:smile: :up:

Thanks for the input. Though I’m thinking after being on this forum, I am reminded that Philosophy asks questions that other subjects have done away with. And I can think/believe anything I want on these matters, including religion. Because nothing in Philosophy has been proven so there will be pros and cons on any view. Seems like a waste of time. Thanks all.

All I ever wanted was to know the real truths about the world. I think I have that now for me, which is taking a step back from the world and looking at the Universe from above it, where there is nothing. Then you can see all of existence for what it is, whatever that might be.

Before I’d be outside as a child, staring at a plant, thinking, ‘I can’t quite work this out’. I.e. life, existence, the Universe. I’m done now, the only chance I’d be wrong is if the Universe is infinite. But again, I am entitled to my opinion because nobody knows if the Universe is infinite or not.

If at the end of a decision you feel good, you have made the right decision for you. Doing what society views as the right thing might make you feel good, it might not. You might have your own views of right and wrong and feel amazing fighting for them. I would agree if you went to prison however or had a criminal record, that would make you feel rubbish because it’s like society is being mean/punishing you. — Maya

So if ignoring the coronavirus and the need to wear a mask and practice distancing makes us feel good that is what we should do?

Thanks for the input. Though I’m thinking after being on this forum, I am reminded that Philosophy asks questions that other subjects have done away with. And I can think/believe anything I want on these matters, including religion. Because nothing in Philosophy has been proven so there will be pros and cons on any view. Seems like a waste of time. Thanks all. — Maya

I think our religious heritage has lead us down the wrong path. It appears we have forgotten what philosophy has to do with science, and what science has to do with right reasoning.

Western Physics (with its particles and forces in 'Space Time' ) has never correctly understood the wisdom of ancient philosophy (All is One and Interconnected / Dynamic Unity of Reality). It is also important to understand that the ancient philosophers did not actually know how the universe was a dynamic unity, what matter was, how the One Thing caused and connected the many things.
Recent discoveries on the properties of Space and the Wave Structure of Matter (Wolff, Haselhurst) confirm that we can understand Reality, 'the true nature of the gods' and the interconnection of all things from a logical / scientific foundation. (As Cicero, Leo Tolstoy and Albert Einstein ask for, a rational explanation of religious faith.) We hope you enjoy the following biography and quotations of Cicero. https://www.spaceandmotion.com/Philosophy-Cicero-Philosopher.htm

At the bottom of that link is this quote:

A new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents and making them see the light, but rather because its opponents eventually die, and a new generation grows up that is familiar with it. (Max Planck, 1920)

Philosophy brings us to science and science brings to new truths and changed consciousness.

Yes not wear a mask etc. If it doesn’t break the law, most people feel bad doing this though.


How does Philosophy today lead us to science?

"so  if ignoring the coronavirus and the need to wear a mask and practice distancing makes us feel good that is what we should do?"

Only if we have no concept of the future nor whether we might feel good then.

Then how did we conceive of the law? Isn’t the law supposed to outline what is bad?

Also would this mean that if Trump allowed all crimes within a 48 hour period that anything you do then is fine?

With this statement you can justify anything, if a serial killer kills someone and it makes them happy is it then morally justified, if a rapist rapes someone, if a thief steals something, if these things make them happy then do we just accept that these are morally correct?

How does philosophy today lead us to science?

By elucidating what science is, to what extent its procedures are rational and how it's methods achieve knowledge, in contrast to other "methods" of trying to acquire knowledge (e.g. divine inspiration or the "authority" of religious texts, or Trump style evidence-free subjective conviction).

The right thing to do has nothing to do with the law. The standard example would be helping Jews to escape the Nazis. Would you say it was wrong to help Jews because the person doing it risked severe punishment?

You are right, however, that feeling good has something to do with morality. Normally it is called happiness, and it is certainly right, and natural, for anyone to pursue happiness. But for a moral, virtuous person, the happiness of others should be included in one’s own feeling of happiness, and a morally conscious person would train himself to feel good when helping others feel good. The right thing to do is making yourself feel good while doing the right thing.

The law gives you very little indication of what the right thing may be since the laws may be bad. Sure, you can choose to believe that the laws of your country are generally not immoral, but it should be a requirement for any morally conscious person to critically assess the law before obeying it. If in the end you do accept most laws, it’s not because they are the laws but because your own moral standards have approved of them.

"The right thing to do is what makes us feel good [...]"

Morality are rules of social interactions for all members of the group and for all times.

I assume by "group" you mean the world.

So if we are talking about morally good behavior for the world we must talk about what's always good, so it can't be based on temporarily changing feelings and/or emotions.

The statement "The right thing to do is what makes us feel good [...]" is thus immoral.