Atheists Talk: Grant Steves on Ethics, Science, or Religion

Stephanie Zvan

Ethics, Science, or Religion – Which Has the Answer?

“If God does not exist, anything is permitted,” concludes Ivan Karamazov, a character in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s novel, The Brothers Karamazov. “Anything is permitted” – leads to ethics. What is the right thing to do? How has evolution influenced our ethical behavior? Has religion influenced our behavior? Are our values defined by our culture or our biology? As emotions develop, how do they help form our morality and values?”

“Ethics, Science, or Religion – Which Has the Answer?” These questions will be addressed in this program. This is a follow up to the talk Grant gave to the Minnesota Atheists meeting last November 20, 2011.

Grant is a former Board member of MNA and a past chairperson. He served as host for the Minnesota Atheists television show Atheists Talk and has been interviewed on the Minnesota Atheists radio show. He has contributed articles and reviewed books for the Minnesota Atheists newsletter. In the past, he has lectured on cults and fundamentalism. Grant has also delivered speeches at the Day of Reason. Grant holds a Doctorate in Theology, is a retired public school educator, debate coach.

The two bibliography lists below will give the listener more background and understanding of the extensive topics of ethics, science and religion.

Ethics and Morality

  1. Audi, Robert Moral Value and Human Diversity 2007
  2. Casebeer, William D. Natural Ethical Facts 2003
  3. Churchland, Patricia Braintrust 2011
  4. De Waal, Frans Primates and Philosophers 2006
  5. Gazzaniga, Michael S The Ethical Brain 2006
  6. Harris, Sam The Moral Landscape 2010
  7. Hauser, Marc D. Moral Minds 2006
  8. Hoffman, Martin Empathy and Moral Development 2000
  9. Holloway, Richard Godless Morality 2002
  10. James, Scott M. An Introduction to Evolutionary Ethics 2011
  11. Joyce, Richard The Evolution of Morality 2006
  12. Levy, Neil What Makes us Moral? 2004
  13. Singer, Peter The Expanding Circle 1981
  14. Sinnott-Armstrong, Walter Morality 2009
  15. Thompson, Paul Issues in Evolutionary Ethics 1995
  16. Wielenber, Erik J. Value and Virtue in a Godless Universe 2005

Religion

  1. Atran, Scott In Gods We Trust 2002
  2. Bellah, Robert Religion in Human Evolution 2011
  3. Boyer, Pascal Religion Explained 2001
  4. De Vries, Jan The Study of Religion 1967
  5. Eller, Jack David Introducing Anthropology of Religion 2007
  6. Guthrie, Stewart Faces in the Clouds 1993
  7. Kirkpatrick, Lee Attachment, Evolution, and the Psychology of Religion 2005
  8. Pals, Daniel L. Eight Theories of Religion 2006
  9. Pyysiainen, Ilkka How Religion Works 2003
  10. Saler, Benson Conceptualizing Religion 2000
  11. Stark,Rodeny and Roger Finke Acts of Faith 2000
  12. Wallace, Anthony Religion: An Anthropological View 1966
  13. Wilson, David Sloan Darwin’s Cathedral 2003

Listen to AM 950 KTNF this Sunday at 9 a.m. Central to hear Atheists Talk, produced by Minnesota Atheists. Stream live online. Call in to the studio at 952-946-6205, or send an e-mail to [email protected] during the live show. If you miss the live show, listen to the podcast later.

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Atheists Talk: Grant Steves on Ethics, Science, or Religion

About the author

Stephanie Zvan is one of the hosts for the Minnesota Atheists' radio show and podcast, Atheists Talk. She serves on the board of Secular Woman. She speaks on science and skepticism in a number of venues, including science fiction and fantasy conventions. Stephanie has been called a science blogger and a sex blogger, but if it means she has to choose just one thing to be or blog about, she's decided she's never going to grow up. In addition to science and sex and the science of sex, you'll find quite a bit of politics here, some economics, a regular short fiction feature, and the occasional bit of concentrated weird. Oh, and arguments. She sometimes indulges in those as well. But I'm sure everything will be just fine. Nothing to worry about. Nothing at all.
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