Leaving the community

"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.

Still curious,

Dan
C-172RG at BFM

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

Dan Luke wrote:

"Matt Whiting" wrote:

That's morality and it doesn't involve religion. It only involves
evolution, something we evidently have a long way to go on. Some more
than others.

Now that is funny. Morality results from evolution. Best one I've
heard in a long time.


What's funny about it?

I just find really stupid statements humorous.

Matt

"Matt Whiting" wrote:

What's funny about it?

I just find really stupid statements humorous.

You must really crack yourself up.

"Matt Whiting" wrote in message
...
mike regish wrote:

Morality is doing the right thing just because you know it's the right
thing to do, not because you think some magical being is going to strike
you down from above or send you to some imaginary hell.

Who determines what the "right things" are?

In my case, I do. Duh.


That's morality and it doesn't involve religion. It only involves
evolution, something we evidently have a long way to go on. Some more
than others.

Now that is funny. Morality results from evolution. Best one I've heard
in a long time.

Learning right from wrong comes from evolution. Or better said, learning
better ways of doing things...like talking rather than fighting.

mike regish

On Mon, 22 Nov 2004 02:41:47 GMT, "mike regish"
wrote:


"Matt Whiting" wrote in message
...
mike regish wrote:

Morality is doing the right thing just because you know it's the right
thing to do, not because you think some magical being is going to strike
you down from above or send you to some imaginary hell.

Who determines what the "right things" are?

In my case, I do. Duh.


That's morality and it doesn't involve religion. It only involves
evolution, something we evidently have a long way to go on. Some more
than others.

Now that is funny. Morality results from evolution. Best one I've heard
in a long time.

Learning right from wrong comes from evolution. Or better said, learning
better ways of doing things...like talking rather than fighting.

mike regish

Talk about amusing...

It used to be our government thought of war as a last resort.

No more...

At least that's what Bush tried to sell the ignorant masses.

mike regish

wrote in message
...

Talk about amusing...

It used to be our government thought of war as a last resort.

No more...

"mike regish" wrote in message
news:Llcod.373844$wV.236352@attbi_s54...


Learning right from wrong comes from evolution.

Evolution comes from learning right from wrong.

Or better said, learning
better ways of doing things...like talking rather than fighting.

That's called "progress" and "building on foundations of knowledge".

--
Matt
---------------------
Matthew W. Barrow
Site-Fill Homes, LLC.
Montrose, CO

"Matt Barrow" wrote:
Learning right from wrong comes from evolution.

Evolution comes from learning right from wrong.

Both are correct. Populations of organisms "learn" the right way to survive
in their environments or they perish. The ability to do this is coded into
their genes. The coding changes over time due to a combination of mutation
and natural selection, i.e., by evolution.

Humans have evolved complex behaviors that allow successful, large-scale
tribal organization. Simpler analogues of these behaviors are seen among
animals, particulary the other apes. In groups of chimps, means to settle
disputes without violence exist but are not always followed, and murder has
been observed, just as in human society.

Or better said, learning
better ways of doing things...like talking rather than fighting.

That's called "progress" and "building on foundations of knowledge".

It's just using what evolution gave us. "Progress" in terms of human
behavior is ephemeral, and quickly reverts to savagery given the proper
circumstances. It will require some more biological evolution to change
human nature; Homo Sapiens will have to give way to Homo Something Else.
--
Dan
C-172RG at BFM

"Dan Luke" wrote in message
...

"Matt Barrow" wrote:
Learning right from wrong comes from evolution.

Evolution comes from learning right from wrong.

Both are correct. Populations of organisms "learn" the right way to
survive
in their environments or they perish.

That's nice, but that's not "right from wrong" except on the most extreme
fringe. We're talking morality (self preservation) and ethics (conduct
towards others) which are intellectual pursuits, not biological (though they
are linked).

The ability to do this is coded into
their genes. The coding changes over time due to a combination of
mutation
and natural selection, i.e., by evolution.

Animals have instincts that have developed from evolution. Humans have
reason and, from that, develop principles.