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What do you think of Dawkins' sentiments?

Richard Dawkins says: “In a universe of electrons and selfish genes, blind physical forces and genetic replication, some people are going to get hurt, other people are going to get lucky, and you won't find any rhyme or reason in it, nor any justice. The universe that we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but pitiless indifference.”

Is this true? If it's all nothing, how is he able to say there is no good and evil? The ideas and debates we have must mean we have a conscience. Without a conscience, there would be no discussion and nothing to think about. Dawkins would not have the clarity to make this statement without a conscience.

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Entwistle · 56-60, M

Good and evil are just concepts.

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emiliya · 22-25, F

@Entwistle Not when they happen to you. Do you think evil is a concept to the people in Gaza? Is good only a concept when it is the best day of your life? A Mexican mayor got beheaded by cartel recently. It's ok, it is only conceptually evil.

Why are we being so disingenuous?

calicuz · 56-60, M

@emiliya

I was about to bring up the same point about Gaza.

swirlie

@Entwistle
I agree with you Entwistle. Good and evil are only perceptions made by the beholder of good and evil and only contain as much meaning as we assign to either one of them.

Of themselves however, good and evil have no inherent meaning of their own.

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emiliya · 22-25, F

@Entwistle Morality is greater than you or I. It is as real and as great as the universe, and is an integral part of it. We have laws and principles that we cannot change. They exist deep in our brains and everywhere around us. How can we think we have the power to determine our own morality? It is fanciful.

Entwistle · 56-60, M

@emiliya Morality too is a concept. A necessary one in society granted,nevertheless it is but a concept.

Entwistle · 56-60, M

@emiliya So why do we need to be taught morality if it's an integral part of the universe and our brains?

emiliya · 22-25, F

@Entwistle How can it be a concept when even babies are moral beings? You and I are discussing this, and this means we are moral beings. Moral beings discuss things and have ideas and preferences.

Entwistle · 56-60, M

@emiliya Newborns don't have morals. They haven't learned them yet.
If morals were inherent then why do we need to teach them?
Did you need to be taught not to steal or kill?

emiliya · 22-25, F

@Entwistle Do we need to teach them? We need to be reminded sometimes. This is not the same as being taught. A baby smiles at you when you smile at the baby, and they crave our love and attention. They look into your eyes when you hold them. Who teaches them that?

Entwistle · 56-60, M

@emiliya That isn't moralistic it's reaction and instinct.

emiliya · 22-25, F

@Entwistle Our instincts are moral. There is no moralistic. We are moral creatures and are capable of good and bad. We argue about what is good and bad, and we have thoughts and passions. To be a moral being, you only need to be alive.

Entwistle · 56-60, M

@emiliya No,morals are taught and learned.
If they were inherent then they wouldn't need to be taught.
Would you teach a child not to steal?
Would you teach a child not to hurt others?

emiliya · 22-25, F

@Entwistle Toddlers go through a phase where they get excitable and can be egocentric, but it calms down by the time they reach four. Satan is everywhere looking for people to control and destroy, and does not stop at adults. He can do it to children too. This is why we must follow Jesus.

Entwistle · 56-60, M

@emiliya Satan,Jesus and God are all fictional characters.

swirlie

@Entwistle
Who told you that, Entwistle?

Entwistle · 56-60, M

@swirlie Reality.

swirlie

@Entwistle
Who's reality, your's perhaps?

Entwistle · 56-60, M

@swirlie Reality is independent of what I believe or disbelieve.

emiliya · 22-25, F

@Entwistle You can say it is you who rejects God. Why do you need to bring reality into it? Can you prove God doesn't exist?

swirlie

@Entwistle
Reality is wholly dependent on our conscious perception. Reality does not exist outside the mind of it's thinker.

Entwistle · 56-60, M

@swirlie
So is reality different for everyone then?

Entwistle · 56-60, M

@swirlie There is no thinker.
Thoughts exist but there is no thinker that experiences them.

swirlie

@Entwistle
If what you're saying were true, then there wouldn't be any thoughts either because thought would be irrelevant and therefore would not exist.

Entwistle · 56-60, M

@swirlie It is true. There is no 'i' no 'me' that experiences the thoughts.
The idea of an 'i' experiencing the thoughts is just another thought.
Thoughts like all things are dependently originated.

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