this post was submitted on 04 Jul 2025
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Showerthoughts
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A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. The most popular seem to be lighthearted clever little truths, hidden in daily life.
Here are some examples to inspire your own showerthoughts:
- Both “200” and “160” are 2 minutes in microwave math
- When you’re a kid, you don’t realize you’re also watching your mom and dad grow up.
- More dreams have been destroyed by alarm clocks than anything else
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Either your argument is that morality is somehow "god given" through religion, in which case I have to ask, which god? Which religion? There's a lot of those around or no longer around, with different nuances of morality, contradicting that idea.
Or each civilization developed religion and incorporated their respectove ideas about morality, but then morality necessarily precedes religiosity.
Either way, doesn't make sense.
Besides, the idea that a fear of god is necessary to make people "moral" is ridiculous. If you would commit immoral atrocities if you didn't believe in god, then I'm sorry, that makes you a bad person; but don't project that unto other people.
Empathy is sufficient for morality, while god, arguably, is an amoral monster.
Cheers, a moral atheist
That supports my idea. It doesn't contradict it.
All evidence we have demonstrates spirituality has existed in our species as long as we have existed in groups. This leads me to believe that spirituality was a catalyst to a unified morality that took a very long time to agree on, and we still don't agree on it.
Spirituality predates recorded civilization. It is also observable in other animals.
Probably because you are assuming I am religious, when I am simply referring to our historical evidence.
Who taught you your morals?
I also agree with you, but we are speaking about precivilization humans so do not be offended for them. They didn't know any better and it was either believe the rock brings a good hunt or starve in the wilderness alone.
Empathy is not inherent, or it wouldn't need to be taught.
God cannot exist based on all evidence we have on the subject.
Thank your Religious ancestors and ancient humans for debating all of these ideas over thousands of years so you can quickly come to the conclusion that God cannot possibly exist.
Cheers, someone who thinks atheists are as annoying as theists, and just as prone to being human.
All evidence we have demonstrates morality has existed in our species as long as we have existed in groups. This leads me to believe that morality was a catalyst to a ~~unified~~ diverse spirituality ~~that took a very long time to agree on,~~ and we still don't agree on it.
See, it's the same when you swap them around. When both morality and spirituality exist throughout all of written history, how can you make any claim of causality? I think spirituality is a natural extension of morality, as people began to establish collective morals, spirituality and ritual can be used to spread and reinforce ideas.
And the idea that empathy isn't inherent is wildly ignorant. Mirror neurons are a fundamental part of our brains, suggesting empathy is taught is like claiming taste is. People are taught what to do with their empathy. Whether to embrace it or ignore it. Hell, look at any of the hundreds of examples of empathy in animals. It's not even exclusive to vertebrates, much less civilization.
Does an Elephant have morals?
I certainly wouldn't discount the possibility. They unquestionably have empathy. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if they have spirituality too.
How do you define morality?
A set of principles of behavior. A concept of actions that are acceptable within the social group, and actions that are not.
Elephants are animals with long memories, complex social structures, and even elaborate mourning rituals. It would not surprise me at all to find they have their own set of rules for being accepted into the herd.
Given they mourn their dead, I think there is evidence that they do. If they can value a life, then there must be some framework within which that value stems from.
If we're willing to agree on that, then the follow-up question would be, "do elephants have supernatural or religious beliefs?", as you claim that's required for morals.