On Mon, 22 Nov 2004 10:04:12 -0600, "Dan Luke" wrote:


"Matt Barrow" wrote:
Now that is funny. Morality results from evolution. Best one
I've
heard in a long time.

What's funny about it?

It's inverted...that's what's funny about it.

Sorry, I don't know what you mean by that; please explain.

Think: cause vs. effect.

That's not much of an explanation.

A couple of posters have written that the idea of morality arising from
evolution is funny, but no one's been able to give a reason why that should
be so.

You can find the following in virtually any good introductory
sociology book.

As a specis evolves it aquires instinctual survival traits.
Like tends to join together and those different are either shunned or
destroyed. It's a standard across the entire animal kingdom of which
humans are a part.

As the specis develops (evolves) socially the same survival traits
apply. Whether consciously or not, we develop social survival rules
that follow the same structure as the specis survival traits. Like
tends to join together and shun or destroy what is different.

As a specis becomes widely spread across the world they slowly
diversify in both physical and social traits.
As we evolved we had another trait, which is also a survival trait.
We keep asking, "why". We have a driving need to know why things
happen. What causes them?
Society also developed survival rules to further aid the survival of
the species. These rules in general, were to reduce conflict and
promote the well being of the individual and the specis as a whole.
A well ordered society stands a much better chance of survival than
one where there are no rules.

Morals, or more correctly the mores of society developed along these
lines. It should come as no surprise that morals vary from society to
society and each believes its own mores are absolutes. This holds
true for religions as well. Although religions teach morality, the
morailty developed as a survival trait.

When there is not enough knowledge to supply an answer we invent one.
Superstitions developed around happenings, we invented gods who
controlled the weather, the harvest, war, love, hate, life, and death.
As the harvest, seasons, weather, war, love, hate...etc are common
where ever we exist each group developed their own names for the gods
controlling these events. The superstitions developed into the
primitive religions. With each group having gods of different names
for the same things they inevitably argued and fought over which was
right although they were basically arguing over names.

As society developed the religions became powerful and controlling. As
science developed it came up with ansers to questions that differed
from the religions. Religion had the power, science was the new kid
on the block. Science was relagated to herresy with its
practitioners being persecuted unless they went along with the
teachings of the church.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com
Still curious,

Dan
C-172RG at BFM