Nihilism and atheism (Endings)

by George Jelliss , Crewe, Thursday, June 05, 2008, 20:05 (6013 days ago) @ Cary Cook

Cary argues "If there is no just afterlife, then there is no reason to behave any more ethically than is likely to get you what you want in this life." But what is meant by "more ethically" here? Humanistic ethics concerns itself with the consequences of our actions in this life, and indeed it depends on what you can get away with. - You are indeed free to plan a bank robbery that puts the lives of innocent people at risk, and your own life and freedom. Some people do this. They know what they are doing is unethical by the accepted standards of their society. But they are prepared to take the risk, and accept the consequences if their plan fails, and Society has every right to put obstacles in their way. - The same is true of other more conventional ways of life. The soldier risks life and injury for reward or for some cause. The writer of a popular novel risks his literary reputation. "Treason doth never prosper: what's the reason? Why if it prosper, none dare call it treason" (Ovid). If you get away with it you may become a legend (Robin Hood, Ronnie Biggs, Ian Fleming, George Bush ...?). - Cary finds more displeasure in his life than pleasure, and projects this onto the rest of the world. This is a classic symptom of depression. I would advise him to see a physician, or at least to take a break and seek out new experiences. - At the risk of being thought insensitive, my atheistic view is that there certainly is no after life, and non-existence is definitely guaranteed by blowing one's brains out. But I would point out that it is also an irreversible process, and I would even say it is sacrilege against life, since it is throwing away future potential. - This life is indeed "all there is" (though what there is is a great deal), and it exists because of necessity, not because it was "created" by someone, either good or evil. Even if it was created by some evil superFrankenstein in a parallel universe, wouldn't it be better to defy the devil?