Is ethics a selfish human instict?

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Noobe-Noobe
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Is ethics a selfish human instict?

Post by Noobe-Noobe »

Is ethics just another 'tool', an instinct created through natural selection, that helped the man survive? Of course its one characteristic that separates the man from his ancestor ape (if you agree with the theory of evolution) but I don't mean that. I suggest that ethic origins from our will to save ourselves and reproduce our species and nothing more, that we don't really feel the need to help the fellow man. 'Cause men without the sense of ethics are considered to be the ones that harm people around them. And this wouldn't allow primitive humans to become more evolved than the species surrounding them. Does nowadays low competition with other species or even other races cause our low sense of ethics?
Spectrum
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Re: Is ethics a selfish human instict?

Post by Spectrum »

I suggest that ethic origins from our will to save ourselves and reproduce our species and nothing more,
I agree with the above, the purpose as programmed was to ensure the preservation of the species via the survival and reproduction capability of the individual[s]. This is glaringly evident empirically whether one believe in evolution or not.
that we don't really feel the need to help the fellow man.
Nope. The preservation of the species depend on a critical mass of individuals, i.e. the collective and thus it is necessary to help the fellow man to maintain an effective collective.

To ensure humans helps their fellow man, humans has evolved with mirror neurons which promote empathy, compassion and various neuro-faculty of co-operation etc.
To ensure survival, humans has also evolved with programs to eliminate threats [including other humans] to one's or group survival.

Thus there is a need to balance between helping their fellow man and prevent threats from other humans [killing if necessary].

To manage this two contrasting acts optimally, humans has also evolved with a philosophical and moral faculty. So the mission of humanity is to ensure the promotion and increasing the trend of philosophical and moral knowledge and practices.
Not-a-theist. Religion is a critical necessity for humanity now, but not the FUTURE.
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Burning ghost
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Re: Is ethics a selfish human instict?

Post by Burning ghost »

In very basic terms all social creatures must reconcile their differences, to some degree, in order live together with some form of productivity.

Does low competition cause "low ethics"?

I have to tread carefully around the term "low ethics" here. Given my basic outline in the first sentence it seems quite obvious that a need for societal/social reconciliation comes about when resources (be they cognitive, sexual, monetary, food, shelter, land, etc ...) are "scarce" (economically speaking).

If we all had both what we wanted and what we needed then ethics would effectively disappear and only return when certain conflicts and limitations where brought to bear. I cannot see a society of creatures living side by side without some kind of ethical framework though. No ethics would mean no "others".

We can hardly call "empathy" a "selfish instinct" without completely deconstructing what the term "empathy" means. If we can imagine ourselves in another's position (have empathy) then we're able to grasp at their possible suffering and how we would feel.
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Atreyu
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Re: Is ethics a selfish human instict?

Post by Atreyu »

Noobe-Noobe wrote:Is ethics just another 'tool', an instinct created through natural selection, that helped the man survive? Of course its one characteristic that separates the man from his ancestor ape (if you agree with the theory of evolution) but I don't mean that. I suggest that ethic origins from our will to save ourselves and reproduce our species and nothing more, that we don't really feel the need to help the fellow man. 'Cause men without the sense of ethics are considered to be the ones that harm people around them. And this wouldn't allow primitive humans to become more evolved than the species surrounding them.
No. Ethics are not instinct. They're a function of the intellect. We think up our ethical protocols. This is quite different than an instinctive function, like the fight-or-flight response, or the moving of enzymes around the body. Instinctive functions are all automatic and inherent. Ethics are neither automatic nor inherent. They have to be developed by men who are interested in doing so.
Noobe-Noobe wrote: Does nowadays low competition with other species or even other races cause our low sense of ethics?
I believe that plays a role, yes, although there are other factors. No doubt our species would be more ethical if we faced competition from other species. Or, as Reagan once said, if we were attacked by aliens from another planet, the next day all the competing political and economic antagonists would immediately begin working together in concert to save themselves.We might even expect Israel and Hamas to start working together....
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