Morality

When we look at morality as a product of evolution we can most clearly see it as a outcome of consciousness. Obviously we wouldn’t say that a black widow spider is immoral for eating her mate – she is simply acting on instinct to enhance its survival. However, we would rightly condemn any woman who upon mating with her partner, proceeded to cook him up and eat him. The difference is consciousness – she is able to take into consideration his value and is aware of the level of suffering he would go through.

Rather than a set of rules delivered from a God on high, which have historically included a number of arbitrary ones, morality within evolutionary spirituality is dependent upon consciousness, reason and empathy.

It is however still important to recognise the role of ritual rules in religious morality.

It is equally important to consider the psychological mechanism of the shadow.

Evolutionary spirituality also invites us to consider the evolutionary reasons and consequences of our ethical decisions. A woman in her thirties may leave a relationship with a man who doesn’t want children, a rule-based religious view of marriage such as that of the Christian church might view divorce as a sin, an evolutionary perspective might offer more understanding. Not to say these issues are ever simple.