Morality Through Evolution

[Edgarcito]

A couple of sentences with a young lady....the standard rhetoric....she didn't need organized religion to know what was right/wrong.  I asked her what standard she used for her assertion.  She replied evolution.  Jump a couple days forward, driving home....thinking about her response.  So every observation that I might consider evolution, to me, doesn't point to a change through intent.  Which brings questions to my mind.  How did evolution manifest organisms with intent/choice?  Once these organisms exist, is evolution capable of acting on the entity in the same capacity it had before?  Does choice override evolution?  Sometimes?  Always?  Is morality even associated with evolution at this point?

 

Pardon the ignorance, just mental masturbation on the way home....I might read in the interim....no promises. 

[TheRedneckProfessor]

Alright, y'all play nice, y'hear? 

[florduh]

I suspect the reference was to social evolution, not the crockoduck. Protecting the group, not killing others in your tribe and not stealing their shit contributes to survival of the species and such behavior becomes dominant.

[WalterP]

Edgarcito,

 

At some point in our replies to your question we'll do more than express personal opinions, we'll cite evidence. 

  

The standards of evidence in this forum were the flash points for trouble between you and the Mods last year. 

 

https://www.ex-christian.net/topic/82693-evidence-types/page/12/#comments

https://www.ex-christian.net/topic/82607-is-it-actually-impossible-to-reason-with-a-devout-christian/page/19/#comments

https://www.ex-christian.net/topic/82774-logic-discussion/page/3/#comments

 

 

So, to follow up on the RedneckProf's question.

 

In this thread are you going to play nice... and abide by this forum's standards of evidence and not your own?

 

Please let us know.

 

Thank you.

 

Walter.

[Joshpantera]

I'll give a quick response, End. 

 

You have to try and understand that when we stopped theistic belief we began to understand social evolution differently. And morality through evolution became more obvious to us than it had been previously when we were theistic christians. I understand that it's hard to see it or make sense of it when you're still perceiving and experiencing through a believer perspective. Even if that believer perspective is unorthodox or liberal. But I appreciate the fact that you've raised the question and seem interested in looking at links and data that members will share with you. 

 

I'll watch with interest as you wade through the question further. Curious to see how it goes. 

[Wertbag]

On 4/1/2020 at 4:01 PM, Edgarcito said:

How did evolution manifest organisms with intent/choice?

If you consider instinctive behaviour, things like finding a mate, finding food or avoiding predators are done by the most basic lifeforms. Choice would come when enough sensory input is received that multiple options need to be selected between. Having the ability to consider that input and make a decision that improves your chances of success is a clear evolutionary advantage. Intelligence has clear survival benefits and improved senses helps both predator and prey. 

Intelligence at human level does allow technology which stops the pressures that evolution uses. People who would struggle in a natural environment due to disabilities can find technology to allow them to lead fully productive lives and breed, thereby passing on genes which otherwise would not have spread. 

 

On 4/1/2020 at 4:01 PM, Edgarcito said:

Is morality even associated with evolution at this point?

You do see animals displaying empathy, working as a family/clan for the benefit of all, risking their lives for others and sharing what they have. These basic emotions and morals will grow when animals have more intelligence, with humans having the ability to deeply consider such things on a level like no other creature on earth. These social evolution ideas make a species more successful, allowing better survival chances and protection from predators and the environment. 

[Edgarcito]

14 hours ago, Wertbag said:

If you consider instinctive behaviour, things like finding a mate, finding food or avoiding predators are done by the most basic lifeforms. Choice would come when enough sensory input is received that multiple options need to be selected between. Having the ability to consider that input and make a decision that improves your chances of success is a clear evolutionary advantage. Intelligence has clear survival benefits and improved senses helps both predator and prey. 

Intelligence at human level does allow technology which stops the pressures that evolution uses. People who would struggle in a natural environment due to disabilities can find technology to allow them to lead fully productive lives and breed, thereby passing on genes which otherwise would not have spread. 

 

You do see animals displaying empathy, working as a family/clan for the benefit of all, risking their lives for others and sharing what they have. These basic emotions and morals will grow when animals have more intelligence, with humans having the ability to deeply consider such things on a level like no other creature on earth. These social evolution ideas make a species more successful, allowing better survival chances and protection from predators and the environment. 

Thanks.....I watched a couple of videos and understand more what your are saying that had I not watched.  Sounds reasonable.  Thanks again..

[Joshpantera]

On 4/2/2020 at 2:23 PM, Edgarcito said:

Thanks.....I watched a couple of videos and understand more what your are saying that had I not watched.  Sounds reasonable.  Thanks again..

 

For the sake of those reading along, can you explain what you find reasonable about the videos?