The moral and the religious

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The moral and the religious
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The traditional view Ten commandments

• Religion as source of ethics
• Identity of religion and ethics?

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Euthyphro

• Is the holy loved by the gods because it is holy?
• OR
• Is it holy because it is loved by God?

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Immanuel Kant

• TREATS GOD AS A POSTULATE
• A CONDITION OF POSSIBILITY FOR ETHICS
• WITHOUT POSITING AN INFINITE WILL, ONE CANNOT
  ASSERT A MORAL OUGHT

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POPULAR VERSION

• GOD MUST EXIST TO ENSURE THAT HUMANITY CAN
  ACHIEVE THAT FOR WHICH IT MUST STRIVE.

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H. P. Owen

• Ethics proves Gods existence
• As a commandment the moral law necessarily points
  to a commander.
• Since the moral law is universal and absolute,
  the commander must be the same.
• The ought derives from the personal nature of the
  commander.

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Kai Nielsen Morality proves that God exists

• Syllogism
• If any being is God, it must be a fitting object
  of worship.
• No being could possibly be a fitting object of
  worship, since worship requires the abandonment
  of ones role as an autonomous moral agent
• Therefore, there cannot be any being who is God

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DEFINITIONS

• God defined as that which deserves to be
  worshipped.
• Morality requires that the subject is free.
• Worship requires that the subject offers up his
  freedom. Statue of Saint Ignatius
• If the imperative to be moral is categorical,
  that is, that we must be free is an imperative as
  well, then God cannot exist.

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Trethowan

• Moral awareness
• is a religious experience

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Dramatis personae

• EMPIRICIST assume that the self is a disembodied
  mind
• EXISTENTIALIST what is at stake in the human
  life is what he does or how he exercises his
  freedom
• EGOISTIC HEDONIST uses other people for his own
  happiness
• SECULAR HUMANIST interested in the happiness of
  others
• But as an atheist, he does not do this because
• God told him to
• He thinks that he must do to the other what he
  wants the other to do unto
• He does it because he sees an intrinsic value in
  humanity
• THEIST believes in God and believes that this
  implies responsibility for the other

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The secular humanist

• Although he does not recognize the existence of
  God
• He recognizes value (of humanity)

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Value

• something that is worthwhile
• When I see something is valuable I see it as
  deserving of my time and effort.
• Value leads to a specific commitment.
• When a stranger suddenly becomes valuable to me,
• it means I find myself having to spend time
  with him.
• If I think learning Swahili is important, then I
  must make time for it.
• WHAT I CONSIDER VALUABLE TRANSLATES INTO WHAT I
  DO OR HOW I SPEND MY TIME.

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THE OUGHT

• Something experienced as valuable is experienced
  as an ought.
• I feel that I have to do more for this cause
  (learning Swahili or environment or battered
  wives)
• Awareness of value is awareness of an ought.

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Dialogue between Trethowan and Secular Humanist

• Iltyd Why do still feel the need to do something
  good for humanity?
• SH Because humanity has an intrinsic value.
• Iltyd Granted. But why do you feel that there is
  an obligation to do so?
• SH I dont feel it as an obligation. I do it
  because I want to.
• Iltyd If your work for humanity is out a certain
  whim, then, you dont really see humanity as
  valuable.

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OBLIGATION OF THE HUMANIST

• For Trethowan the humanist must be able to
  account for the awareness of value
• An awareness of value is an awareness of an
  obligation.

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ASSERTION

• The awareness of value is an awareness of God.
• The obligation can come only as call from an
  Absolute.

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BUT

• He does not consider this as proof for Gods
  existence.
• Belief for him starts as suspicion
• He either confirms this suspicion or denies it
• Evidence of God vs Evidence for God

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An Evidence of God

• Human project
• Self-development
• This is experienced as absolute.
• While indifference and suicide are possible,
• A calm gaze on my talents would lead me to the
  conclusion that I ought to develop them.

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Religious Awakening

• The recognition of an undeniable obligation is a
  moment of religious awakening.
• This is a value that I do not produce myself,
  because I experience it as an ought.
• I feel the freedom to turn away from this
  obligation.
• I also feel the obligation.
• The obligation is experienced as a summons.

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Coming SoonThis SEMESTER

• Miguel de Unamunos
• Mist
• An Existentialist Play
• Directed by Jovi Miroy
• Design by Salvador Bernal, National Artist
• Tanghalang Ateneo