I found this excerpt from Euthyphro by Socrates rather thought provoking.
P.S I'm not trying to push an Atheist propaganda. I couldn't care less or it'll put me in the same boat as bible thumpers or bigots. This has nothing to do with it anyways. I just find this worthy of sharing. What good is living if you do not question things?
And the Lord spoke unto the philosopher," I am the Lord thy God, and I am the source of all that is good. Why does thy secular moral philosophy ignore me?
And the philosopher spake unto the Lord," To answer I must first ask you some questions. You command us to do what is good. But is it good because you command it, or do you command it because it is good?"
"Ur," said the Lord. "It's good because I command it?"
"The wrong answer, surely, your mightiness! If the good is only good because you say it is so, then you could, if you wished, make it so that torturing infants was good. But that would be absurd, wouldn't it?"
"Of course!" replieth the Lord. "I tested thee and thou have made me pleased. What was the other choice again?"
"You choose what is good because it IS good. But then that shows that goodness does not depend on you at all. So we don't need to study God to study the good."
"Even so," spake the Lord," you've got to admit that I've written some pretty good textbooks on the subject..."
What do you think?
P.S I'm not trying to push an Atheist propaganda. I couldn't care less or it'll put me in the same boat as bible thumpers or bigots. This has nothing to do with it anyways. I just find this worthy of sharing. What good is living if you do not question things?
And the Lord spoke unto the philosopher," I am the Lord thy God, and I am the source of all that is good. Why does thy secular moral philosophy ignore me?
And the philosopher spake unto the Lord," To answer I must first ask you some questions. You command us to do what is good. But is it good because you command it, or do you command it because it is good?"
"Ur," said the Lord. "It's good because I command it?"
"The wrong answer, surely, your mightiness! If the good is only good because you say it is so, then you could, if you wished, make it so that torturing infants was good. But that would be absurd, wouldn't it?"
"Of course!" replieth the Lord. "I tested thee and thou have made me pleased. What was the other choice again?"
"You choose what is good because it IS good. But then that shows that goodness does not depend on you at all. So we don't need to study God to study the good."
"Even so," spake the Lord," you've got to admit that I've written some pretty good textbooks on the subject..."
What do you think?
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Audi
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