How to Be an Atheist: Why Every Serious Atheist Should Be a Moral Nihilist

[cumulus]

Moral nihilists are not the same thing as self interest maximizers. Sometimes the collective good is more aesthetically pleasing to me than being a power tripping warlord.

[dogsdomain]

You can be a moral nihilist and still live a conventionally "moral" life. Human beings have innate dispositions to act want to act in accordance with certain social norms and to fit in. Im both an atheist and a moral nihilist but still act pretty normal

[AmazingStoryDewd]

As an atheist I fully believe this. The only reason not to commit any heinous crime is that your freedom will be taken away. In reality morals are a joke as is everything else. The face some people try to ascribe some meaning is laughable to me.

[jourdanimmanuel]

Moral Nihilism is descriptive not prescriptive. The only thing you 'ought do' to qualify as a Moral Nihilist is accept that 'right' and 'wrong' are not real in any tangible sense. Moral Nihilism is not a call to action. Sure, the knowledge of it could influence a change in behaviour. However, we all have our own temperaments that have been cultivated since early development. Why would you expect a previously pro-social member of a social species to suddenly go postal? Hell, violent behaviour is often lined with moralistic outrage. Hitler was a huge Moralist.

[jhm]

I am pleased to come across this recognition of the moral nihilism that is implicit in genuine atheism. However I disagree with Stoke's assertion that "it would be ugly" ... except in the limited sense that there can be individual amoralists who do things most of us would frown on, but then so do many moralists. I don't know if Stokes has seen my own work on what I call "hard atheism, " which is what he is talking about; but you are welcome to take a look at my YouTube videos and many books dealing with the subject. I have spent years not only writing about this but also trying to "walk the talk, " and it seems to me that a life without morality is not only do-able but also contributes to a society most of us would prefer to live in.

[Minkonto]

The explanation of morality lies within the fact that we are not free, our brains adapt, and it is not the understanding of moral principles that guide my actions, but probably game theory, sympathies, material and social benefits, and upholding of identity. My behavior is not chosen. it just feels chosen. Morality is among others, a rationalization of unsolvable conflicts of interests and picking the path that most correctly reflects your interests, and the social interests to be seen as trustworthy and principle-adherent. This is a concept that fits. It is rational. And it is also shown probable in experiments like the iterated prisoner's dillemma.

[blazmaverick]

I am an atheist and a moral nihilist, in the thin sense that I don't think any moral or value propositions are objectively true. I think the speaker is experiencing a common confusion though, between believing in objective morality/value, and being able to hold values and standards. I do have values and standards, and am prepared to assert them against people whose values and standards conflict with mine, while recognizing that they're all irreducibly subjective. There's really no inconsistency here. I'm not saying that I'm right and you're wrong about what's really moral or valuable; I just care about some things enough to fight for them.

[KAID]

I don't know if there is one thing consistent with nihilism other than not-living.

[ricco]

My issue is that he used the word “Ought”.
No the fuck they shouldn’t.
Acting out moral nihilism is the worst thing that people can do. “If there is no objective morality, you can do whatever you want” is a true statement. But even IF morality was subjective (and therefore vacuous) to say ought implies that it would be the “right thing to do”. But “ought implies can” - Emmanuel Kant.

[BlasterMaster]

So in other words, without a belief in a god this guy see's no good reasons to be moral..

[mehdicharife]

Every serious believer "should" also be a moral nihilist. Moral nihilism is not necessarly in contradiction with religion. You could interpret religious commandments as nothing more than rules that you need to follow in order to go Heaven and not rot in Hell. You don't need to believe that they are morally right in order to follow them.

[JLBorges]

Tell atheists what they must believe then criticise it. Don't bother asking anyone.

[rtobar]

Mwah 😘 most honest theist ever, I love you! ❤️

[theoutsiderhumanist]

When you've never talked to an atheist about morality.

[rtobar]

We need to consistently remind believers that history has shown us that religion/Theism has perpetuated a lot of violence/murder so in the that respect Theism has no advantage over Atheism.