tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post8745877154703138008..comments2023-10-24T04:29:23.693-06:00Comments on Atheist Ethicist: Atheism, Education, and VirtueAlonzo Fyfehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05687777216426347054noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post-61524863248417700302007-01-21T06:53:00.000-07:002007-01-21T06:53:00.000-07:00Oz
Even if it is the case that the Mass. ban on g...<b>Oz</b><br /><br />Even if it is the case that the Mass. ban on gay marriage has a zero chance of passing, it will still be extensively used to raise millions of dollars to promote fundamentalism. They will use the money for campaigns, outreach, and a whole set of projects to corrupt the next generations of young minds into hatred.<br /><br />There are still good reasons to use this event to promote as widely as possible the idea that such a law is a religiously motivated hate crime - an attempt to set off a weapon of mass destruction in the state that will victimize hundreds of thousands of people. (Using the analogy that laws that are harmful to others are weapons of mass destruction.) This will curtail the fundraising power of these groups and reduce the amoung of damage they can do with the money they will raise.Alonzo Fyfehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05687777216426347054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post-14641463256715435112007-01-21T06:48:00.000-07:002007-01-21T06:48:00.000-07:00Anonymous
I have used your questions in part to w...<b>Anonymous</b><br /><br />I have used your questions in part to write my blog entry for January 29th: <a href="http://atheistethicist.blogspot.com/2007/01/promoting-desire-utilitarianism.html">Promoting Desire Utilitarianism</a><br /><br />The thing to do is not to promote "desire utilitarianism" itself - it is a descriptive theory that tells us what desires are worth promoting and what desires are worth inhibiting.Alonzo Fyfehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05687777216426347054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post-58363667068447696292007-01-19T02:48:00.000-07:002007-01-19T02:48:00.000-07:00RE: "Atheism needs a strategy of sorts."
I don't ...RE: "Atheism needs a strategy of sorts."<br /><br />I don't agree that atheism CAN have a strategy. <br /><br />But atheists can define themselves as secular humanists, or secularists, or humanists - and then, they may have a strategy as these groups have sets of beliefs.beepbeepitsmehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12931640447011071849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post-74435285948256653222007-01-15T16:32:00.000-07:002007-01-15T16:32:00.000-07:00Alonzo,
I have to applaud you on this post. I als...Alonzo,<br /><br />I have to applaud you on this post. I also have a question or two for you.<br /><br />As for the applause... I have said precisely the same thing as you when you said "these superstitions motivate people to act in ways that are harmful to others." That is why I do a lot of theological and philosophical debating with people who believe in a literal, perfect Bible. People criticize me for not leaving them alone, but I consider my actions justified because they have the potential to be harmful. For some, religion seems to be a beneficial part of their life, giving them the meaning, peace, and love that they seek, and I don't trouble such people, as a rule.<br /><br />I also agree that atheism needs a bit of a strategy. I know that a lot of people are told that straying from the church leads to harmful things and pain, so whenever someone strays and feels confused and pained (which would happen regardless, I'm sure) their first response is to think "oh, they told me this would happen...they must have been right." Even more troublesome is the fact that they've been socialized to avoid "negative" behaviors, which may not be negative at all. This happens especially when people brought up in a religious background don't know what to believe when they learn enough to reject the religion.<br /><br />Atheism needs a strategy of sorts.<br /><br />Here's my question for you: How do you see your utilitarian value system being implemented? Obviously, to impose rewards and sanctions on actions - as you propose - demands an institution to decide rationally what is most practical for society, and devise a way to implement those values.<br /><br />Basically, it seems like a government education system designed to shape how a person is brought up... which strikes me as oppressive. It also opens the door for corruption, self-righteousness (we decide what's best for society, and we were good enough at it to deserve this position, so your contrary opinion must be stifled) <br /><br />Of course, I have not considered all possible ways for this to come about. I'm interested to know how you'd predict it all unfolding.<br />-ThomasAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post-40106590047565972002007-01-14T18:53:00.000-07:002007-01-14T18:53:00.000-07:001. The MA gay marriage ban has zero chance of pass...1. The MA gay marriage ban has zero chance of passing overall. Polls show that about 2/3 of the population are against it.<br />2. You don't need to release nerve gas into the Big Dig. It's killed enough on its own.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post-5481290756371899632007-01-14T12:48:00.000-07:002007-01-14T12:48:00.000-07:00An interesting reversal of strategies. Sounds prom...An interesting reversal of strategies. Sounds promising.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com