Morality; innate or learned? (Introduction)

by Balance_Maintained , U.S.A., Monday, January 19, 2015, 10:04 (3598 days ago) @ David Turell

Rom: In medical school were you told when we can perceive things as having colour?
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> > Just because we can perceive morality it does not mean it exists outside of a whole bunch complicated brain chemistry. A similar argument exists for colour.
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>David: Morality is a concept, and has nothing to do with brain chemistry although the thoughts about morality are in part created by brain chemistry controlled at my will. I think most of us understand what morality is as a concept, although not all of us will ascribe to the same definition of morality. -Earlier in this discussion, Rom said that morality was no different than what he wanted, and here David makes the statement that it is just a concept. -This is where I differ with you guys. While morality might be 'just a concept', I think it is based on our flawed understanding of something that is very real. The concepts of 'sin', 'wickedness', 'evil', or simple wrongness are all based on something very simple. Either something is functional or it misses the mark and is dysfunctional. Function and dysfunction are fairly absolute. There is an very specific way things work, and deviations from the way things work causes problems, it becomes dysfunctional. -Our concept of morality is based on our communal experiences and knowledge of function and dysfunction, flavored by our own experiences and desires. So it is certainly something that we have learned. That is why the biblical laws don't get really deep into morality, believe it or not. They typically talk about what works, and what doesn't. -Don't lie, because a lie is not the truth and will inevitably cause problems. 
Don't Kill an Innocent, because it causes harm and will inevitably cause problems. 
Don't desire your neighbor's stuff, because that will inevitably cause jealousy, strife, stress, anxiety, greed, theft, etc. 
Don't sleep around, cause it will cause problems. 
Don't cheat on your spouse. 
Don't judge others, because what works for you doesn't necessarily work for them, their weaknesses and strengths are different than your own. (Yes, the bible actually has a section that supports the concept that morality, to some extent, is subjective)-etc, etc, etc, ...-Yes, there is a component to these that is about love and consideration for your fellow man, a large component in fact, but when you boil it all down, it comes down to what works, and what doesn't. If you don't show love for your fellow man, things go horribly wrong. They become dysfunctional (war, greed, murder, jealousy, envy, spite, anger, etc). The 'concept of morality' that we learn is what works and what doesn't. Unfortunately, like most human conceptions, our information is limited and our understanding deeply flawed, so we tend to screw it up.

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What is the purpose of living? How about, 'to reduce needless suffering. It seems to me to be a worthy purpose.