Why do right?

I have a question. I'm not sure just how much debate this will generate, but . . .why is it that many people will only do the "right" thing because of a fear of their God(s)?is doing the "right" thing just because it is, not motivation enough?i realize that we all go through a stage where this is the case. There is no doubt that I did the "right" thing when I was a young child because I did not want to be punished. Now, however, I do the "right" thing just because. why do many people never leave that original stage?

interesting take. i hadn't actually expected anyone to argue the biological/evolutionary side on it. i was thinking more in terms of moral philosophy, but I see where you're coming from. in fact, I've pretty much argued the same line as regards morality in evolution.i wonder if we've left the stage where that reasoning plays out evidently in our minds? are we in the stage where we do things for more than just biological/evolutionary reasons? or perhaps we're in the middle ground--we think we're above, but we aren't as of now?

this should do fine.oh,and welcome back Q! (please don't obliterate us humans. please?)

First things first. I'm an atheist. Since I don't believe in god(s), I cannot fear them. (i thought you knew I was an atheist?)As I stated in the OP, i do the right thing just because. Its something I've learned to do. this question doesn't really havea bearing on the topic. It doesn't matter what right and wrong are.We are examining why we do the "right" thing (and why the wrong thing too, I guess.) ah, but it is. I don't need a reason to do the "right" thing. That's what gets me about those who say "if only I didn't fear God . . ." and the concept of sin/punishment. I don't operate on those principles, by and large, anymore. I don't see why they are doing the "right" thing because someone tells them it is. I might not be too clear here. if not, I'll try to explain better.

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my point is not that they do it for spiritual reasons. they do it because they are afraid of god(s) or because the god(s) tell them too.the phrase "just because" is a truncated version of "because it is the right thing to do". It states A = A. A causes A.ABE: can't read. you said reprisal. thought you said reasons. ignore the top comment. when I get out of elementary school, I'll be coming back. ABE2: can't spell either. though is thought.Edited by kuresu, : No reason given.Edited by kuresu, : No reason given.

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are you afraid of the "just because"? or do you not understand it?Kant came up with this wonderful thing called the categorical imperative. there are two questions asked to determine what is right and why do it. the first question (determining right) is "would the world work if everyone did this?" Hence, suicide is wrong. The second question I've forgotten. The end effect, though, is that people ideally do the right thing just because. Not because of society. Not because of the golden rule. Not because of fear of god. just because. actually, this is the whole point of the thread. Look at the title. It's not "What is Right", but rather, "Why do Right". I know why I do the right thing, I understand it. What I don't understand is why people never move past the fear motivator, often that of God-fear (hell, sin, etc). Especially, why religious types are so focused on this fear. It seems to me that often, the only reason they do the right thing is because of fear of God or because God has determined what is right to do. You know the phrase "only because I fear God I won't . . ."? that's what I'm talking about.oh, and I am an individualist. I forge, or attempt to forge, my own path. and given that I have to cut my way through the forest because no one has cleared it for me, I don't have much of a choice.

categorical imperative.your question if I think anything is meant to be is interesting. does it depend on God? I don't think so. there's a thing called pure dumb luck.and why must "right" be meant to be?none of this answers, though, why people don't grow out of the "because I'm afraid" stage.

you're conflating some things here.I do the "right" thing because it is the right thing to do.that has no bearing on what "right" is.I help people (the "right" thing) because it is the right thing to do.
see what I mean?also, "it just is" is a reason. it's just a hell of a lot more abstract than "because my mother told me so". the latter is the easy way out, in my opinion. it's attached to something concrete, something "real". "it just is" is not attached to something "real". you can't define what "right" is in the second part of the phrase. just like you can't really define "political science". you can, but noone agrees. one addition: . . ., if he does exist.

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doing right is not pure dumb luck. luck is what happens when I can sink two balls at the pool table at once. luck is what happens when Civ4 gives me a good start.very little is "meant to be". doing right is not "meant to be", at least, in how I understand the phrase. It's just something you should do, and its something you have control over. hence, luck doesn't play in, neither does "meant to be" (which in itself is sometimes luck--like meeting the right woman).and luck/fate/evolution aren't higher powers.

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This is thread is not about what is right. Everyone got that? Good. Don't ask that question again. It's off-topic. interesting paragraph. let's start at the beginning. First, must everything have a reason? I say no. Still, I have a reason for doing the "right" thing. I've stated it a million times by now. Because it is. Somethings don't require more. Why is the earth 93 million miles from the sun? It just is. Why is our solar system in one arm of the galaxy? It just is. How come we percieve blue to be blue? It just is (granted, blue is a specific wavelength, however, why we percieve it to be blue, and not violet?) Some things just are, that's the way it is.Not everything is tied down to logic, either. Humans are very irrational creatures. Kant would argue that the latter choice is "right". Lying is always wrong for him, even if a murderer comes to your door looking to kill your friend. I don't agree. I say, if you were out having fun instead taking care of your responsibilities, you oughta lose the sitter by telling the truth.Survival ain't everything its cracked up to be. not everything we do is coldly calculated (sub/consciously) toward survival. Neither is peer review--and that, is just the same as your mother telling you what to do. I don't see what the law has to do with this case. Dumb luck clearly doesn't apply--you were in control of your destiny here. Had you actually gotten a flat tire, it'd be different. that is pure dumb luck (of the bad kind, too). no. no. no. no. no. no. no. no. no. no. no!
popular has nothing to do with it. It is/was popular to smoke marijuana. That doesn't make it the right thing to do.
I was not telling you what "right" is--except for in one instance. I was pointing out the differences in the usage of right in the phrase
(I do the "right" thing because it is the right thing to do).
Think of it like this. Pick anything that you think is "right". why do you do it? If you're like me, you do it because it is the right thing. otherwise you end up with the phrase "I help because I help", which is circular.Blame the damn english language if you want for this confusion. I refer you to the top of this post. Again, the title is "Why do Right", not "What is Right". It doesn't matter what you, or I, or anyone else thinks is "right". The only thing of concern is why we do the things we think are "right". again, not the focus of the thread (if you mean what is "right"). If you're talking about why I do the "right" thing, that being because it is, I don't know. he is, then, telling you what "right", and why right. you're not doing it of your own violition (wrong spelling, i think). you're still rooted to the "God has decided", or "Mother has decided".

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I'm not out to tell people what "right" is. I want to know why they do "right".the question of "what is 'right'", and what its purpose is, is outside the scope of this discussion. start a new thread on it, if you wish.

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I disagree with Kant over "right". As I said, he argues that lying is wrong in every single case. I disagree there. He was an absolutist, in that, he believed in absolutes which apply in every case (unlike the absolutist movment in government). I'm a relativist when it comes to what's "right". Thus, for me, its "right" to lie to the murderer to save your friend. Besides, it's just a horrendous analogy.I know why I do the right thing--you just don't like the answer. As much as I don't like the answer of "godidit". Neither one explains "why" in real terms. Right now, I don't have a real term answer for the abstract "it just is". Sort of like the justice who argued that he knew porn when he saw.

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some people have gotten the idea that I'm saying that all religious people are only doing "right" because God tells them what is "right" and/or fear of said entity.Note that in my OP, I asked: (bolding my revision)
notice the total lack of all in the question?I'm not so stupid as to paint that wide a brush on people.

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damn.no wonder we're hungry all the time.