IGD Day 09
Sep. 11th, 2010 09:58 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sereneDay 09 – Your beliefs, in great detail
This is one that would take dozens of posts, were I to go that route. I was planning to spend my furlough articulating this stuff, in fact, but life took over. But I'll try to give the "in somewhat less great detail" version here. It may get long, so how about one of those cut thingies?
1. I believe the natural world is amazing and complete
That is, I don't think it is necessary that there be supernatural beings in the sky in order for the Universe to be a spectacular place. I'm an atheist, and like all atheists I know, if there were compelling evidence that there are supernatural beings in the sky, I'd be quick to stop being an atheist, because I'm not mad at god or anything: it's just apparent to me that gods are the creation of humans, in our constant quest to derive meaning from a world that doesn't present meaning to us on a platter.
2. I believe, simultaneously, that life is meaningless and full of meaning
The Universe doesn't care if we live or die, and in the scheme of things, a human life -- or the human race's whole life, for that matter -- is barely a blip. That said, we live inside of one human body and consciousness, and it is possible -- preferable, I'd say -- to create a life full of meaning and purpose, while simultaneously knowing we're all gonna be dead in a hundred years.
3. I believe in generosity, sacrifice, and community
Sometimes it costs me something to help my fellow beings. I believe that cost is worth it. Not just because I hope they'll do the same, but certainly because of that, as well. My main guiding principle is something like "I seek to behave in the manner I'd like to see the whole world operate by." That is to say, I want people to help each other, to be kind even when it costs them something, and to care about the greater good, so I try to do the same.
4. I believe there are probably some moral absolutes.
"It is wrong to torture small children for no reason" is the example my ethics professor used to argue that there are probably some absolute moral truths at the bottom of our human moral code. That resonated with me, and I continue to believe that some things are wrong and some are right, though every last one of the wrong things involves harming someone else, not just thinking something or doing something that only you are affected by.
Well, it didn't end up being that long, because I stayed general and didn't talk about specifics like abortion, gun control, and buttsex, but I'll keep the cut tag. :-)
This is one that would take dozens of posts, were I to go that route. I was planning to spend my furlough articulating this stuff, in fact, but life took over. But I'll try to give the "in somewhat less great detail" version here. It may get long, so how about one of those cut thingies?
1. I believe the natural world is amazing and complete
That is, I don't think it is necessary that there be supernatural beings in the sky in order for the Universe to be a spectacular place. I'm an atheist, and like all atheists I know, if there were compelling evidence that there are supernatural beings in the sky, I'd be quick to stop being an atheist, because I'm not mad at god or anything: it's just apparent to me that gods are the creation of humans, in our constant quest to derive meaning from a world that doesn't present meaning to us on a platter.
2. I believe, simultaneously, that life is meaningless and full of meaning
The Universe doesn't care if we live or die, and in the scheme of things, a human life -- or the human race's whole life, for that matter -- is barely a blip. That said, we live inside of one human body and consciousness, and it is possible -- preferable, I'd say -- to create a life full of meaning and purpose, while simultaneously knowing we're all gonna be dead in a hundred years.
3. I believe in generosity, sacrifice, and community
Sometimes it costs me something to help my fellow beings. I believe that cost is worth it. Not just because I hope they'll do the same, but certainly because of that, as well. My main guiding principle is something like "I seek to behave in the manner I'd like to see the whole world operate by." That is to say, I want people to help each other, to be kind even when it costs them something, and to care about the greater good, so I try to do the same.
4. I believe there are probably some moral absolutes.
"It is wrong to torture small children for no reason" is the example my ethics professor used to argue that there are probably some absolute moral truths at the bottom of our human moral code. That resonated with me, and I continue to believe that some things are wrong and some are right, though every last one of the wrong things involves harming someone else, not just thinking something or doing something that only you are affected by.
Well, it didn't end up being that long, because I stayed general and didn't talk about specifics like abortion, gun control, and buttsex, but I'll keep the cut tag. :-)
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Date: 2010-09-11 07:17 pm (UTC)I wish I had written this.
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Date: 2010-09-11 07:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-11 07:27 pm (UTC)Love you, too. A lot.
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Date: 2010-09-11 08:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-12 07:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-12 02:46 pm (UTC)