[The Saucepan Man]

phantom

... what about that "minority" that does derive contentment from immorality? What reason do they have to act morally?

They don't. That's why they act immorally.

Also, if someone is acting morally just for the contentment it brings to them, does it make them moral or self-centered?

Both. I accept that moral action may be based on seflish motives. But associating individual pleasure with behaviour that furthers the species is a basic principle in ensuring the continued survival of that species.

If contentment is their goal, wouldn't they act immorally in some situations if they could see that it would yield more contentment than the moral path?

Not where moral behaviour is itself the source for their contentment.

And why should society matter to someone? Why should they try to help others at their expense?

The individual benefits from living within a scoiety. Therefore it is generally in the interests of the individual to act in the interests of society.

If his existence is over when he dies then the universe is basically over at his death (from his point of view), so why should he care what effect he has?

Precisely. That's why, to my mind, there has to be more to it than belief in a higher authority. Otherwise, why would those who do not believe in such an authority act, as the majority do, in a moral manner?

What I'm getting at is there doesn't appear to be an all encompassing logical or explainable reason for everyone to behave morally.

There isn't. Not everyone does behave morally.

And since the slaying of a serial killer would likely benefit society does this make my emotional reaction moral?

No, not if you were to act on it. Society does not benefit from "mob rule" or from people taking the law into their own hands. In this case, the benefit to society would lie in the serial killer being apprehended and convicted through due process.