In response to Jacob's blog post from earlier this week, I decided to address the issue of Ivan's detached contemplation, morality, and their apparent incompatibility. I think that Jacob touched upon an important aspect of Ivan's reasoning regarding morality; that Ivan believes that the only reason to live a moral life is to secure a good afterlife. While I disagree with Jacob that there is a "secular obligation" to lead a moral life, I do think that the hope of an afterlife is not the sole reason to lead a moral life. There are many people who behave morally because it is the best way to function in a social environment. Many others believe in a "humanistic" view of morality, which holds that it is both objective and based on compassion and respect for other persons (often including the animal type). Furthermore, while people clearly vary in their morals and their adherence to them, I wonder if it is possible to be amoral. If one claims that he or she wishes to live without morals, is that not a moral in itself? Are they not prescribing a way in which one (themselves) ought to live?
Is it possible to live without morals?
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