WHICH CAME FIRST, RELIGION OR MORALITY

I have been arguing that morality is inborn. The implication is that religion is a product of that inborn tendency. Even more remarkable, our entire social structure, which includes our legal system, is also a product of that inborn morality. I intend the above statement to include humankind worldwide, which it must do if morality is truly inborn. The common basis for morality has to be the fundamental meaning we must find it where many do not think it belongs, for example, in the minds of animals. Beyond that, scientists must find evidence in behavior that even the most skeptical persons could consider morality in mindless situations. In my judgment, Darwin saw evidence in all living things, including single cell organisms and plants, which was the basis for his theories, which are now universally celebrated. In fact, nothing in biology would make sense without that understanding. Darwinism inspired “survival of the fittest” has become the archaic truism or social norm. All I am doing is extending these thoughts religion to morality, which I feel I can do because more and more modern man has fewer and fewer constraints. Darwin had to walk softly for fear of religious censure. Surprisingly, even modern scientists have to walk softly for fear of censure of fellow scientists as later as 1976, as happened to E. O. Wilson and other, when they introduced the concept of evolutionary psychology. Stephen Pinker and Michael Schermer celebrate this awakening in their books, especially Schermer’s book, The Moral Arc: How Science and Reason Lead Humanity Toward Truth, Justice, and Freedom (2015). There should be the widespread criticism of this blog post because it is intended to be a direct challenge to the position taken by many to difficult social issues. The issues include the right to choose and other quality of life issues as well as the capital punishment as an issue dealing with self-preservation for society. In our legal system, self-defense is the only time killing is justified. If you choose, to criticize this blog post, please read that book first. URL: firetreepub.blogspot.com Comments Invited and not moderated