by Lex Bayer
ii) universal morality is defined as an objectively correct way to behave
(from P37)
then
there is no basis for belief in an objectively correct way to behave
(P52)
•
If
we trust in thought and the intellect for describing reality
(from P8)
then
we can trust in introspection as a form of personal observation
(P53)
•
If
i) we trust in introspection as a form of personal observation, and
(from P53)
ii) my own introspection has led me to believe that I possess the ability to make choices, and
(P54)
iii) my observations of others are consistent with them being able to make choices, and
(P55)
iv) human beings share similar biological characteristics
(P56)
then
people, in general, possess the ability to make choices
(P57)
•
If
i) there is no objectively correct way for people to behave, and
(from P52)
ii) people possess the ability to make choices
(from P57)
then
people’s behavior is determined by their subjective choices
(P58)
•
If
i) we trust in introspection as a form of personal observation, and
(from P53)
ii) my own introspection has led me to believe that I am motivated by the pursuit of life-happiness, and
(P59)
iii) my observations of others are consistent with them being motivated by the pursuit of life-happiness, and
(P60)
iv) human beings share similar biological characteristics
(from P56)
then
human behavior, in general, is motivated by the pursuit of life-happiness
(P61)
where
life-happiness is the predicted sum total of happiness over one’s lifetime
(P62)
•
If
i) people possess the ability to make choices, and
(from P57)
ii) human behavior is motivated by the pursuit of life-happiness
(from P61)
then
people choose to pursue life-happiness
(P63)
•
If
life-happiness is the predicted sum total of happiness over one’s lifetime
(from P62)
then
life-happiness is based on predictions of how much happiness we will derive from future events
(P64)
•
If
i) life-happiness is based on predictions of how much happiness we will derive from future events, and
(from P64)
ii) we infer beliefs about future events from past observations
(from P12)
then
life-happiness is based on past observations
(P65)
•
If
i) life-happiness is based on past observations, and
(from P65)
ii) beliefs of observational truth are based on subjective experiences, and
(from P17)
iii) people’s sets of experiences change over time
(from P19)
then
i) life-happiness is based on subjective experiences, and
(P66)
ii) people’s knowledge about their life-happiness changes over time
(P67)
•
If
i) people are motivated by the pursuit of life-happiness, and
(from P61)
ii) cooperation increases an individual’s life-happiness in certain circumstances
(P68)
then
people are motivated to cooperate in certain circumstances (even when trying to optimize their own life-happiness)
(P69)
•
If
i) we trust in introspection as a form of personal observation, and
(from P53)
ii) my own introspection has led me to believe that I usually feel empathy with others, and
(P70)
iii) my observations of others are consistent with them usually feeling empathy with others, and
(P71)
iv) human beings share similar biological characteristics
(from P56)
then
people usually feel empathy with others
(P72)
•
If
i) cooperation increases one’s life-happiness in certain circumstances, and
(from P68)
ii) cooperation by definition benefits multiple people, and therefore increases others’ life-happiness, and
(P73)
iii) people usually feel empathy with others, and
(from P72)
iv) empathy implies that experiencing an increase in someone else’s life-happiness causes a feeling of happiness in oneself
(P74)
then
increasing the life-happiness of others increases one’s own life-happiness in certain circumstances
(P75)
•
If
we observe that people we consider more moral seem to derive more happiness from increasing the happiness of others
(P76)
then we can define
i) morality as the extent to which increasing the life-happiness of others increases one’s own life-happiness, and
(P77)
ii) moral behavior as behavior that increases the life-happiness of others
(P78)
•
If
i) people are motivated by the pursuit of life-happiness, and
(from P61)
ii) increasing the life-happiness of others increases one’s own life-happiness in certain circumstances
(from P75)
then
people increase the life-happiness of others in certain circumstances
(P79)
•
If
i) people increase the life-happiness of others in certain circumstances, and
(from P79)
ii) moral behavior is behavior that increases the life-happiness of others
(from P78)
then
people behave morally in certain circumstances
(P80)
•
If
i) people behave morally in certain circumstances, and
(from P80)
ii) human behavior is determined by subjective choices
(from P58)
then
people choose to behave morally in certain circumstances
(P81)
•
If
i) ethical societies promote moral behavior, and
(P82)
ii) moral behavior is behavior that increases the life-happiness of others, and
(from P78)
iii) an individual stands to benefit when members of a society attempt to increase the life-happiness of others
(P83)
then
ethical societies stand to increase the life-happiness of their members
(P84)
•
If
i) ethical societies stand to increase the life-happiness of their members, and
(from P84)
ii) people are motivated by the pursuit of life-happiness
(from P61)
then
people stand to benefit from living in an ethical society
(P85)
•
If
i) supporting an ethical society increases the likelihood of the society being ethical, and
(P86)
ii) people stand to benefit from living in an ethical society
(from P85)
then
people stand to benefit from supporting ethical societies
(P86)
•
In summary, we can use the following framework for forming beliefs of ethics:
(P87)
i) there is no basis for a belief in a universal moral reality, and
(from P42)
ii) people choose to pursue life-happiness, and
(from P63)
iii) life-happiness is based on subjective experiences, and
(from P66)
iv) people’s knowledge about their life-happiness changes over time, and
(from P67)
v) moral behavior is behavior which increases the life-happiness of others, and
(from P78)
vi) people stand to benefit from living in an ethical society, and
(from P85)
vii) people stand to benefit from promoting ethical societies
(from P86)
•
If the above framework, when tested,
i) has no internal contradictions, and
(from P31)
ii) makes useful predictions about people’s behavior
(P88)
then
i) we can still acce
pt the initial starting assumptions as valid, and
(P89)
ii) we can accept the framework for forming beliefs of ethics as valid
(P90)
•
If
we accept the framework for forming beliefs of ethics as valid
(from P90)
then