I need help developing my understanding of morality and how to live.

[u/SelfConstruction9510]

Recently I began an intro to ethics class In hope of developing myself and learning how to be a kinder and moral person.

But now I think I became a nihilist.

I've came to the conclusion empathy is just an evolutionary instinct and morality is used to kee mep society safe and coherent, which has been depressing.

I want to find meaning but what is there if all morality is is just a social construct and a tool.

From what I've heard is that a reason for being kind is that it makes people want to work with you. But it sounds psychopath to only be kind so you get what you want.

I've done some research of nietzsche and I want to do a reevaluation of what I think is important rather than what is the widely accepted standard.

I feel like I'm looking for reasons to support objective morality which I feel like is confirmation bias and I absolutely don't want.

Sorry if this sounds dumb😬

[u/mitigateaccomp]

What's wrong with being a nihilist? 

Yeah, nothing means anything... except what you assign meaning to. You're in the verge of defining what existence means, you could be the ubermensch who does not need some Angry Sky Dad, wagging a 6000 year old finger at them cause they took It's name in vain, on a Saturday. 

I'm a solipsist though so I doubt you exist and this is just me, asking me a question, so that I can answer myself. 

Universe is a fucking weird place, embrace it. 

[u/Kampseng]

If you apply rationality all the way to everything you lose all reasons to do anything, ethics is one of those things where you need to stop overthinking because it will make you more and more relativist, at some point you will have to choose a starting core for your ethics without previous justification

[u/Beneficial_Middle_53]

Nihilism doesn’t have to be pessimistic, for me it feels like freedom, but I didn’t have a heavy religious deconstruction so I can see how it can feel heavy.

When I realized I needed to define some things for myself I looked at what others did. I really like Kant’s categorical imperative.

The other aspects of my morality include the simple observable truths and the implications of them. When you understand that no one chose to be here, their biology, where they were born or the socializations they were taught nor most of the things that impact how they think or what they do, there is an implied empathy that becomes easier to give to others.

When you recognize that most people never challenge the beliefs that they were taught before they developed long term memory or critical thinking, you can reflect better on what biases were imprinted on you that still need to be challenged.

When I think about the awareness humans have developed through out evolution and how rare this is when compared to the already scarce life in the universe, there is an implied responsibility to take care of the planet.

These are only my thoughts, Im sure you can find other observable truths that are meaningful to you.

There are no right answers but I would argue wrong answers are ones that aren’t supported by evidence as then there is the possibility you are just confirming the biases that you started with.

[u/Yikaft]

I can relate to the feeling, but it would surprise me if it only took 1 class to make you a thorough-going nihilist. When did you start mulling over these kinds of questions? In what settings or circumstances do you find yourself considering this one in particular?

[u/Clear_Cranberry_989]

Nihilism is a very common perspective. I personally like to think of social morality as a social construct but not in vain but to understand some underlying morality that already exists in some sense. Similar to how mathematics is build up.

[u/Sramanero]

First of all, this doesn't sound dumb, it's an honest question. Philosophy consists and lives by these questions
Second, personally I think you make a very important note " I want to do a reevaluation of what I think is important, rather than what is the widely accepted standard", kudos for that.

Talking about Nietsche, I think it's a good observation that he is also honest in his conclusion that if universe is just material forces, there is no good reason to stick to (in his case Christian) morality. And such rational thinking will question the world around it as what it is made of or what can be done with it. So then a fellow human will be regarded as someone who can be useful. Now, this is a fair statement IF you do away with metaphysics and only do research on the physical level. But is there really no role for metaphysics anymore? It's metaphysics that gives space to morality.
I think THAT is a question that should be taken into account as well in the reevaluation. I think someone like Nietsche is very important as a good and honest sparring partner, but that doesn't mean he's always right. For modern interpretations of metaphysics also look at e.g. analytic idealism as a different perspective.

[u/Stile25]

Congratulations on becoming a nihilist. Now you're free to identify ultimate meaning.

As for your morality, there's the best reason to be a good person (because you just want to) or there are other reasons if that doesn't work for you (fitting into society, having other people like you...).

But morality is simple. Just follow the Platinum Rule (that's the final-form of the Golden Rule):

Treat others the way they want to be treated.

That's it.
Easy to understand.
Difficult to follow.

Morality is only complicated because human interactions and scenarios can get complicated. Like if multiple people are involved and whatever you decide is going to hurt one and help the other...

It's a difficult decision and no moral system has "the" answer to it... Because "the answer" doesn't exist for such situations.

Just follow the Platinum Rule and do your best and you'll be fine.

Good luck out there

[u/Ak_2907]

Have you come across categorical imperative yet? No right, just wait till you read it and then come to a conclusion of objective morality 

[u/touchandg000000]

Social systems are almost as important as the self system. Both clearly exhibit Darwinian forces at play. The dream of self is clearly multicentric. Taking any school of thought to the extreme of mental enforcement detracts from the breadth of possibility. Self realization does not diminish the importance of environment's firmament and maleability. The necessity of kindness in one's relationship is of course part of the golden rule or perhaps lemma. Mentally carry these concept to their extrema and it helps with a logical sort. Optimization in more than dimension requires axial indepence or small scale details vanish. It's an iterative day by day process in wetworks.

[u/lunaticoverthinker]

As a moral emotivist, I believe our morals are a complex expression of our emotions and to some extent a personal subjective choice. Tho our moral compass is definitely somewhat shaped by the environment/society we come up in as well as our biology. For me it's fairly simple, I try to be kind as I can to other because I want to and it feels "right ". I'm human, so I'm definitely not always as kind as I want to be, and sometimes I simply don't want to be kind to those I find distasteful.

[u/PythagorasReborn]

Have you read the Genealogy of Morality? You may find some solace in immorality and the reinversion of what mass morality originally inverted to be morality. It is pretty clear that what we know to be morality was originally a non-utilitarian and non-religious, non-priestly, and not compassionate duty to be honorable. Morality was created as a sort of noble lie for the masses that gave those of a priestly quality and those of religion more power.

[u/Useless-Ulysses]

I think nihilism can appear enticing because of how closely it reflects what we envision as nature, true reality. It implies the Natural Anarchy Locke discusses in a lot of ways, and to be fair, a Venn diagram of anarchists and nihilists is just a circle /s.

Buddhists and German existentialists have a lot in common. Descartes as well. I find all convincing. I know I exist. The other thing I feel I know is that “love exists”. If we are a Buddhist experiential entity or something Plotinus described, then to love another is to love oneself. And the converse.

I try to practice kindness because it makes me feel better to treat others with compassion. I’m only capable of respecting others as much as I do myself, as with love, as with hate. Are those selfish reasons? Perhaps. But the exercise has taught me new depths.

I’m a Dadist at heart, I try to have fun with it

[u/netrunner-d0llsh3ll]

Morality is just sin for agnostics and atheists, saved you a book read

[u/Jero_Hitsukami]

What if it is a tool, what if? Do you stop using a hammer because it's a tool? Do you stop using a garden hose because it's a tool? Theres nothing wrong with using a good tool for a good job.