The Search for Morality

(This essay was written in September 2019 and represents my views at that time. It is the second part of a series that portrays the evolution of my ideology.)

In the search for the origin and contents of morality there are three possible options:

1. God is real and his word is law.
2. There is some truth inherent in the universe and consciousness that is morality.
3. There is no overarching moral system, only individual beliefs.

What’s interesting about these different ideas is how they interact with each other once examined in practice, even though they seem from definition to be mutually exclusive.

For example, looking at option one, a question that arises is why there are many different beliefs about what God is and stands for, thereby evoking a glance at option three.

If we consider option two and state that some common moral views such as equality and freedom are just necessary byproducts of the evolution of consciousness within the universe then we end up with questions regarding option one such as how is the universe perfectly programmed to develop that morality.

This interconnection is also obvious when examining the third option; an important question about it being if morality is subjective then why is there a consensus forming throughout the world regarding values like equality and freedom.

All these questions without answers go to show how impossible it is to decide where morality ultimately comes from. We don’t even have the ability to begin to answer the questions yet.

We have yet to find proof that any God exists or decide if proof is even a valid thing to look for. We have yet to solve the riddles of science that would allow us to know if free will exists, what consciousness is, or if the universe is even real.

And we currently know so little about group and individual psychology, dynamics, nature vs nurture, and the governing process of individuals and societies, that deciding upon option three would result in complete intellectual and political anarchy that would end the search for morality altogether.

So what’s the solution? Well, there isn’t one. However, another interesting paradox is that human lives need a moral view, despite their very existence hindering the search for one.

So to avoid living a life devoid of a belief in morality, the best bet is probably to fake it till you make it; pick an option and test it out, the truth is that no one can say the choice is wrong. The search must go on within the options people choose to examine; to continue learning and hope for the best.

So, where do we find morality? Everywhere, and nowhere. And anyone who says they know what morality is is both wrong and an invaluable facet of the search for it.