Freethought & Rationalism Archive

meritocrat · 03-04-2004, 05:06 AM

Could it ever be viewed as immoral to follow one's nature??

Isn't AMORAL to do so?? Since one's nature makes up what a person is; there is no real CHOICE regarding action!

Rymmie1981 · 03-04-2004, 08:13 AM

Humans have a huge amount of gray matter in their brains. I'm not an expert in biology, but I know that this gray matter makes up the structures that involve higher thinking and information processing. Without this massive amount of gray matter, we would be about the same as chimps. (Source: POTUS)

The problem with this increase in thinking, processing, and overall intelligence is that we end up realising that we exist. Our mind becomes aware of itself. The person becomes aware of his/her own nature. My own nature is to become extremely angry and violent. Killing people for mean looks is not moral at any time, but it is my nature.

To say that someone is amoral is to say that they are without morals. Therefore, I would be amoral by following my nature. However, I still feel violent and angry, full of rage, ready to kill at the slightest threat, real or perceived. I have used my sentience, my knowledge of self, to realise my rage and use that energy for things that help my family and mankind as a whole. It is always moral to help your fellow human beings have a better life.

I still have problems with anger, partly because of the medicine I'm taking now. But, I have used my ability to nurture myself so that I have certain reactions whenever I start to feel the rage come over me. I have effectively changed my nature, even if the underlying physical reactions to certain situation are the same.

The burden of sentience is knowing your nature. The burden of intelligence is using that sentience to change your nature for bettering yourself and your species.

I hope that makes sense.

abe smith · 03-04-2004, 09:09 AM

My opinion (as a semi-informed biologist) is that using the terem *NATURE* is fraught with peril; unless you the user will please DEFINE very specifically what you mean the word "NATURE" to mean in the immmediate context.
You want to do just-that here/now, Meritocrat?

03-04-2004, 05:06 AM	#1
meritocrat Banned Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: England Posts: 2,608	Nature Could it ever be viewed as immoral to follow one's nature?? Isn't AMORAL to do so?? Since one's nature makes up what a person is; there is no real CHOICE regarding action!

03-04-2004, 08:13 AM	#2
Rymmie1981 Regular Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: At the Edge of the River Posts: 499	Nature, Nurture, and freaking gray matter Humans have a huge amount of gray matter in their brains. I'm not an expert in biology, but I know that this gray matter makes up the structures that involve higher thinking and information processing. Without this massive amount of gray matter, we would be about the same as chimps. (Source: POTUS) The problem with this increase in thinking, processing, and overall intelligence is that we end up realising that we exist. Our mind becomes aware of itself. The person becomes aware of his/her own nature. My own nature is to become extremely angry and violent. Killing people for mean looks is not moral at any time, but it is my nature. To say that someone is amoral is to say that they are without morals. Therefore, I would be amoral by following my nature. However, I still feel violent and angry, full of rage, ready to kill at the slightest threat, real or perceived. I have used my sentience, my knowledge of self, to realise my rage and use that energy for things that help my family and mankind as a whole. It is always moral to help your fellow human beings have a better life. I still have problems with anger, partly because of the medicine I'm taking now. But, I have used my ability to nurture myself so that I have certain reactions whenever I start to feel the rage come over me. I have effectively changed my nature, even if the underlying physical reactions to certain situation are the same. The burden of sentience is knowing your nature. The burden of intelligence is using that sentience to change your nature for bettering yourself and your species. I hope that makes sense.

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03-04-2004, 09:09 AM	#3
abe smith Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: springfield, MA. USA Posts: 2,482	My opinion (as a semi-informed biologist) is that using the terem NATURE is fraught with peril; unless you the user will please DEFINE very specifically what you mean the word "NATURE" to mean in the immmediate context. You want to do just-that here/now, Meritocrat?

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