As an Atheist, where do you get your ethics from?

[SSanf]

If you do not have religion, how do you have ethics? How do you derive moral principles without a god?

Please, explain.

[Rudas Starblaze]

usually laws pretty much set the stage for ethics i think.

[Shanti]

From myself!
I have feelings and a conscience.
I don't need others nor a higher whatever to dictate whats right or wrong. Actually I often disagree with others.

I don't see right or wrong as set for all. Whats right is what feels good for you. Whats wrong is what feels wrong for you.

My ethics are based on what I feel is good to me, and bad to me.

And then as RS stated, we have laws to tell us what we have to follow. I disagree with many of them, but they have to be followed because I don't like the ramifications if their not, plus I am stuck living in a society so it makes sense to have a need to obey laws for the most part to keep the peace within society.

Personally I think religion should not set the stage for ethics because its obvious it serves its own desires above the majority within society.
Just look around the world today and at history and you an see where religion has been self serving in setting ethics. The fact that most is male dominated a obvious when you look at religious ethics over time and around the world. That is not whats best for the people, that's whats best for the men! Like Burkas. Keep the women subservient!

[Merrilyn]

From myself!
I have feelings and a conscience.
I don't need others nor a higher whatever to dictate whats right or wrong. Actually I often disagree with others.

I don't see right or wrong as set for all. Whats right is what feels good for you. Whats wrong is what feels wrong for you.

My ethics are based on what I feel is good to me, and bad to me.

Personally I think religion should not set the stage for ethics because its obvious it serves its own desires above the majority within society.

Much agreed with the excerpt above. It just comes from within.

[SSanf]

Some might call that, "If it feels good, do it." What would you respond to that?

[Rudas Starblaze]

Some might call that, "If it feels good, do it." What would you respond to that?

lol why do ya think i like to kill things!? it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!:)

[Shanti]

Some might call that, "If it feels good, do it." What would you respond to that?
Well, if your with in the law, so?
If your breaking the law, dont Bytch when you get busted.

[Juliana]

For me it is a simple matter of putting myself in someone else's shoes. How do I decide that it is wrong to steal, or cheat, or lie, or kill? Because I can put myself in the shoes of the victim and know that they would be hurt by it. Therefore I shouldn't do it. Of course this is a simplified version of the idea, but you get the picture. There are of course more complicated situations and for those the lines of right and wrong can get blurred. In such cases you have to think through what would be best for all involved or what is the lesser of the evils.

I think that morals are very much derived in this way. I do not think that I feel guilty when I do wrong because a god makes me feel guilty. I feel guilty because I know I have done something that harms another living being.

[David19]

I'm not an atheist, but my ethics come from my own conscience, I don't think anyone needs a religion or to worship a god or gods to be ethical and/or moral. Like unless you have no conscience at all, most people should know, without being told, that pediphilia is very wrong, that you shouldn't go on a rampage raping everyone you meet, etc.

[DoktorSick]

I would say reading and following the example of people
and ideas that I respect.And will get the results that I want.
I have been interested in the chinese martial arts so alot of that
philosopy has really made an impact on me.And the books I have read
about humanism.
And the general principle of doing the most about good and the less about harm.

[Glory]

From myself.

If not from myself - from my upbringing, from the fables I was told, from my mother's ideas and opinions, heck, from Sesame Street.

"God" is not the only source of moral ethics. Just look around you.