In this blast from the past, J. Warner discusses the possible explanations for moral truth from an evolutionary perspective. Could moral laws be the result of the evolution of our DNA or a product of sociocultural acceptance? Jim also answers listener email related to witness reliability and competing claims related …
Read More »Moral Absolutes and the Importance of an Evidential Response (Podcast)
In this blast from the past, J. Warner discusses the self-evident nature of transcendent, objective moral truth and answers a common objection to their existence. Jim also discusses his recent talks at Hume Lake and reviews a New York Times article describing the growing request for evidence among Mormon believers. …
Read More »God Didn’t Create Moral Law, It’s Simply a Reflection of His Character
Moral truths are malleable and subjective if they aren’t grounded in a transcendent source (such as God). I’m not the only person to realize this; even honest atheists recognize the inconsistency of embracing objective moral truths while simultaneously rejecting the one reasonable source for such truths. In a recent exchange …
Read More »The Inevitable Consequence of An Atheistic Worldview
A few years ago, a gentleman (we’ll call him “John”) replied to a blog I posted at CrossExamined.org. As a skeptical non-believer, John wasn’t responding to what I had posted, but to fellow atheists who had been interacting with Christians in the comment section. John’s post was controversial but honest. …
Read More »Two Signs From Your Opposition Your Argument Is Sound
Those of us who acknowledge the self-evident existence of transcendent, moral truth claims (i.e. “It’s never OK to torture babies for fun”) need to be prepared for opposition from unbelievers who anticipate and reject the implications. If objective, transcendent moral laws exist, the need for an adequate source (a transcendent …
Read More »Did a Concern for the Species Influence Our Moral Development?
Can sociocultural evolution account for the formation of moral truth? I’ve heard this claim repeatedly in discussions with non-believers, and I also accepted this notion for many years: Ancient humans who accepted certain moral behaviors and principles were far more likely to survive, and as a result, those who were …
Read More »Confusing Moral Utility With Moral Creation
Are moral laws simply a product of cultural utility and sociocultural evolution? As a skeptic, I used to think so. I believed moral laws evolved along with the species. Humans who accepted certain moral behaviors and principles were far more likely to survive, and that’s exactly what happened; those who …
Read More »Does Disagreement Prove There Are No Objective Moral Truths?
I regularly teach high school students the nature of truth and the distinction between objective and subjective truth claims. This includes a discussion related to the nature of moral truth. While most people readily accept the self-evident nature of objective truth when it comes to material claims (i.e. “Jim’s car …
Read More »The Self-Evident Nature of Objective Moral Truths
I occasionally encounter someone who rejects the existence of objective, transcendent moral truths. For many people, all moral truth is merely perspectival; a matter of flexible, cultural convention. Yet there appear to be a number of moral absolutes that transcend culture and history. These objective truths beckon us to seek …
Read More »Are Moral Truths Encoded in Our DNA?
How do we arrive at transcendent, objective moral truths like, “It’s never OK to torture babies for fun” or (my new favorite from a blog reader) “It’s never OK to torture non-believers just because you don’t like them?” From where do such commonly held moral notions come? Some people argue …
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