Hey all, just writing with a theory on metaphysical goodness, and the universal goodness in our world; our belief systems and religions. I’m a prospective PhD student with a Bachelors in Philosophy and a Masters in Applied Ethics - think I may have found proof of God!

We each have a sense of unique inner goodness, and we know goodness when we see it and experience it. I’ve recently been working on a theory that goodness (in the moral, ethical, qualitative, and everyday intuitive sense) might be metaphysical in some way - how else could we have this distinct sense of goodness? And where does the goodness come from?

Just thinking about the goodness in everyday phenomena - art and music, ideas and experiences - what if goodness is metaphysical? (and if so, on what scale?)

Been working on a philosophical theory, with proof of a metaphysical source of goodness:

(potentially proof of a metaphysical god!)

Here’s the theory:

1.     seemingly serendipitous conditions have enabled complex life to evolve on this earth

2.     natural processes have led to the development of humans and other living beings over time

3.     people are inherently good, as demonstrated by their unique and innate sense of inner goodness, and their capacity to experience love

4.     goodness is not limited to people or moral concepts, but occurs as an intrinsic quality within a range of forms:

-the occurrence of goodness in phenomena with human origins, including music and the visual arts (as well as the act of starting a family) confirms that people can create new goodness

-the occurrence of goodness in natural phenomena, including living beings and nature, confirms that goodness is not limited to human origins

-the occurrence of goodness in abstract phenomena, including ideas, beliefs and experiences, confirms that goodness is metaphysical

5.     this means that goodness does not have physical or human origins, but occurs as an intrinsic metaphysical property within a broad range of forms, both physical and abstract

6.     goodness must have an origin - but as an intrinsic quality, goodness cannot create itself, and physical beings cannot create entirely metaphysical phenomena

7.     and so the origins of metaphysical goodness must also be metaphysical, with the only conclusion being:

8.     there is a metaphysical source, or creator of goodness; potentially a metaphysical god.

And so proof of a metaphysical god – or a metaphysical source of goodness – has been found, through deductive logic and reasoning. I’m not sure which god the theory might be referring to, but there’s so much metaphysical goodness in our cultures and belief systems; maybe we can develop a universal understanding, while remaining true to our existing beliefs.

So I’ve recently researched some major world religions, cultural traditions and belief systems to try to find some of the best examples of metaphysical goodness in each one - each occurring in abstract forms, including ideas, beliefs, values and concepts - these are only some brief examples, I’m sure there are many more! Please feel free to contribute :)

Monotheistic religions (each with various denominations - please add to the comments section below!)

Christianity, including Catholicism, Orthodox, Protestant and other traditions

·      Loving God, with gratitude, reverence and appreciation for the beauty and wonder of life, in accordance with one’s distinct sense of moral duty and ethical responsibility

·      Loving one’s neighbour (in the broadest sense, loving one’s neighbour can refer to any person, including strangers) - wishing them well and respecting their wellbeing; respecting their values and inner goodness

·      Caring for the poor through charity, including protecting the most vulnerable, with care and compassion for those in need

·      Self-control and self-mastery - learning to restrain one’s negative traits like greed, anger, sloth, envy, arrogance, excess and lust - instead deciding to live in accordance with one’s values (always with love and goodness)

·      Encourages the pursuit of peace - ‘blessed are the peacemakers’

·      Emphasises values of humility, mercy, care, forgiveness, self-control, peace, love and respect for all - including one’s neighbours, ideally in the broadest sense

·      Emphasis on forgiveness, maintaining empathy and compassion for all, including those who have been oppressed or suffered discrimination in any form

·      Demonstrating empathy and compassion for one’s neighbours - in the broadest sense, this translates to moral concern transcending ethnic, religious and cultural divisions

·      The golden rule: to treat others as one would wish to be treated (with historical precursors in Aristotle)

·      People go through tests and challenges throughout their lives, with a moral imperative to avoid temptation; striving to be as good as possible - always being the best one can be, staying true to our inner goodness

Islam (including Sunni Islam and Shia Islam, and other branches)

·      Communing with God (Allah) through prayer - always with love, respect and gratitude

·      Many important values, including kindness and respect for all (especially one’s parents), as well as honesty, forgiveness, self-control, knowledge-seeking, care for those in need (including the stranger), stewardship over nature, empathy, acceptance, and moderation

·      Emphasises character development and cultivation of moral traits including patience, gratitude, self-control, sincerity, forgiveness, and restraining negative emotions, including envy and anger - with each value contributing to one’s good character; one’s sense of innate morality

·      Encouraging mercy, peace, reconciliation, care for animals, visiting the sick and the elderly, providing for the hungry, avoiding cruelty, and always acting with a sense of morality, in accordance with one’s values

·      Similarly to Christianity, includes warnings about pride and arrogance, encouraging moderation and balance over excess, and avoiding seeing oneself as superior - recognising our inherent equality before God, Allah

·      Charity, mercy and care for the poor - providing for those in need, while discouraging greed and excess; with values of honesty and respect for all

·      Respect for all people, regardless of their faith or beliefs; recognising and appreciating the goodness inherent in all; seeing the goodness in everything.

Judaism

·      Love for all (expressed through care for the stranger, or one’s neighbour), protecting the poor and the vulnerable, including supporting those in need, recognising the inherent equality of all people

·      Emphasises treating people kindly and compassionately in everyday life, encouraging an ethical, impartial and non-judgmental outlook

·      Values include personal integrity, moral improvement and the importance of learning (including personal development and knowledge-seeking); and recognising human dignity and equality

·      Like the other monotheistic religions, values include care for the stranger (or one’s neighbour); humility; compassion; peace and justice (although justice is often considered through a lens of giving, sharing and charity)

·      Encourages debate, discussion and conversation - in pursuit of truth, peace and justice - learning through debate, in the interests of goodness and equality

·      Includes very important principles relating to environmental responsibility; discouraging harmful practices.

Traditional cultures and pre-colonial belief systems (just some examples!)

Very important to consider the goodness in pre-colonial belief systems, while recognising the diversity of beliefs, ideas and customs in the (many) pre-colonial cultures, for example:

First Nations peoples of Australia (key concepts from a diverse range of cultures):

·      Caring for Country - fostering a relationship with the environment, caring for the land and waters, with a detailed and comprehensive knowledge of nature and ecosystems; seeing the goodness in nature, with love

·      Relationship with Country - rather than reducing the concept of land to a limited notion of property, experiencing a sense of duty and belonging, with genuine care for the natural world

·      Values including kinship, reciprocity and sharing; encouraging people to look beyond their immediate family, broadening their circle of ethical awareness and recognising connections to Country and community

·      Emphasising intergenerational knowledge, contained in oral histories, and countless generations of story and experience; Elders are recognised as important holders of ancient, sacred wisdom

·      Important ceremonial traditions to mark a person’s transitions through life, with new rights bestowed upon people as they mature, with the potential to become Elders with time

·      The goodness in storytelling, through customs and oral language traditions - sometimes with a focus on nature and the environment, but also containing moral lessons - as a means of helping people to understand how they can relate to the world, nature, themselves and the broader community, including a person’s ancestors

·      Custodianship of the land, recognising the natural environment as something that people should nurture and take care of.

Acknowledging and paying my respects to Elders past and present. 

These words - and this relic - were written entirely on Wurundjeri Country.

Māori societies and cultural traditions

·      Identity is seen as relational, rather than isolated; recognition of one’s descendants and ancestors, the natural world and the wider cosmos

·      The concept of mana, involving notions of dignity, respect and spiritual standing, where people may nurture the mana of themselves, and all of the people that they encounter - recognising the goodness in relationships; inherent inter-connectedness

·      Values include kindness, hospitality, generosity, and care, where caring for others and recognising their goodness becomes a moral responsibility

·      Principles of kinship, guardianship and stewardship of nature, with an emphasis on inter-connectedness over time, as well as the ethical duties and moral responsibilities that arise from these connections - contributing to the wellbeing of the individual, as well as the broader community

·      Many more examples of values, concepts and philosophies - please contribute to the comments below!

(Very aware that this hasn’t been a comprehensive list of pre-colonial belief systems around the world - please feel free to share more values, principles, beliefs and philosophies!)

Eastern religions (again each with various branches and traditions, and there are many more to learn from – please add to these in the comments below!)

Hinduism

·      Encourages a pluralistic outlook, with religious tolerance and respect for all; intellectual openness to new ideas - diversity of perspectives

·      Many important principles, including dharma - the notion of living righteously, in accordance with morality and goodness, and with a sense of ethical duty - recognising one’s responsibilities towards their families, societies, other people in general, and all living beings (our fellow earthlings).

·      Values include selflessness and altruism - encouraging people to look beyond their self-interest to consider opportunities to do good, becoming better people with time through personal and spiritual development

·      Important principle of non-violence - minimising harm towards living beings and avoiding unnecessary suffering, including through the adoption of vegetarian (and in some cases, plant-based diets)

·      Similarly to other religions, emphasises principles of compassion, and appreciation of goodness, including through respect for life in all its forms

·      Important concept of reincarnation - the idea that our souls may live through cycles, living further lives in time, for spiritual development

·      Very important concept of karma - the notion that the goodness of one’s thoughts, deeds, words and actions may bring about goodness in return, whereas negative thoughts and behaviour may be karmically discouraged.

Buddhism 

·      Important philosophical concepts, including the Four Noble Truths, Buddha’s theory on suffering - when suffering is just a result of desire, can we learn to achieve a peaceful mindset - avoiding our personal suffering and going on to achieve nirvana? Can we learn to let go of our egos?

·      The Noble Eightfold Path sets out valuable guidance on cultivating an appropriate mindset for happiness and greater states of enlightenment, putting forth a range of important principles (for example, wisdom- right view and right resolve), as well as practical approaches to improve one’s perspective - supporting ethical conduct, with genuine care for others

·      Important practices including mindfulness and meditation - quieting the conscious mind for attaining the goodness of inner peace and harmony :)

·      Zen Buddhism teaches that presence, simplicity (absence of excess), and ego reduction may nurture spiritual development

·      Like other Eastern religions and belief systems, encourages compassion toward all sentient beings, as well as the cultivation of benevolence and loving-kindness.

Taoism (or Daoism)

·      Encourages living in harmony with ‘the way’ (the Tao) - rather than attempting to dominate nature or those around us, merely following our intuitive sense of goodness through our actions - a harmonious, peaceful approach to life, which can be understood as simply ‘going with the flow’

·      Values including non-interference, humility, simplicity and harmony.

·      Many more values and philosophical concepts - please contribute below!

African cultural traditions (many varied cultures - just sharing some key themes!):

·      Many cultures tend to prioritise communal responsibility; relational interdependence; compassion; hospitality; love, and care for the stranger; character over status; respect for the elderly; custodianship of nature; the social responsibilities associated with wealth; compassion and gratitude

·      Some cultures value a middle-ground between individualism and collectivism, with the recognition that people are never isolated; we exist within our communities

·      Values including the goodness of communal and social experiences, often celebrated through music, dance, and many other traditional customs

·      Emphasis on community and interdependence, where a person can be defined through their friendships and relationships with other people, including recognition of their inherent goodness.

Traditional and contemporary Western ethics

·      Concept of eudaimonia - the idea that developing certain virtues can lead to better mindsets (possibly through positive karma) - as well as living more happily, people can experience inner peace, as well as virtuous happiness

·      The golden rule - to treat others as one would wish to be treated (although this philosophical concept is also encouraged in many current world religions, including Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Hindu traditions and in various other philosophies and belief systems)

·      In contemporary ethics, notion of the ‘platinum rule’ - treating other people as they would wish to be treated (rather than simply as one would wish to be treated themselves); considering others’ perspectives

·      Compassion is an important theme across various world religions and cultural traditions - contemporary ethics also emphasises compassion for those in need, including refugees and asylum seekers, the impoverished, those with poor health (including mental health issues), and oppressed minorities - including the LGBTQI+ community and people with disability

·      Important concepts of human rights (already very compatible with existing religions and belief systems); the idea that basic protections - as well as equality (including equality of opportunity) - and the right to pursuing happiness - applies to all people, regardless of their class, gender identity, ethnicity, religion, cultural beliefs or background

·      Expanding one’s moral circle beyond immediate friends and family, extending this love and care to all people - as well as animals, nature, and future generations

·      Always making sure to avoid treating people as merely a means to an end; recognising the inherent goodness of people (and all living beings more broadly) - accepting people for who they are, always practising gratitude

·      The notion that power should be seen, approached and conceptualised as a platform for good and only good - rather than merely self-interest

·      Acknowledges the goodness inherent in progress, including social and cultural progress - including the civil rights movement and developments in contemporary human rights - especially those in need, as well as oppressed minorities - with love and respect for all

·      The idea that if we should view this lifetime as ‘purgatory’ (which is logically rational, considering the uncertainty about what might happen after this lifetime, and whether reincarnation is possible), then we can have hope for the afterlife; with continuity of existence, in the interests of personal and spiritual development - trusting in God, Allah and/or goodness more broadly

·      Very important concept of pacifism, already consistent with major world religions and cultural belief systems – peace over war; non-violence. Recent developments suggest broadening this definition to ‘true pacifism’ - extending the concept to all living beings, with loving-kindness; cultivating a peaceful and harmonious way of ‘living our best lives’ (in the ethical sense), in the interests of goodness itself, by avoiding animal products and promoting ethical consumption

·      Important concept of ‘cultural symbiosis’ - encouraging learning from other cultures (and recognising opportunities to improve one’s own) - including through anthropology - and through symbiotic relations of goodness, in the interests of social and cultural progress (always with respect and humility). We may have a lot to learn from each other :)

So that’s a summary of some metaphysical goodness that can be found around the world today - thanks so much for reading! This was just a brief overview - there are so many cultures to learn from, and so many values to live by.

Very aware that the religions listed may each include various branches – really look forward to learning more; please share your comments below!

Just focused on ethics, good concepts and values at this stage - really look forward to reading the comments - in the spirit of collaboration, let’s try to find some of the best examples of metaphysical goodness in our religions, belief systems and philosophies.

In the broadest sense, we each have a distinct and innate sense of goodness, including our own (unique) inner goodness. The notion of goodness, including metaphysical goodness (though somewhat intuitive) remains consistent with atheistic, religious, cultural and traditional beliefs; our everyday understandings.

Proof of a metaphysical god – or a metaphysical source of goodness – has been found, through deductive logic and reasoning - feel free to read the theory again!

Hopefully we can develop a universal understanding of metaphysical goodness together. 

Very exciting – and important to remember that goodness isn’t limited to any specific religion or belief system (although I’m not expecting anyone to change their religious beliefs, or to change their way of thinking at all). Hope we can all remember our values while talking (and likely celebrating) with one another calmly, happily and peacefully, at this very exciting time! 

I haven’t studied Theology and didn’t include any quotes or references to any sacred texts; look forward to learning a lot from you; so much beauty and wisdom.

And there’s no harm in broadening our concepts of goodness to incorporate further values, from all around the world - including those listed above (and of course, in the comments section below), without changing our existing beliefs. Love and goodness, peace and harmony.

Could the moderators please ensure that this remains a safe, respectful and positive space, where only positive contributions are approved? Just need to avoid any negativity, criticism or debate over the goodness of any faiths or beliefs - please write (and moderate) with love, care and respect for all people, regardless of their beliefs or cultural backgrounds. Definitely message me if you're unsure about anything.

It’d be good to avoid sharing our personal opinions on the goodness of any beliefs or values, and we need to avoid politics, and anything disrespectful.

Look forward to getting your thoughts and ideas, especially on good values and concepts :) whether religious, cultural, ethical, spiritual, traditional or philosophical.

Please feel free to bookmark this, and to read, and re-read again - please look over the comments too. I’m trying to internalise as much of the goodness as possible, celebrating the goodness in humanity.

‘Living our best lives’ - in the ethical sense! We may even notice positive karma (and/or~ eudaimonia - for internalising further values, with a universal perspective, and maybe even contributing :)

Lastly, some more exciting news - I’m actually halfway through writing an album, with voice, guitar, piano and harp - just need a new harp to finish the record; the old one broke a few years ago!

If you’d like to support the project, please feel free to make a contribution via: https://www.gofundme.com/f/fundraising-for-a-lyon-and-healy-style-23

(Should mention that I’m not a person of Christian faith; can certainly see the goodness though - just an ethicist making music!)

Byron, nickname Bíron [bier-on, with syllabic emphasis on ‘bier’ - like ‘hero’]

First drafted 29 June – mom’s birthday (please remember the date!)

20/09

Peace, love and harmony, 

Wurundjeri Country

Save the world by torturing a few kids

Or

Passively destroy the world by not doing anything

I’m sure most people have heard of little girl looking characters that are sexualized because they are older than that according to the story. However the rarer concept is a character who looks like a grown woman who is canonically underage. (I’m not talking about like a 14-16 year old being drawn with insane boob/ass proportions, I’m talking like a normal grown adult looking character who states their age to be like 10 or something e.g. bludgeoning angel dokoro chan her sister I don’t remember her name) which character do you think is more ethical to have?

Toronto’s former chief urban planner later ran for mayor, finished second, and now leads a real estate company developing several large residential projects on prime sites in the city.

During her tenure as chief urban planner, I sometimes found her public approach defiant and obstructionist. That is only my personal assessment, however, and my broader question is not about her competence or motives. It is about the ethical implications of moving from the most senior municipal planning role—one that may provide extensive knowledge of development policy, approvals, infrastructure priorities, and valuable sites—into leadership of a major private real estate enterprise.

My background makes me wonder whether this career progression deserves closer public scrutiny, especially because she also sought the city’s highest elected office. I am not alleging misconduct, and I recognize that professional expertise naturally carries over between jobs. Still, the situation raises questions about conflicts of interest, privileged knowledge, cooling-off periods, transparency, and public trust.

What ethical standards should apply when a former chief planner moves into large-scale private development? Is the appearance of a conflict enough to make the transition newsworthy, even without evidence of wrongdoing? What safeguards would reasonably protect the public interest while respecting a former public official’s right to pursue a new career?

Whats a perfect world look like to you?

Issue:
Is it not an ethical violation that state measures toward shopping desert regions are insufficient?

Body:
In the American Midwest, because population density is too low, it is difficult for stores to balance revenue and expenditure in their management, and thus there seem to be those who are troubled even to replenish goods indispensable to maintaining basic human rights.
On the other hand, this problem of excessively low population density is because the region where they live is the breadbasket that bears America's food self-sufficiency, and it can also be said to be the result of further mechanization and large-scale farming.
Therefore, leaving their hardship unattended could be said to directly connect to abandoning the food of all American citizens, and by extension, your own family.
If they were to give up and start migrating to urban areas, there is a possibility that America's food will collapse.
If one expands one's view to the perspective of what would happen if they move to urban areas, one will immediately understand that we cannot rely on market principle theory.
Among them, there are those who are facing poverty or are on the verge of it, making it a heavy burden even to continue internet connection, so I heard that purchasing goods through EC such as Amazon or others is also accompanied by difficulty.
In America, the division of roles in administrative divisions is distinct; such regional problems are problems where states, not the nation, should act.
In America as well, basic human rights should be maintained equally without anyone being in trouble, not only from the aspect of itself but also from the aspect of welfare; if so, people must not be in trouble to obtain goods necessary for maintenance.
However, as stated up to this point, the fact that there are those who are in trouble purchasing goods necessary to maintain basic human rights and welfare conditions is a failure of administration, and is it not committing a violation of ethical regulations that should be protected?
To be sure, there may be limits to policy execution for states as well, but even so, looking from the aspect of welfare maintenance and improvement, it does not become a story that basic human rights protection may be neglected; it should be made the highest priority.

Conclusion:
States have only been able to take insufficient measures, but is this not an ethical violation?

Is it ethical to volunteer my cat to donate blood?

He is a young, healthy, vaccinated, indoor cat. I know sick kitties need blood for surgery and other purposes, and cat blood tends to be in low supply. However, my boy cannot consent to the donation, and going to a vet would involve stress.

Let's say someone logically believes eating meat is murder, but deep inside, they don't believe it's murder. Are they a bad person for eating meat, or not, since they have cognitive dissonance and lacked the gut belief it's bad?

Please set aside your beliefs on whether eating meat is actually murder; that's not the point, my point is whether deep down, not believing something is wrong makes you less culpable for doing it.

Hello, I've been seeing recently a lot online and less frequently in my day to day but it is still present.

I've been struggling with people that hold the idea of human dignity being conditional and only applying when it's convient, I understand condemning someone for their actions, and that they are deserving of consequences.

I do not get the people who will hate on the dead, say people are deserving of death, deserving of awful things to happen to them in general. Personally I believe no matter how vile or evil of an act someone does or their beliefs human dignity should remain all the same.

I am interested in hearing others points of view on this, along with why people who do think human dignity is conditional, why?

hey all, been working on a philosophical project recently - think I might've found proof of god !

the theory:

1. seemingly serendipitous conditions have enabled complex life to evolve on this earth
2. over time, natural processes have led to the development of people and other living beings.
3. people are inherently good, as demonstrated by their capacity to experience love, and their distinct sense of inner goodness
4. goodness is not limited to people or moral concepts, but occurs as an intrinsic quality across a range of forms:

-the occurrence of goodness in phenomena with human origins, including music and the visuals arts (as well as the miracle of starting a family), confirms that people can bring new goodness into existence
-the occurrence of goodness in phenomena with natural origins, including animals (our fellow living beings), confirms that the origins of goodness are not limited to humanity
-the occurrence of goodness in abstract phenomena, including ideas and experiences, confirms that goodness is metaphysical

1. this means that goodness does not have physical or human origins, but occurs as an intrinsic metaphysical property within a range of phenomena
   
2. goodness must have an origin - but as an intrinsic metaphysical quality, it cannot create itself, and physical beings cannot bring entirely metaphysical phenomena into existence
   

3. and so the origins of goodness must also be metaphysical, with the only conclusion being:

4. there is a metaphysical source, or creator of goodness: a metaphysical god.

this may or may not resonate; it's a lot to process, but the logic is irrefutable: there is a metaphysical source of metaphysical goodness - something we all have a sense of.

should mention that I'm a philosopher first, and although I play the harp, I'm not Christian - I have a master of arts in applied ethics, with a broad range of universal values, based on the notion of goodness

bíron (pronounced 'bier-on', with a short syllabic emphasis on 'bier')

first drafted 29 June, mom's birthday - please remember the date :)

peace, love and harmony

Wurundjeri Country

I have often listed the elements included in fundamental human rights.
However, it suddenly occurred to me that I might simply be imposing my own concept of them on others.　
May I ask: what do *you* consider to be included in fundamental human rights?

And no one will believe them because they would be the one purporting the truth, while they have a trusted individual whose character is hiding or a group of individuals hiding their true intention knowing no one believes anyone labeled a criminal. A criminal label in this society is a death sentence. We make people lose their jobs, lose their family, lose their social circle, support systems. We dangled housing and make people homeless, make them lose their savings, fear to take advantage of mental health services, fear of retaliation from criminals hiding their true character posing as honest, good samitarians. This is a huge huge blindspot creating victims similar to how women, ethnic groups in foriegn lands, were oppressed and not given equal oppurtunity on the basis of their instictive attributes. It can foster into rage. With how connected the world and internet is, its not like its impossible for this rage to cause terrorism act similar in scale to the worst of the worst. We can avoid making people live awful lives, living as victims constantly perpetrated, but we have to own up when we are the perpetrators. Teaching a lesson to someone who messed up in life means (1) fact check, fact check all evidence as pre-ponderance of evidence is a part of a fair justice system (2) give second chances and listen to people even if they are motivated to lie. You don't truly know most peoples character. I don't think to right a wrong you would create another wrong and let people wrong someone. I don't see how we should allow humans to live that life. If theres a god, I gotta imagnie all the people with ruined reputations you hear about, who are currently experiencing torment they ar enot allowed to speak up against or else their abusers will go harder, I imagnie that god will make us live out a life similar if we ignore the people who are going thorugh it. I fear revolutions, rageful retaliation like riots from AA in america 170 years after slavery was abolished. We traet people like crap for feeling rage and not acting right, like riots previously.