Atheism - The Law of the Monkeys

In traditional thinking, or perhaps religous thinking, morality is itself a quality that is granted to human beings, being of some devine origin, and in accordance with the plan or desire of deity. As an atheist, people might ask what underpins a person's sense or morality when they only believe in the physical world; based on an unchanging and unfeeling system of physics on logical cohesion?

To answer this question, I must first point out that atheist morality in itself an oxymoron, not because atheists are incapable of being moral in the traditional sense, but because atheist is not a doctrine. It perscribes to the individual the task of formulating their own sense of morality, so this being such it is only to speak personally on what I feel consitutes morality as a concept..

My first point is that we are all just advanced monkeys. While this may seem to some a statement that is derogatory, it is not necessarily as obscene as it sounds when you actually give monkeys a 'fair go' and consider the complexity of their social awareness..

There is a documentary that was shown on the ABC that, although I had forgotten it's name, has always made a lasting impression on me. It followed a group of monkeys throughout their daily activities. In monkey society the leader of the group, always a male, has the right to have sex with any female monkey, but other males will also mate with females based on their desire. This particular monkey group was headed by a male that was advancing in years, but generally liked by his suborindates. A rival apha-male then challenges the male and in the ensuing struggle, the elderly leader is ousted and left to die in the forrest.

Having claimed command of the monkey group, the new male now starts to take advantage of his rights by having sex with the females. However, this particular monkey has the nature to be aggressive and treats the females brutally.

After some time, without the luxury of verbal communication, the females collectively decide that they have had enough of this aggressive male. By some form of mutual consensus they all decide to attack the leader together - behavior that is generally unheard of in monkey groups - and end up killing that male.

Indeed, the spirit of rebellion is central to human morality. Humans, like monkeys, are interested in protecting their lives, liberty and ability to have a good time. The most pragmatic view of morality therefore must be hinged around the fact that causing harm to others will lead to revenge, while being gentle, compassionate and respectful of others will lead to sucessful relationships.

It is clear to most atheists that the most important points of morality as prescribed by religion are indeed personifications of a greater, more generic, human morality. This is why almost all religions around the world, in isolation, have formed the exact same rules about murder, theft and the principal of marriage (that being, in a time of no penicillin, a life or death matter).

Human being want to be free, and they do so by respecting the freedoms of others. That is why, as an atheist, I value those points of morality that deal with protecting the freedom of others at a much higher importance than the beurocratic laws that govern the finer points human discourse. That is not to say, that these principals should not be observed, but it is also quite clear that public urination is not in the same league as murder.

If you think about it logically, most of the core values are based on this concept. Murder, the deprivation of liberty by taking away life. Rape, the deprivation of liberty by taking away freedom to choose. Assault, the deprivation of liberty by taking away liberty to be unharmed. Even theft and fraud can be construed as an incursion on another person's liberty, because you have harmed them by causing them to labor (earn the money) against their will and for a purpose to which they do not condone.

Even in the event where somebody has done wrong, they are still entitled to what is atleast an even playing field, or as close as you can get, to prove their guilt, innocence or culpability. The  prosecution has almost exclusive access to the forensic evidence - but the defence has the assumption of innocence. It is this human desire to make things even that makes us human - the concept of "fairness".

In conclusion, my atheist morality is based on the preservation of liberty, fairness and truth. While the method to arrive at this conclusion is most completely different from - and detached from - any consideration to theological ideas - in end result is the same.