What does the conceptual framework of atheism imply about the universe within which we live?
Part II of II
...As such, life has value only for today.
This leads to actions that are directed toward self satisfaction and self-serving ends.
This is not to say atheists are all self-serving. Rather, it is saying that with atheism, the concept of a Causative Force, the soul, and eternity are missing and do not add to our understanding of why we must elevate our behavior of living for the moment.
The lack of the ideas of a Causative Force, the soul, and eternity establishes a universe lacking the idealism these ideas create.
The lack of understanding that something may exist beyond our universe leaves us with only a limited universe for our dreams, idealism, understanding, and logic.
Philosophy, religion, and science then become limited just as do our dreams and imaginations.
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The value we place upon the individual depends upon the significance we perceive we have.
With the perception that existence only occurs in our universe, we limit our significance to just this universe.
As such, we define our own significance to exist within the boundaries of this universe.
This forces us into limiting our hopes, dreams, and creative insights to concepts that pertain to what lies in our physical reality, in our universe.
This limitation transfers into the logic we use to determine what is and what isn’t rational human behavior.
If life only exists today, then the only rational behavior is behavior that leads to pleasure.
Thinking in terms of elevating one’s behavior because it might be beneficial in the afterlife becomes an irrational act. Under atheism, intolerance of suffering, love of one another, justice being meted out in the afterlife become irrational.