From the Minds of Babes Come the Beginnings of Morals
Posted on: July 7, 2008 - 1:07am
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From the Minds of Babes Come the Beginnings of Morals
It seems this research project demonstrates that basic morals are hardwired at birth.
The conclusion of this research invalidates the belief that a belief in 'god' is needed for moral behavior.
http://www.usnews.com/articles/science/brain/2008/01/10/from-the-minds-of-babes-come-the-beginnings-of-morals.html
People who think there is something they refer to as god don't ask enough questions.
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Interesting, Good article.
judging by previous examples though, the theists (or christians in general) would most likely say that god preprogrammes children with morals (the same way they assume belief in a god is also preprogrammed). then they'll most likely use this as 'proof' that god gives us morals, and that people only become amoral as they grow up, being exposed to the evil world, because people are born pure (conveniently ignoring their 'original sin' doctrine). Damn double thinking bastards. of course, they have no way of demonstrating this as true, but that's never stopped them before.
and the gaps for god to hide in continue to get smaller.
When god gives you lemons you FIND A NEW GOD 1 Thessalonians 5:21
<My art> <not my art><MS>
I knew it, I was born perfect, so who fucked me up, god damn it !
You underestimate the Faithfull's power to ignore evidence. Or to rationalize their way out of it by employing dumbious logic. I would imagine the christian's off hand response to this would be easy: "Our morals are the mark of God, put their by the lord from birth, etc". I think I've actually heard that one before.
Wish in one hand, shit in the other, see which one fills up first.
The National Science Foundation is one of the best programs. Even my theist brother likes them.
Research like that has been done for decades. Google 'stages of morality' and you will get tons of good information about the development of morality and the studies done exploring it.
Note that the 'I don't do bad things so a powerful figure won't harm me.' stage is very young, while the stages of 'I do good things to benefit my fellow humans' (social morality) is far more advanced (and rare).
If I have gained anything by damning myself, it is that I no longer have anything to fear. - JP Sartre
Yep, you have heard that one I'm sure cause there's not a week go by that I don't.
Atheists and agnostics stuck in the bible belt get to enjoy
that phrase more often than most could imagine.
First time I've heard "dumbious logic", though. Going to borrow that one, Jello.
Well, what the study actually showed was that babies tend toward things that behave altruistically. That data warrants the conclusion that babies are good at telling who will feed them. But it's kind of a leap from that data to the conclusion that every newborn is hardwired to behave ethically. The babies tested were 6-10 months old, not newborns.
Don't get me wrong- it's a cool study. I just wouldn't pull this out in a debate, unless I had a bunch of other studies to use along with it.