The Moral Conundrum of Atheism

Atheism, in its various forms, has been a prominent philosophical and cultural force for centuries. However, despite its appeal to reason and evidence, atheism faces a significant challenge: reconciling our intuitive sense of justice with a naturalistic worldview that lacks inherent moral standards.

The Problem of Moral Objectivity

Atheists often argue that morality is a human construct, a product of evolution and cultural conditioning. However, this perspective raises a crucial question: if morality is merely a subjective invention, how can we justify our sense of moral outrage and indignation in the face of injustice?

The Euthyphro Dilemma

This conundrum is reminiscent of the ancient Greek philosopher Plato’s Euthyphro Dilemma, which poses a fundamental challenge to moral relativism:

  • Is something morally good because God (or a higher power) commands it, or
  • Does God command it because it is morally good?

If we reject the existence of a higher power, we are left with the second option. However, this implies that moral goodness exists independently of human opinion or cultural norms. But if morality is not grounded in an objective reality, how can we claim that certain actions are inherently right or wrong?

The Moral Landscape

Atheist thinkers like Sam Harris and Richard Dawkins have attempted to address this challenge by proposing a moral landscape based on human well-being and suffering. According to this view, morality is a matter of maximizing happiness and minimizing harm.

However, this approach raises several concerns:

  • Who defines what constitutes human well-being? Is it not a subjective determination that varies across cultures and individuals?
  • What about conflicting values and trade-offs? In many cases, promoting one person’s well-being may come at the expense of another’s.
  • Why should we prioritize human well-being over other considerations? What about environmental concerns, animal welfare, or aesthetic values?

These questions highlight the difficulties in establishing a coherent moral framework within an atheistic worldview.

The Argument from Morality

One of the most compelling arguments against atheism is the Argument from Morality, which posits that the existence of objective moral standards necessitates the existence of a higher power or divine being. This argument has been formulated by philosophers such as William Lane Craig and Robert Koons.

The argument can be summarized as follows:

  1. If God does not exist, then objective moral standards do not exist.
  2. Objective moral standards do exist.
  3. Therefore, God exists.

While atheists may dispute the second premise, it is difficult to deny the existence of objective moral standards without undermining our intuitive sense of justice and morality.

Rebutting Common Counterarguments

Atheists often respond to the Argument from Morality by citing the following counterarguments:

  • The Evolutionary Account: Morality evolved as a means to promote social cohesion and cooperation. While this may explain why we have moral sentiments, it does not address the question of objective moral standards.
  • Cultural Relativism: Moral norms vary across cultures, demonstrating that morality is relative and subjective. However, this perspective fails to account for our shared sense of moral outrage in response to atrocities like genocide or child abuse.
  • Moral Realism: Objective moral standards can exist independently of God or a higher power. While this view is coherent, it remains unclear how these standards arise from a naturalistic worldview.

Conclusion

Atheism, despite its appeal to reason and evidence, struggles to provide a coherent account of morality within a naturalistic framework. The Argument from Morality highlights the difficulties in reconciling our intuitive sense of justice with an atheistic worldview that lacks inherent moral standards.

While atheists may propose alternative moral frameworks, these approaches often rely on subjective determinations or ad hoc assumptions. In contrast, the existence of objective moral standards provides strong evidence for the existence of a higher power or divine being.

Ultimately, the critique of atheism from a logical perspective reveals a profound tension between our desire for moral objectivity and the naturalistic worldview that underlies modern atheism.

References

  • Craig, W. L. (2008). The Argument from Morality. In R. K. Garcia & N. L. King (Eds.), Is Goodness Without God Good Enough? (pp. 67-84). Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.
  • Dawkins, R. (2006). The God Delusion. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
  • Harris, S. (2010). The Moral Landscape: How Science Can Determine Human Values. New York, NY: Free Press.
  • Hitchens, C. (2007). God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything. New York, NY: Twelve Books.
  • Koons, R. C. (2018). A New Look at the Argument from Morality. In J. P. Moreland, C. Meister, & K. A. Sweis (Eds.), Debating Christian Theism (pp. 231-244). Oxford University Press.
  • Plato. (380 BCE). Euthyphro. Translated by B. Jowett. Retrieved from https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1642/1642-h/1642-h.htm
  • Russell, B. (1903). The Free Man’s Worship. Independent Review, 1(3), 415-424.

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