...PHI-112, Summer 2013 The Good Life, Late-Modern vs. Post-Modern Hart, M. J. June 16, 2013 Most of the late-modern philosophers took a completely different view of ethics and a moral society as their predecessors. Aside from Kierkegaard’s deeply religious views, their ideas were to get away from religion being necessary to achieve a good life. The emphasis was one in which people should not think in order to be ethical one must be religious. This seemed as if they were all of a sudden coming out and saying the earlier philosophers were wrong in tying ethics and religion. The post-modern philosophers pursued this line of thinking further, going back to the basics from the beginning of recorded history and evaluating just how moral beliefs evolved. By trying to understand why religious ideas and living the good life became so intertwined in early philosophers’ psyche, the post-modern philosophers do have a better understanding of the good life as opposed to the late-modern philosophers, who were still working through some of the fallacies which have developed over the centuries, with the 20th century philosophers embracing a friendly debate of opposing ideas. Because religion was felt so necessary centuries ago, the natural course of progression to an understanding that one could be ethical and moral regardless of religious beliefs, we had to go through the religious denial stage of the 19th century, which seemed to be the overarching...
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...Evaluate Marxist contributions to religion 33 marks Marxism is a conflict theory that makes the assumption that capitalism oppresses the working class within society. This referring to the bourgeoisie (the rich) controlling the proletariat (the poor) as a means of labour through religion. Neo-Marxism believes there is conflict but has an alternative view to tradition Marxists. Marx believes that religion is made to keep the bourgeoisie and the proletariat separate from one another. He states that religion oppresses the working class by giving them a good work ethic by telling them to go to church and that they would be rewarded in the afterlife if they work hard. This allowed the ruling class to exploit them without them knowing, with full consent as they are too absorbed by being rewarded in the afterlife (e.g. going to heaven). This is why religion is said to be the division of classes. However, Durkheim disagrees with this and states that religious institutions play a central part in creating and maintaining value consensus, social order and social solidarity. This is said to be done through the sacred and profane. Sacred things inspire awe and wonder whereas profane things have no special significance, and are “mundane”. The argument is that worshiping the sacred is worshiping society due to the mass amount of power society has and provokes such a feeling. This means religion creates social solidarity within society as people who believe in religion share the same norms and values...
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...of how to deal with the world. Rules and norms, in turn, are the main subject matter of ethics. This is why all areas of knowledge can be connected with ethics. History, Mathematics, Human sciences and others support kind of ethics, but to what extent do all of these help people to understand morality and make the right decisions? Knowing sometimes can be an advantage or disadvantage depending on the circumstances. In the case of ethics it could help or hinder people knowing what to do. On the other hand, we all search for the real life reasons which will lead us the right way. Knowledge issues are sometimes controversial in Ethics, because quite often there is a conflict between two or more branches of, for example between social morality and the religious morality. Each person accepts and follows different kind of moral rules, under different cirsumstances. The controversies in the society what is right and what is wrong are huge. We either support some rules or do not. People often argue about their beliefs, no matter if they are religious or not. Such example could be given in history. To clarify, history is the study of the human past. It is a field of research which uses a narrative to examine and analyse the sequence of historical events, and it sometimes attempts to investigate objectively the patterns of cause and effect that determine past events. On the other hand, ethics is the branch of philosophy that addresses morality, that is, what is right and wrong, good...
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...Understanding the Dilemma of Ethical Decision Making Understanding ethics and utilizing ethical business practices are key to the success in modern business. Traditional business organizations must take into consideration many more aspects of business today, than in the past when the focus was primarily on profits and making money for the shareholders. These ethical principles also influence non-profit and government organizations as well, taking into account the same ethical considerations that for profit organizations deal with. The modern concept of ethical organizations takes into account many issues, some of which include: • corporate social responsibility • the triple bottom line (economic, social and environmental) • ethical management and leadership • globalization • sustainability This list is not all inclusive. Ethics and ethical behaviors cover a wide range of factors and situations. Throughout the world there are many different definitions. With cultural, regional and society based interpretations of the concept. As such there are no world wide set of rules and no set standards of what is ethical. With the growing importance of ethics in the modern world, the fact that there are no set rules is fascinating. This begs the question, what is ethical? To understand this concept we must look deeper than the common definition of what an ethical organization is. There are so many factors that influence and affect an organizations ability...
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...What do ethics mean? A sociologist Raymond Baumhart ask business people this question and their answer included, “ethics has to do with what my feeling is telling me what is right”.” Ethics has to do with my religious belief, “Ethics has to do with law”. “Ethics consist of the standards of behavior our society accepts (Vasquez, 1987). These answers are typical of our society, but are not correct meaning of ethics. For example, feeling frequently deviate from ethics and a person following his or her feeling may recoil from what is right. Some people associate ethics with religion. This seems like a reasonable choice when religion advocates a high ethical standard, but everyone is not religious and ethics even apply to non-religious people. Being ethical is not the same as following the law. For example slavery was legal in the United States, but most people would say it was unethical and even in more modern time apartheid was legal in South Africa, but unethical. If we base ethics on what society accepts then we would have said Nazi Germany Crimes against the Jews were ok. I don’t believe that’s the case. If being ethical were doing what society accept, then to find out what is ethical one would have to find out what society except. So what is ethics? I will discuss ethics, the development aspects of ethics, my ethical system and what shaped my ethics and how ethics affects my performance in the work place. Ethics refer to the standards of right and wrong that prescribe what...
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...CHRISTIAN ETHICS IN A POSTMODERN WORLD The Rise of Postmodernity Since Federico de Onis’s use of the term ‘postmodernismo’ to describe the Spanish and Latin-American poetry of 1905-1914 which had reacted against the ‘excess’ of modernism in 1934, (Rose 1991: 171) “Postmodernism” became very popular. It has been used in the fields of art (Christo-Bakargiev 1987), architecture (Pevsner 1967), literature (Hassan 1971), video, economics, films (James 1991), ideology (Larrain 1994: 90-118), theology (Tilley at al 1995), and philosophy (Griffin et al 1993). In trying to understand ‘postmodern’, we have to understand ‘modern’ first. According to Rose (1991: 1), there are many related yet different meanings associated with the term ‘modern’. First of all, Arnold J. Toynbee understands modern as referring to the historical phenomenon of The most significant of the conclusions that suggest themselves is that the word ‘modern’ in the term ‘Modern Western Civilization’, can, without inaccuracy, be given a more precise and concrete connotation by being translated ‘middle class’. Western communities became ‘modern’ in the accepted Modern Western meaning of the word, just as soon as they had succeeded in producing a bourgeoisie that was both numerous enough and competent enough to become the predominant element in society. We think of the new chapter of Western history that opened at the turn of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries as being ‘modern’ par excellence because...
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...Dalai Lama Religious Traditions: * Follows tradition of Buddhism * Known for being the spiritual head of Tibetan * Unlike other religions, Buddhism centre’s within the mind and having not having a supreme god but instead, a teacher * There are many representations of the Buddha Tibetan Buddhism * To become enlightened * Dedication * Meditation <- main activity * Calm, clarity Succeeding Generations * Education, skills and expertise * Show interest in the global preparation issue * Our determination and will power to change the world -> combined: sources of our strength Quote: “No matter what obstacles or difficulties, we can overcome these problems.” 3 Main Commitments In Life * Promotion of human values -> compassion, forgiveness, tolerance, contentment and self-discipline * All human beings are the same * All want happiness and do not want any suffering * Promotion of religious harmony and understanding the worlds major religious traditions * Important for all religious traditions to respect one another and recognize the value of each others respective traditions. * To work to preserve Tibet’s Buddhist culture, a culture of peace and non violence Ethical Decision Making * “In order to lead a meaningful life, you need to cherish others, pay attention to human values and cultivate inner peace.” * “Pour main aim is to promote human values with a view to creating a more peaceful world for its...
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...Religions influence on American Democracy and it's effect on Globalization Abstract A person's religious beliefs greatly influence his or her ethical behaviors. According to reports, religion is one of the strongest motivators for individuals to exhibit ethical behaviors in all areas of their lives. Modern thought tends to see religion as one sphere of society, alongside politics, economics, science, family, morality and so on. There is much written about business and organizational ethics but there is little written about the behaviors that people display to demonstrate they are ethical humans. It is almost as if an organization is perceived as an entity capable of doing behaviors without the human element. Decisions within the corporate world are shaped not merely by ethical ideals but also by economic, social, political and legal constraints. Christian ethics, for most people, becomes the art of discerning the morally "more or less," the less than perfect "better or worse," in the myriad of trade-offs among competing values and interests. Modern thought tends to see religion as one sphere of society, alongside politics, economics, science, family, morality and so on. There is much written about business and organizational ethics but there is little written about the behaviors that people display to demonstrate they are ethical humans. It is almost as if an organization is perceived as an entity capable of doing behaviors without the human element. This...
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...SWAMI VIVEKANANDA AND ETHICS PREFACE This paper presents the Ethics of Swami Vivekananda. It shows how anyone's life's condition may be improved through an understanding of the ethics of Swami Vivekananda and the application of his principles to lead a better existence. This paper is primarily addressed to all interested in the working of spirituality and religion from Swami Vivekananda's perspective, which will play a very important role in the growth and development of the oneself. An understanding of ethics, as one of the basic factors that influence behavior will help us shift towards the necessity and purity of universalism by treating all around us equally. Grateful acknowledgment is here made to our History professor, Mrs Archana Raj Mishra and those who helped us gather data for this paper. This work would not have reached its present form without their invaluable help. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND Swami Vivekananda was born on 12th January 1863 in Kolkata. He was named Narendranath Datta by his parents Vishwanath Datta and Bhuvaneshwari Devi. Swamiji’s father was a successful attorney while mother had qualities like deep devotion and a strong character. Swamiji was always bright student. Being from an affluent family, he graduated from the Calcutta University and had a vast knowledge of different subjects, especially Western philosophy and History. Nonetheless he was also good at Music, Gymnastics and Studies. One would wonder how a person could excel in so many things...
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...------------------------------------------------- Religion in a Global Context For secularisation theory, modernisation undermines religion. The importance of science and technology in economic development, and the rational worldview on which they depend, are seen as destroying belief in the supernatural. On the other hand, religion may contribute to development, as Weber argued in the case of the protestant ethic (AO2 – Gordon Marshall and Peter Berger). More recently, sociologists have examined what role religion may play in development in today’s globalising world. Religion and Development Meera Nanda - God and Globalisation in India Globalisation has brought rising prosperity to India’s new middle class. Nanda’s book ‘God and Globalisation’ examines the role of Hinduism, the religion of 85% of the population, in legitimating both the rise of a new Hindu ‘ultra-nationalism’ and the prosperity of the Indian middle class. Hindusim and Consumerism Globalisation has created a huge and prosperous, scientifically educated, urban middle class in India, working in IT, Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology sectors closely tied into the global economy. According to Inglehart and Norris, these are precisely the people whom secularisation theory predicts will be the first to abandon religion in favour of a Secular View (AO2). Yet as Nanda Observes, a vast majority of this class continue to believe in the supernatural. A survey by the ‘Centre for the Study of developing Societies (2007)’ found that Indians...
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...and institutions loose social significance. There has been evidence to suggest that church attendance and the number of baptisms and church weddings are declining. However some sociologists reject secularisation theory and argue that religion is simply changing, rather than declining. They believe it is changing as a result of changes in wider society, such as, greater individualism and consumerism, or a shift from modern to late modern or postmodern society. Davie is one of these sociologists; in her view religion is taking a different, more privatised form. She explains this by giving the example of that people no longer go to church because they feel they have to or because it is respectable to do so. She says that although churchgoing has declined it is simply because attendance is now a matter of personal choice rather than the obligation it used to be. As a result there is believing without belonging, where by people hold religious beliefs but don’t go to church. Therefore the decline of traditional religion is matched by the growth of the new form of religion. Davie also notes a trend towards vicarious religion, whereby people are experiencing religion second hand. This is a typical pattern in Britain and northern Europe. In these societies people still use the church for rites of passage, rituals that make a change of status such as baptisms, weddings and funerals. Similarly Bibby’s findings show that only 25% attended church but 80% said they have religious beliefs...
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...Umar Faruk A00013589 PHI 201 RELIGION IN A MODERN SOCIETY INTRODUCTION Today’s religion did not originate from space; they did exist from ancient faiths which may have been swept away by time. The ancient religion may not be as active as in the past but have continued to influence our present culture. The 19th century had a change in knowledge about other religion, ethics and beliefs and showed a gradation in economy of a state, these stages of progression includes that of Abrahamic to middle age religion, down to their mode of socialization with the environment. ORIGIN OF RELIGION Religion evidence dates back to thousands of years. Archaeologist used apparent burials from Homo sapiens as yardsticks of religious ideas. Other evidence includes symbolic images from middle stone ages, especially that of Africa. However, the interpretation of the paleo-images and their direct meaning with respect to how they relate with religious beliefs remains a controversy, as compared to more recent remains. Various theories have been put down by scholars more recently to supporting the originality and origin of religion rather than believing in earlier claims by Christian beliefs that the world was unreligious (non-religion). Edward Burnett, Tylor, and Herbert Spencer proposed the theory of “Animism” while a renowned archaeologist, john Lubbok described earlier religion as “Fetish”. Other scholars like Max Miller in his theory defined earlier religion as “Hedonism”, while Wilhem Mannhardt...
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...a harmonious, orderly society. During the early twentieth century, Confucianism lost its dominance in the political and educational systems of China. Throughout the modern era, the moral teachings that form the heart of Confucianism have continued to shape the attitudes and behaviors of millions of people worldwide.(Coogan, 1998) The contemporary issues can be understood by examining the common characteristics of Confucianism and other eastern religions, analyzing the interactions between the modern world and Confucianism, and studying how those interactions influence Confucianism and the modern world. Common Characteristics Among Eastern Religions Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism are three religions that make up the essence of traditional, Chinese culture. While all three religions have differences, the religions also share fundamental elements such as purpose, principle, and teachings that have created a strong and long lasting way of life for the Chinese culture. When comparing religions a person can deduce that all religions have a purpose and follow a specific set of rules, guidelines, and traditions. The vessel that leads each individual to their ultimate purpose can be different, as well as where the instructions originate from. The similar purpose of these Eastern religions is for the attainment of inner harmony with self and nature.(Coogan, 1998) This purpose can be achieved by living by a set of principles. The principles of these religions vary slightly but essentially...
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...Australia) and then in Britain, at Leeds University. Bauman is a prolific and highly influential writer whose work extends beyond academic sociology. His study of contemporary ‘liquid’ society and postmodernity, and the ethical and moral consequences of living in such a society, have made him one of the most influential social theorists of modern times. Liquid society – postmodernity, ethics and moral consequences. Bourdieu, Pierre (1930–2002) A French sociologist and anthropologist whose work attempted to deal with how people contribute to their own domination. Developing the concepts of ‘habitus’, ‘cultural capital’, and ‘field’, Bourdieu examined processes of subordination and resistance in a number of areas of social life, including education, art, literature, language, television, and the globalised economy. Bourdieu’s most famous book is Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgement of Taste (1984). Globalised economy, subordination and resistance in social life. ‘Culture capital’ Burke, Edmund (1729–97) An English politician and writer, often seen as the father of modern conservatism for his hostile reaction to the chaos and violence of the French Revolution. For many, his defence of tradition and individual liberty is still highly relevant to today’s world. Father of modern conservatism Durkheim, Emile (1858–1917) A French sociologist who argued that sociology should see social phenomena as ‘social facts’ that cannot be reduced to biological or psychological...
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...quest for freedom, people have abandoned religion and spirituality in claims to it imposing restrictions over individuality, only instead, to become slaves to a materialistic lifestyle. In Max Weber book, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, he explains that this exchanging of spiritual slavery for material slavery was not necessarily a fair deal, and pointed out that the Protestant reformation was responsible for trapping people inside an invisible prison under the argument of rationalization; which he referred to this as the "iron cage". As Weber gives a historical account for how capitalism was influenced and exercised by religious doctrines, he illustrates a condition of humanity that has led to modern economic conditions, in which we produce ideals about our natural condition that subordinates individuality and imprisons us to a system that we have created. This essay will explore Weber’s idea on the development of western capitalism from the Protestant Reformation and how its belief system created psychological pressures in enforcing conduct. In illuminating the characteristics of the Protestant ethic and its impact on the formation of economic order, it will be examined here how modern capitalism has come to compare in enforcing social conduct. During the reformation, Weber explains that this was not only the time that capitalism developed but also was the period during Protestantism. According to Weber, these two society wide changes of an economic shift to...
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