality of the religions
How can belief systems which are both false and
harmful be propagated for thousands of years?
• Passed down by fathers and clerics
• To those most vulnerable - to children, who are
programmed to accept all they are taught.
• By the time they reach outside the family, it is too
late - others seem like aliens
• Need to break the cycle - stop lying to the children
Disagreements and science
• Unlike religions, science offers a path to
resolving disagreements.
• Both parties are asked to present their
evidence or analysis (for example the
experiments they are relying on).
• These tests can then be examined and
repeated by others.
• The methods and results are visible to all
parties, so eventually a consensus will be
achieved.
• When these principles are applied to a
conflict, there is a path towards resolution.
Enlightenment through
science
• Cosmology has revealed the origins of the
universe
• The first generation of stars - making heavy
elements (of which we are now made)
• The gas clouds condensing into new stars
and planets
• The solar system clearing of dust, the earth
accumulating water and gases
Enlightenment through
science
• Physics has shown we live in a material world
• No evidence of a supernatural or spiritual realm,
hence no theoretical basis for religions
• There is apparently no way a supernatural being
could influence the universe - the four known forces
account for all phenomena, no “gaps” for spooks
• At least in our domain - might be different at extreme
energies and gravity in black holes etc
• Hence physics strongly rules out the gods claimed by
religions
Enlightenment through
science
• Biology has shown us how life works, and
reproduced using DNA
• Evolution shows we are descended from
common ancestors with other primates
• Our sharing DNA with all life on earth, and the
relatively insignificant differences between
races and minority groups, is a powerful
source of respect and harmony.
Origin of morals
• The Evolution cycle: Heredity, Random
variation, Survival value
• Genes (packages of DNA)
• & memes (ideas)
• Reciprocity - altruistic gene
Origin of morals - How to
enforce?
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Chief of tribe
Rules, laws
Stab in back? Need a higher authority
Powerful, invisible friend
Prophet, holy book - religion
Kings, rules, laws
Favor those who agree, convert or murder
those who don’t
• So ethics, morals, religions etc are
inventions of man
• We are free to invent our own!
Enlightenment through
science
• Neuroscience has shown us that the mind is
what the brain does. Thinking is patterns of
electro-chemical activity.
• The human mind has no extension in space
outside the brain - astral travel is out.
• The human mind has no extension in time
outside the brain - no previous lives or
afterlife.
Our Core paradigm for ethics:
The welfare of sentient beings
• Our basis for ethics is: Respect for sentient
beings.
• Because they are aware, or conscious, and
capable of experiencing pleasure and pain
• Their welfare is important to us.
Utilitarianism
How to maximize the welfare of sentient beings?
We know (because we experience it) that we humans (and animals)
are self aware and conscious
And thus capable of feeling pain, sorrow, joy, love, appreciation of
nature etc.
Our lives also rely on many social structures, such as:
•learning from the responses of others to our actions,
•establishing friendships where helpful actions are likely to be repaid,
•making plans for the future,
•enjoying success,
•and regretting failure.
These capabilities add to our pleasure and pain, and hence to the value
we place on life.
Application to specific issues
Animals
Family
Aliens
Minorities
Religious education
Behavior
Enlightened education
Law and courts
Contraception and
abortion
Environment
Right to die
Euthanasia
Population growth
Application to specific issues
Animals
•More primitive creatures with simpler brains probably
experience such consciousness and social structures also
– to a lesser degree.
•Thus, their feelings also deserve respect – but to a lesser
degree than humans.
•A dog is worth less consideration than a human,
•a mouse less again, a worm less still, and so on.
•Thus, animals are deserve our respect, to varying
degrees.
•But to a lesser degree than humans.
Application to specific issues
Aliens #1
• If we meet (or talk to) aliens?
• What would the churches do? Scan the sacred texts,
conclude that they were heretics, infidels, atheists etc, and
try to convert or exterminate them.
•What would we do? Observe that they are sentient, so we
would respect them (treat them well).
Application to specific issues
Aliens #2
•BUT the aliens will have vastly superior technology…
•If THEY are religious…scan their sacred text, do humans
believe in the Flying Dog Poo God? NO? Convert or
exterminate!
• Let us hope the aliens practise secular ethics!
• Life on Mars…
Application to specific issues
Religious Education
• Religion and hatred propagated by indoctrinating children
•When most vulnerable.
Clear chain of events to:
•False beliefs about origins
•Supernatural beings
•Hatred of other races
•Them indoctrinating next generation.
We believe children have the right not to be lied to, in
matters of origins and deities
Many forms of child abuse are outlawed already
This would impact parental behavior and “faith schools”.
Application to specific issues
Religious Education
Telling parents what they can tell their children would be
very difficult.
Even ABC’s Rachael Kohn says parents should have the
right to “bring up their children in their faith”.
Does that include “inculcating hatred in other creeds”?
•Meanwhile, a less ambitious plan:
Enlightened education
Application to specific issues
Enlightened Education
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•Step 1: Teach “Comparative religion” in all schools
•Step 2: Teach “Origins” in schools
•Step 3: Teach “Universal Ethics” in schools
Application to specific issues
Enlightened Education
Step 1: teach “Comparative religion” in all schools
•Teaches all the variety of sacred texts, prophets, gods and
beliefs around the world (see the big Table)
•Will dilute the dogma from home, church and ethnic
enclaves in Australia.
Application to specific issues
Enlightened Education
Step 2: Teach “Origins” in schools
•The basic tool in an enlightened education is to teach
children the real origins of the world, of life, and of humans.
•They will gain a wonder at the natural environment, and a
desire to preserve the ecosystems.
•They will also gain appreciation and acceptance of the
variety of peoples surrounding them.
Application to specific issues
Enlightened Education
Step 3: Teach “Universal Ethics” in schools
Secular ethics, as suggested by this material should be
taught in schools –
universal human values based on respect for all sentient beings (humans and
animals).
Application to specific issues
Contraception and Abortion
A woman should be in charge of her own body
She can choose whether or not to reproduce.
The mother’s rights come first.
A foetus also has some rights, which slowly increase as it
develops. Thus both mother and baby have rights, which
need to be considered.
Most assuredly, no religious figure has the right to dictate
what she does.
Sentience Chart
Application to specific issues
Right to Die
•Any person has the right to choose whether to live or to
die.
•We would support the right of people of sound mind to
plan for their future, anticipating that they might for example
become senile (known as a living will).
•The stigma on suicide imposed by the Catholic Church,
which causes much pointless distress, must be overcome.
Application to specific issues
Euthanasia
If a person has no quality of life, and no prospect of
improvement, then termination should be allowed.
As long as it is in accordance with their wishes, and those
of relatives, friends and doctors.
Note: The actual policies may vary depending on inputs
and analysis. What we are specifying is the methodology.
Application to specific issues
Family
Society and government should support all kinds of family
arrangements,
including:
•traditional families,
•individuals,
•couples,
•sole parents,
•and any relationship involving mutual support.
Application to specific issues
Minorities
Gays – Our freedoms should not be limited by choice of
sexuality. There should be no stigma or laws restricting
gays.
Discrimination – no discrimination on the basis of race,
creed, sexuality, religion etc.
The marginalized - We should not judge unfairly those who
have become marginalised in society - drug users,
criminals, mentally ill. We should assist and rehabilitate
them.
Application to specific issues
The origins of Behaviour
The physical influences on our behavior can broadly be
split into nature and nurture, and include:
• Our parents’ two genetic codes
• Random selection from our parents’ codes
• Randomness in the laying down of the growing brain
• Nourishment from the mother
• The environment while in the womb
• Any diseases in the womb or in life
• All environmental influences during child and adult life
• All behavioural influences during child and adult life
(i.e. the behaviour of others).
Thus, we need to respect al of these factors.
Application to specific issues
The Law and Courts
We identify specific objectives of the legal system:
1)
To physically prevent the offender causing further
harm (jail etc)
2)
To improve the behavior of that person (eg
rehabilitation, jail, fines, corporal punishment)
3)
To act as a visible deterrent to others (length of
jail term, death penalty).
The current legal system in most democracies effectively
addresses these objectives in most cases.
BUT……
Application to specific issues
The Law and Courts
However, these principles will allow a systematic approach,
and remove some inequities:
•
In terms of the Utilitarian principle, identify the
affected parties.
•
Describe the harm to each (a bystander being
offended by seeing and act would rank lower than the
welfare of the participants.)
•
This will provide guidance on the relative
seriousness of the matter.
•
List the range of available options for the penalty.
•
How do they rank, in terms of the three objectives?
•
How do they rank, in terms of the cost to society?
Application to specific issues
Environment
We recognize that humans are one of many species with a
right to exist on earth.
Further, the fate of humans depends critically on a healthy
environment, including supplies of fresh air, water and soil.
This is a challenge to the views of Bjorn Lomborg, who in
his book “The Skeptical Environmentalist” looked only at
the wellbeing of one species.
His economic rather than scientific credentials led him to
conclude that by his measures, humans are better off then
ever, and the planet is in fine condition.
Application to specific issues
Environment
Our scientific approach tells a different story:
•The earth is rapidly warming, as a result of human activity.
•If we do nothing, catastrophe will engulf the ecosystems
and the human race in around 50-100 years.
•Even if we sharply kerb greenhouse emissions, the
consequences will be severe.
•Third world countries expect, and are moving towards, the
Western living standard.
•Thus if we maintain our extravagant lifestyles, emissions
will blow out.
•Australia needs to cut down, even if we are a small player
on the global scale.
Application to specific issues
Environment
•John Howard’s glacial pace of action on climate avoids
timely action.
•Will lead to disaster.
•His (and others’) lack of action has already condemned
our main Reef and River.
•He is the disease, pretending to be the doctor.
Application to specific issues
Environment
To achieve reductions, we need to urgently adopt all
possible measures, which probably include:
•
Reduce per capita energy usage
•
Limit the population
•
Expand research into renewables
•
Improve the efficiency of coal and oil usage
•
Increasing renewable methanol into petrol
•
Introduce/expand nuclear energy
•
Place a real tax on all carbon (not just derivatives
trading)
Application to specific issues
Population Growth
The greatest threat to the planet is very clear - population
growth.
All measures to improve efficiency can only delay the inevitable if we allow continued exponential growth.
For example - 60% reduction in greenhouse emissions by 2050
if we are to limit the CO2 to 0.5% (and severe climate changes).
If we retain constant population - that’s a 60% cut per person very difficult.
If we continue to grow at the present rate, our population will
double by then, so we need an 80% cut per person! Impossible.
And 30 years later, double again. Need a 90% cut!
Application to specific issues
Summary
Thus we have seen how secular principles can be applied to
specific areas of social welfare and custodianship of the planet.
Next
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