I'm an atheist, but I share some of the intuitions that seem to inform the faith of religious people. I don't believe in God, but I do believe that things matter, and I'm trying to understand how that is possible and what it means. That is the reason why I'm currently organising, in collaboration with the theologian Nigel Biggar, a conference in Oxford on the question whether morality needs religion. The conference will take place at the MCDONALD CENTRE FOR THEOLOGY, ETHICS & PUBLIC LIFE and will run from 10.30am on 16 May to 1.00pm on 17 May. The cost is £50 (£30 for students), including lunch. There will be an optional dinner in the Great Hall on Thursday evening. Limited space available. If you want to attend the conference or simply find out more about it, here's a link to the respective website: www.mcdonaldcentre.org.uk
Sunday 17 March 2013
Morality and Religion
I'm an atheist, but I share some of the intuitions that seem to inform the faith of religious people. I don't believe in God, but I do believe that things matter, and I'm trying to understand how that is possible and what it means. That is the reason why I'm currently organising, in collaboration with the theologian Nigel Biggar, a conference in Oxford on the question whether morality needs religion. The conference will take place at the MCDONALD CENTRE FOR THEOLOGY, ETHICS & PUBLIC LIFE and will run from 10.30am on 16 May to 1.00pm on 17 May. The cost is £50 (£30 for students), including lunch. There will be an optional dinner in the Great Hall on Thursday evening. Limited space available. If you want to attend the conference or simply find out more about it, here's a link to the respective website: www.mcdonaldcentre.org.uk
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Well, I would say that morality once needed religion, when humans were less aware of the concept. Today, morality has moved beyond religion. Morality now seems to have acquired its own momentum. Also, religions have lost much of their moral authority because of past bad behaviour on their part.
ReplyDeleteIn the past religions of different stripes had their own morality, most often preaching to their own and thus keeping the world divided. Today's world can't afford that, thus the mediocre role religions have been relegated to. Today, a world morality is developing, one that religions can only be subservient to and follow rather than create. Science has also add to the downward influence of religion.
Religions today are more a support mechanism for getting through the day than moral deciders.
Michael,
ReplyDeleteI am hoping you will someday write a critic of Ayn Rand's moral philosophy, Objectivism. Perhaps you will do one of your book reports on her book "Atlas Shrugged".
I don't think so. I'm afraid I don't feel the slightest inclination to concern myself with the writings of Ayn Rand.
DeleteI wouldn't read her stuff either. Nevertheless, I think a moralist philosopher like yourself should comment on her moral philosophy. After all, her moral philosophy of Objectivism is quite mainstream and 'in your face'.
ReplyDeleteYes, I guess that makes sense. It's astonishing actually how mainstream her philosophy seems to be, even some of my students here in Britain occasionally cite her. I find her simply obnoxious. But in order to analyse her outlook properly or even to say anything about it that is worth saying, I'd have to spend more time on it than I currently have or at least more than I'm currently willing to spend on it. But thanks for the tip!
DeleteFor a start, I found this a very interesting BBC documentary that included her:http://www.filmsforaction.org/watch/bbc_all_watched_over_by_machines_of_loving_grace/
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