If there is no God, how do we combat nihilism?

Originally posted by Conrau K
No, but my conscience is a devlopment of evolution.

Oh, is that so? How do you know?
Kelly

Originally posted by KellyJay
Oh, is that so? How do you know?
Kelly

It can be explained by evolutionary theory, and there is no other scientific explanation for it so.....

Originally posted by scottishinnz
It can be explained by evolutionary theory, and there is no other scientific explanation for it so.....

Everything can be explained with and without evolutionary theory,
that does not mean anything....so

Conscience is explained how by evolutionary theory according to you.
Kelly

Thanks guys.........i guess the general consensus was for a secular spiritualality whether it was Nietzsche's 'amor fatti' or existentialist philosophy or otherwise.....Good Thread Thanks again 🙂

Originally posted by howardgee
Many lives would be utterly meaningless if God does not exist.

I speak of people who devote their entire lives to worshipping him.

Poor saps.

Hang on a minute.. these people are probably happier than me, and their lives have meaning. I WISH i beleived on God for these reasons. The Socratic puzzler: Is it better to be happy and stupid or smart and depressed?

Originally posted by Red Leon
Hang on a minute.. these people are probably happier than me, and their lives have meaning. I WISH i beleived on God for these reasons. The Socratic puzzler: Is it better to be happy and stupid or smart and depressed?

If you are so smart then why dont you know the answer? If stupid is the answer then be smart enough to know it then smart enough to make yourself stupid. But first proove that those are the only two options. I think I am generally happier than many Christians.

Originally posted by twhitehead
If you are so smart then why dont you know the answer? If stupid is the answer then be smart enough to know it then smart enough to make yourself stupid. But first proove that those are the only two options. I think I am generally happier than many Christians.

I never professed to be smart .. I just threw an observation out there: many religious people seem to have enjoyable lives because that are capable of allowing an external agent to provide meaning to their lives. What you pose (be smart enough to make yourself stupid) is a tab clumsy yet useful illustration of Camus' notion of the absurd, an impossible paradox for a free thinking agent

Originally posted by Red Leon
HThe Socratic puzzler: Is it better to be happy and stupid or smart and depressed?

Read Dosteovsky's "Notes from the undergroung". Dosteovsky's protagonist is "smart" however he envies the stupid man because he is happy. Having said that, the protagonist could never abidcate his intelligence because that partly defines him. Thus, a stupid man is better off stupid (albeit happy) while the smart man is better off smart, despite the fact that both furtively long to be the other.

Originally posted by Red Leon
I never professed to be smart .. I just threw an observation out there: many religious people seem to have enjoyable lives because that are capable of allowing an external agent to provide meaning to their lives. What you pose (be smart enough to make yourself stupid) is a tab clumsy yet useful illustration of Camus' notion of the absurd, an impossible paradox for a free thinking agent

There is plenty of evidence that people with cirtain types of 'stupidity' lead happier lives. It is a very common phenomena in Africa for people who think they have AIDS to deny the possibility and even deny the existence of AIDS and will go to great lengths to explain thier conspiracy theories about it. Interestingly even well educated and otherwise apparently normal people take part in this 'stupid' behaviour and I have no doubt that in some ways it makes them happier. I am not sure to what extent they believe them selves nor to what extent religious people believe what they say they do. However I personally think I am happier knowing the truth even when it hurts. Sounds wrong I know.

Tell me this: If your spouse is cheating on you, you can pretend it is not so and be happy (many people do this) or you can find out about it and be hurt. What if your spouse is cheating and you know nothing about it and dont even suspect anything, is it better to continue not knowing or to find out and be less happy?

Originally posted by twhitehead
There is plenty of evidence that people with cirtain types of 'stupidity' lead happier lives. It is a very common phenomena in Africa for people who think they have AIDS to deny the possibility and even deny the existence of AIDS and will go to great lengths to explain thier conspiracy theories about it. Interestingly even well educated and otherwise appa ...[text shortened]... ven suspect anything, is it better to continue not knowing or to find out and be less happy?

Good question ... I'm not sure of the answer. I hear ignorance is bliss. So the question remains....Happy pig or depressed Socrates? Maybe I should develop a taste for mudcakes...

Originally posted by Red Leon
Good question ... I'm not sure of the answer. I hear ignorance is bliss. So the question remains....Happy pig or depressed Socrates? Maybe I should develop a taste for mudcakes...

Is it possible that your understanding of happiness is at fault?

[edit]
Or is it possible that there are many people who want more out of life than just happiness? At least one person in these forums has said he would turn down the option of being plugged into the perfect 'happiness machine'

Originally posted by twhitehead
Is it possible that your understanding of happiness is at fault?

[edit]
Or is it possible that there are many people who want more out of life than just happiness? At least one person in these forums has said he would turn down the option of being plugged into the perfect 'happiness machine'

Aren't u both trying to say (albeit in a very tautological way)....'That ignorance is bliss'..............