What if science proves that there is probably no god? Would it make a difference in how man understands "Man" and/or society? How would man organize society? Would man structure society so that those that are "Not the Fittest" would have a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, such as in our Constitutional Republic? Or would society be better off with allowing those that are not fit to die, abort, or euthanize? Would it matter if society would be "better off"?
Wouldn't any ethical decision have to take limited resources into account? If natural resources are scarce, would we beocme like China and allow only one child per family? Or would we have inspections to insure that people did not "hoard resources" or use resources unwisely? Since resources would become more expensive would government be more likely to increase taxes on these resources, and would they want to penalize those that did not abide by the "book"? Would competition ensue over new discorveries that might help eliminate our dependence on these natural resources? Would we want to take advantage of our own natural resources? Would there be a fight for environmental concerns if we did drill for oil?
Would limited resources in healthcare also mean that all of us, and not just some of us have to make the hard choices about "end of life" decisions? Would we value the elderly, still? Or has our culture already become so driven by youthfulness that we don't apprectiate the wisdom of the elderly, even now?
And what about those countries that now have a waiting list for operations that determine, not just quality of life, but life and death? Would this be the scenario in America if healthcare is not repealed?
What if brain science becomes a means to control those in society, so society functions as those in power want it to?
Are such things impossible, improbable or variable? And what will determine whether or not our society, our nation, and our globe becomes acclaimated to such thinking and being in the world?
We have a lot to challenge us if the future is to be open-ended and not determined by these limitations. Such limitations will cause fear, instability and anxiety as to what should be done next. Rest assured that just as chaos ensued in Greece, and is now happening in Egypt, it will not be pretty.
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Pslam 76
6 hours ago
3 comments:
As an atheist, why would I have to take scarce resources or what anyone else wants into account?
But that is the funny thing about atheists...after telling me there is no God to tell me what to do: THEY then turn around and tell me what to do.
In a dog eat dog world, if that is what it is, then I am going to get my share.
If you don't like it...tough.
Skeptical Skeptic
That is absolutely correct, Annonymous! This is why we have our Constitution that protects all of us, doesn't it?
The FF understood that man's nature was self-interested, therefore he was to held accountable to an order of law, that protects the liberties within society. This is why we really cannot do "whatever we want", as in a crime but in a free society, we can do whatever we will.
The will being man's rational choice about his life, not crime against another that would limit their liberty!
May I also suggest that choosing "whatever one wants" is like Freud's "id", the childish demanding aspect of our egos, while the "ego" is choosing "what one will", that is, what one purposes consciously taking responsibility for the consequences!
And as a atheist, I'm sure you recognize that the "super-ego" was the "religious impulse" to subvert one's desires altogether.
A healthy person, according to Freud, is one that has a "free ego", where the ego is not suppressed by the super-ego, nor "too free", where the "id" does whatever it wants, without regard of anything else.
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