I love u ppl inteligence. Let me c hw dis goes.
1. Is it rational for you to risk your life to save a stranger?
2. If rationality and goodness is instilled in people based on evolution, then y do ppl go against d very survival-striving instints we have and behave d opposite? I hav yet to meet anyone who has succefully lived up to their own standard of goodness.
3. Why care about justice?
4. How do u live without hope?
5. Before matter or energy change 4rm one form to another, won't it be acted upon by something outside?
Thanx

onyfrank: I love u ppl inteligence. Let me c hw dis goes.
1. Is it rational for you to risk your life to save a stranger?
2. If rationality and goodness is instilled in people based on evolution, then y do ppl go against d very survival-striving instints we have and behave d opposite? I hav yet to meet anyone who has succefully lived up to their own standard of goodness.
3. Why care about justice?
4. How do u live without hope?
5. Before matter or energy change 4rm one form to another, won't it be acted upon by something outside?
Thanx

1) Do you believe that atheists are sadists? Why would you ask this question? Is it God the only reason that would make you to save someones life?
2) False premise. Failed question. We have primal instincts. An instinct to survive. Good and bad can only be reasoned by a rational mind. We use logic and reason to see benefits beyond our primal instincts. Hence we all have the capacity to do good and bad.
3) Do you believe that atheists are sadists? Is God the only reason you care about justice? Would you go around killing people if there was no God?
4) Do you really believe that atheists are hopeless? Is Seun Osewa hopeless while you are using his site? Is Bill Gates hopeless
5) No comment. Go and read a science/physics book. You would notice that there is no God or higher power in the science book.

@logicboy. Answering question with question. Bt whats diffrnt btw reason and rational?
6. Chicken or the egg, Which came first?
7. I suspect not,' hav u used dis sentence?
8. How is freewill possible in a material universe?
9. On what basis can we make moral judgement?
10. How dn we account for self awarness?

@logicboy. Answering question with question. Bt whats diffrnt btw reason and rational?
6. Chicken or the egg, Which came first?
7. I suspect not,' hav u used dis sentence?
8. How is freewill possible in a material universe?
9. On what basis can we make moral judgement?
10. How do we account for self awarness?

onyfrank: @logicboy. Answering question with question. Bt whats diffrnt btw reason and rational?
6. Chicken or the egg, Which came first?
7. I suspect not,' hav u used dis sentence?
8. How is freewill possible in a material universe?
9. On what basis can we make moral judgement?
10. How do we account for self awarness?

Trololo

Mayb u wl kum wit beta logic later@logicboy. Then u add diz
11. How do we account for the origin of most distinct language family?
12. How do we account for the almost universal belief in supernatural?

Jst call ur fellows, they might help

onyfrank: I love u ppl inteligence. Let me c hw dis goes.
1. Is it rational for you to risk your life to save a stranger?
2. If rationality and goodness is instilled in people based on evolution, then y do ppl go against d very survival-striving instints we have and behave d opposite? I hav yet to meet anyone who has succefully lived up to their own standard of goodness.
3. Why care about justice?
4. How do u live without hope?
5. Before matter or energy change 4rm one form to another, won't it be acted upon by something outside?
Thanx

Shouldn't be wasting time, but meh. Don't expect me to come back and expatiate much, not now at least. All these things have been addressed on NL anyways, so you could just google away the answers if genuinely curious

1. Depends, even for a total stranger. A terminally ill person could reason 'rationally' he should sacrifice himself for a total stranger, no? Regardless and more importantly, there's no guaranty one would choose the 'rational' option in those situations. In fact many are likely to do the opposite, religious or no, and use their hearts. We're humans, our motivations are determined by emotions else we'd simply be modern day computers.

2. Empathy, not rationality or goodness per se, is a dominant trait written into our genes affecting moral decisions. If
"ppl go against d very survival-striving instints we have and behave d opposite"
That would mean that people "go(ing) against d very survival-striving instints" is part of our genetic make up as well, no? It would mean that sort of behavior is natural as well and written into our genes. It is not "go(ing) against our instints", even if at times it may seem to be going against our survival instinct. 'Survival instinct' isn't the only instinct we posses.

Note, despite all the talk about 'souls', free will, etc, no one can overcome genes. You have a congenital problem? I don't think you can just 'think' or free will it away, you simply have 'faulty' genes. Same thing here, empathy is written into us, into our genes.

As for how does empathy aid the survival of our species (or any species, or life in general for that matter), that is fairly obvious. We're social, it's a collaborative effort, across species even. We live in groups, division of labour, rules etc set around achieving common goals. These rules are more or else moral codes. All other animals do this as well to some degree or the other, they're just doing it (usually) without consciousness.For us in particular, without these rules we'd very likely be much less successful or even extinct, natural selection favored much cooperation heavily in our case. As for cross-species, we're currently the apex predator on this rock, dictating what the rest can and cannot do when we can.

What does empathy have to do with this? Empathy encourages cooperation. It also boosts motivation, aids in our goal setting, etc.

As an example of 'morals' in other species look at these guys for instance. Their lives are probably more interesting and would make for better watching than reality tv drivel like 'keeping up with the kardashians', etc

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kasakela_chimpanzee_community

Also, goodness is subjective. You've probably met a hypocrite or two who've lived up to their own standards as far as they're concerned, or are simply ignorant/unaware of how they are probably abusing their own ideals. As goodness is subjective, so is perfect. There is no such thing as a universally perfect world. But this is another issue.

3. See above. Also, why not?

4. I don't

5. No. More commonly matter is converted to energy without the help of anyone, eg, see the sun. The higgs boson is supposedly related to how energy gains mass but I don't know the details. Either ways that is not a requirement. And if you think so you'd also have to explain how the 'something from outside' came about, creating more problems.

I, personally, believe a truly random, something from nothing phenomenon must exist, but I also hold that that phenomenon is almost certainly not conscious. Consciousness is too complex to spring out from nowhere.

You don't need to have a belief in god to do good deeds to others. You just need the intelligence to understand when someone needs your help. We evolved as social animals in groups that survive better in harmony with each other. We also have mirror neurons in our brains which release chemicals that enable us to feel another's distress and pain. You can also feel another's joy and happiness. That's why joy and laughter is infectious.. So in other words if you help someone it makes you feel good too.

Humans aren't the only animals that risk their lives to help others.
Watch this video. This dog is not a Christian but is risking his life to save another dog.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OMOuyExWec

onyfrank: Mayb u wl kum wit beta logic later@logicboy. Then u add diz
11. How do we account for the origin of most distinct language family?
12. How do we account for the almost universal belief in supernatural?

Jst call ur fellows, they might help

11. Read a sociology book. Remember language is communication through speech when 2 or more groups of ppl with diff languages meet they interchange words to form a distinct new language, eg pidgin English originating from Englishman and various tribes of naija interacting. This has nothing to do with god or no god existence.

12. All humans have a common evolutionary origin and have ego, I'd and superego and what psychologist Jung called the racial unconscious. We only separated from being together in africa about 300,000 years ago travelling awAy with these unconscious makeups and ideas. Have u ever wondered about why almost all cultures perform marriages, burial ceremonies and give names to children. And why we share similar superstitious beliefs about the origin of the universe and people? It is due to the racial unconscious common evolutionary origins.

It has nothing to do with God existence. Have u heard about the young 3 year old boy brought up by chimps, he started walking on fours and made noises like chimps. How about the child who was nursed by dogs, was barking like them.

Double Post

If the questions are too cold/hot, try this.
https://www.nairaland.com/1219531/understanding-atheism