Philosophers' Carnival 118

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Philosophers' Carnival CXVIII

Welcome to the 118th edition of Philosopher’s Carnival, organized since August ‘04 by Richard Yetter Chappell. For those just discovering the Carnival, every few weeks or so many and various philosophy bloggers take turns submitting and hosting a collection of the latest relevant posts from around the blogosphere. An updated list of past host-blogs and the dates of their carnivals (searchable in the widget) can be found at the end of this one. And now to begin where it sometimes does...

Contracted good without God.

The contradicting values of different cultures are evidence that there is no moral truth, that all moralities are social contracts, and that each individual is compelled by genetics and culture to fashion a functional essence.

Moral Truth?

Good without God.

I believe the Golden Rule, found in every major culture in history, is the transcultural end of all social being and doing, requiring individual free will, as opposed to being left to natural selection.  I believe our transcultural social essence precedes our individual existence.  This is a more robust argument than the one presented in Sam Harris' The Moral Landscape.

Moral Truth?

I do not believe.

I lack belief in any god(s), defaulting to atheism, which is more justified and reason-based than blind-faith, irrational theism.  I side with PZ Meyers in his recent debate with Jerry Coyne--it is impossible that atheism could ever be falsified by evidence which would motivate a change in belief to theism.

Believe?

I believe.

Although Greta Christina prefers the word "conclusion" to the word "belief," I think Maryann Spikes (see comments in "conclusion" link) makes a good case for sticking to the word "belief," and I admittedly believe provisionally that God does not exist, and that atheism is a more justified and reason-based belief than theism.   I side with Jerry Coyne in his recent debate with PZ Meyers--I believe atheism is (and ought to be) falsifiable.

Believe?