Read + Write + Report
Home | Start a blog | About Orble | FAQ | Blogs | Writers | Paid | My Orble | Login

Atheists, ethics and religion

February 12th 2010 10:14
ethics
Is it possible to live, work and play in an ethical way without the guiding hand and stabilising influence of religion?

According to a study at America's Harvard University, it is a result which some may dismiss as oxymoronic and others may dismiss as trivial.


The Harvard researchers apparently thought neither, analysing a series of psychological studies aimed at testing the morality of individuals.

Their conclusion, according to Dr Marc Hauser, a co-author of the final report, is that atheists have a sense of right and wrong which pretty much matches that of believers. The study also found that ethical standards vary little between most religions.

Dr Hauser said the findings could help explain the complex relationship between morality and religion. What he didn't say is that atheists have no need of such an explanation.

The findings of the study were published in the journal Trends in Cognitive Sciences.


87
Vote

   
subscribe to this blog 


   

   

[ Link ]
Posted By: Chris Champion - Category: Life questions, Psychology
Related Posts:

Comments
18 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by Morgan Bell

February 12th 2010 15:47


Science News
Deep Pencil
Business News
Movie Train
Artist Quirk
i would argue that some branches of religion actually encourage people to act against their natural sense of ethics, denying homosexuals and women basic human rights, money-grubbing, and abusing power

Comment by Chris Champion

February 12th 2010 17:42


LettersToNorm
Vyoos
Zoomies
Bloggercises
The Blog of Lists
Hi Morgan, absolutely right.

There's something odd about this study, as in: why should they feel the need to prove this point in the first place? The atheists don't care, and the religious types shouldn't need convincing if they all practiced the tolerance that they preach.

Comment by Norm

February 12th 2010 21:56


Consumption Malfunction
Equal and Opposite
Arses and Elbows
Footy Power
Is Atheism an organised religion?

Comment by Chris Champion

February 12th 2010 22:11


LettersToNorm
Vyoos
Zoomies
Bloggercises
The Blog of Lists
Hi Norm,

Don't you know nuffink? Atheism is an organised form of communal appreciation of unconsecrated chocolate, originating from ancient Athems. It's gone underground these days because the American Food and Drug Administration, after strong lobbying from SL Bradish, insisted on the packaging of unconsecrated chocolate carrying a 73,018-word "psychological health" warning.

The Australian headquarters of the appreciators of unconsecrated chocolate moves every time Morgan Bell moves.

Comment by RubySoho

February 13th 2010 03:52


Music Zone
Thought Zone
Don't trust your pet with an atheist!

Rapture Ready?


p.s any lobbying by SL Bradish will involve far more quotation marks.

Comment by Chris Champion

February 13th 2010 03:59


LettersToNorm
Vyoos
Zoomies
Bloggercises
The Blog of Lists
Hi Ruby,

That's one of the most entertaining reads I have had in ages. Thank you!

You're much braver than me with SL. You march right into enemy territory while I just snipe from afar. You're my hero.

Comment by Kleonaptra

February 14th 2010 05:17


Kalikapsychosis
Oh Ruby, I can always count on you!

Just when I think there might be sanity in the world after all....You post a link and I realize its long gone. Seriously, I didnt know whether to laugh or cry.

Comment by sumaya rahman

February 14th 2010 13:53


Paradigm of Melange
right & wrong : the very essence of humankind did not come up by itself......it was religion that taught it in the first place.......

Comment by Chris Champion

February 14th 2010 18:22


LettersToNorm
Vyoos
Zoomies
Bloggercises
The Blog of Lists
Hi Sumaya,

So what is the essence of humankind? Sin?

Comment by sumaya rahman

February 14th 2010 20:48


Paradigm of Melange
nop..by essence of humankind I meant behaviour that differentiates us from animals ie good & bad or right & wrong...all these set of rules had to be laid out by someone supreme............

Comment by Norm

February 14th 2010 22:08


Consumption Malfunction
Equal and Opposite
Arses and Elbows
Footy Power
Hands up if you went to Harvard.

Comment by RubySoho

February 14th 2010 22:58


Music Zone
Thought Zone
what's Dianna Ross got to do with this?

Comment by Chris Champion

February 14th 2010 23:02


LettersToNorm
Vyoos
Zoomies
Bloggercises
The Blog of Lists
Don't temptation me

Comment by Norm

February 15th 2010 01:50


Consumption Malfunction
Equal and Opposite
Arses and Elbows
Footy Power
Error. That's Tina Turner.

Comment by Norm

February 15th 2010 01:54


Consumption Malfunction
Equal and Opposite
Arses and Elbows
Footy Power
Or McCain's. One or the other.

Comment by RubySoho

February 15th 2010 08:29


Music Zone
Thought Zone
You've done it again Norm.

Comment by Chris Champion

February 15th 2010 09:28


LettersToNorm
Vyoos
Zoomies
Bloggercises
The Blog of Lists
Norm - recidivist.

Comment by Morgan Bell

February 15th 2010 13:50


Science News
Deep Pencil
Business News
Movie Train
Artist Quirk
Norm, what have i told you about back-chat?

Add A Comment

To create a fully formatted comment please click here.


CLICK HERE TO LOGIN | CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Name or Orble Tag
Home Page (optional)
Comments
Bold Italic Underline Strikethrough Separator Left Center Right Separator Quote Insert Link Insert Email
Notify me of replies
Notify extra people about this comment
Is this a private comment?
List the Email Addresses or Orble Tags of the people you would like to be notified about this comment


One per line max of 30

List the Email Addresses or Orble Tags of the people you would like to be notified about this private comment thread. Only the people in this list will be able to see or reply to your comment.


One per line max of 30

Your Name
(for the email going out to the above list, it can be different to your Orble Tag)
Your Email Address
(optional)
(required for reply notification)
Submit
More Posts
June 2010
1 Posts
May 2010
1 Posts
April 2010
3 Posts
Older Posts
56 Posts dating from September 2008
Email Subscription
Receive e-mail notifications of new posts on this blog:
0
[ View Blog Summary ] [ Create A New Post ] [ Add A Comment ]

Chris Champion's Blogs

8161 Vote(s)
707 Comment(s)
96 Post(s)
456 Vote(s)
14 Comment(s)
7 Post(s)
2345 Vote(s)
28 Comment(s)
25 Post(s)
2737 Vote(s)
171 Comment(s)
34 Post(s)
15628 Vote(s)
836 Comment(s)
222 Post(s)
9868 Vote(s)
780 Comment(s)
155 Post(s)
Moderated by Chris Champion
Copyright © 2006 2007 2008 On Topic Media PTY LTD. All Rights Reserved. Design by Vimu.com.
On Topic Media ZPages: Sydney |  Melbourne |  Brisbane |  London |  Birmingham |  Leeds     [ Advertise ] [ Contact Us ] [ Privacy Policy ]