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Is Saving Lives Your Task Or God's? Religiosity, Belief in God, and Moral Judgment
Judgment and Decision Making, Vol. 12, No. 3, May 2017, pp. 280–296 Is saving lives your task or God’s? Religiosity, belief in god, and moral judgment Netta Barak-Corren∗ Max H. Bazerman† Abstract Should a Catholic hospital abort a life-threatening pregnancy or let a pregnant woman die? Should a religious employer allow his employees access to contraceptives or break with healthcare legislation? People and organizations of faith often face moral decisions that have significant consequences. Research in psychology found that religion is typically associated with deontological judgment. Yet deontology consists of many principles, which may, at times, conflict. In three studies, we design a conflict between moral principles and find that the relationship between moral judgment and religiosity is more nuanced than currently assumed. Studies 1 and 2 show that, while religious U.S. Christians and Israeli Jews are more likely to form deontological judgments, they divide between the deontological principles of inaction and indirectness. Using textual analysis, we reveal that specific beliefs regarding divine responsibility and human responsibility distinguish inaction from indirectness deontologists. Study 3 exploits natural differences in religious saliency across days of the week to provide causal evidence that religion raises deontological tendencies on Sundays and selectively increases the appeal of inaction deontology for those who believe in an interventionist and responsible God. Keywords: religion, normative conflict, inaction, indirectness, deontology, utilitarianism, Sunday effect 1 Introduction event, he declared it to be a direct and impermissible abortion and excommunicated Sister McBride. The tension between In late 2010, St. Joseph’s Hospital of Phoenix, Arizona, these positions appears to reflect different moral judgments. -
St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas on the Mind, Body, and Life After Death
The University of Akron IdeaExchange@UAkron Williams Honors College, Honors Research The Dr. Gary B. and Pamela S. Williams Honors Projects College Spring 2020 St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas on the Mind, Body, and Life After Death Christopher Choma [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/honors_research_projects Part of the Christianity Commons, Epistemology Commons, European History Commons, History of Philosophy Commons, History of Religion Commons, Metaphysics Commons, Philosophy of Mind Commons, and the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons Please take a moment to share how this work helps you through this survey. Your feedback will be important as we plan further development of our repository. Recommended Citation Choma, Christopher, "St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas on the Mind, Body, and Life After Death" (2020). Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects. 1048. https://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/honors_research_projects/1048 This Dissertation/Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by The Dr. Gary B. and Pamela S. Williams Honors College at IdeaExchange@UAkron, the institutional repository of The University of Akron in Akron, Ohio, USA. It has been accepted for inclusion in Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects by an authorized administrator of IdeaExchange@UAkron. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. 1 St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas on the Mind, Body, and Life After Death By: Christopher Choma Sponsored by: Dr. Joseph Li Vecchi Readers: Dr. Howard Ducharme Dr. Nathan Blackerby 2 Table of Contents Introduction p. 4 Section One: Three General Views of Human Nature p. -
Life with Augustine
Life with Augustine ...a course in his spirit and guidance for daily living By Edmond A. Maher ii Life with Augustine © 2002 Augustinian Press Australia Sydney, Australia. Acknowledgements: The author wishes to acknowledge and thank the following people: ► the Augustinian Province of Our Mother of Good Counsel, Australia, for support- ing this project, with special mention of Pat Fahey osa, Kevin Burman osa, Pat Codd osa and Peter Jones osa ► Laurence Mooney osa for assistance in editing ► Michael Morahan osa for formatting this 2nd Edition ► John Coles, Peter Gagan, Dr. Frank McGrath fms (Brisbane CEO), Benet Fonck ofm, Peter Keogh sfo for sharing their vast experience in adult education ► John Rotelle osa, for granting us permission to use his English translation of Tarcisius van Bavel’s work Augustine (full bibliography within) and for his scholarly advice Megan Atkins for her formatting suggestions in the 1st Edition, that have carried over into this the 2nd ► those generous people who have completed the 1st Edition and suggested valuable improvements, especially Kath Neehouse and friends at Villanova College, Brisbane Foreword 1 Dear Participant Saint Augustine of Hippo is a figure in our history who has appealed to the curiosity and imagination of many generations. He is well known for being both sinner and saint, for being a bishop yet also a fellow pilgrim on the journey to God. One of the most popular and attractive persons across many centuries, his influence on the church has continued to our current day. He is also renowned for his influ- ence in philosophy and psychology and even (in an indirect way) art, music and architecture. -
Seeking God in Confucianism: Luo Rufang’S Thought on Shangdi
Shumo Wang/ Seeking God in Confucianism: Luo Rufang’s Thought on Shangdi Seeking God in Confucianism: Luo Rufang’s Thought on Shangdi by Shumo Wang Advisors: Professor Francis X. Clooney, Xingyi Wang A Senior Paper Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Divinity Harvard Divinity School Cambridge, Massachusetts May 2020 1 Shumo Wang/ Seeking God in Confucianism: Luo Rufang’s Thought on Shangdi Introduction Is there a God in the Confucian tradition? Julia Ching attempted to answer this in her article, “The Problem of God in Confucianism” (1977): Yes, there was, but not always. Ching argued that if we try to find a personal God in the ancient Confucian classics, such as the Book of Document and the Book of Songs, that is“both awe- inspiring and loving as in Christianity”, we may find much evidence to show that “Shangdi” (上帝, Supreme Emperor or Emperor on High) is such a personal deity that is both a “Creator” and “Lord of history” (Ching 1977, 5–6). Shangdi had been the name of the highest deity since Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BCE) and continuously worshiped through Chinese history. However, for neo-Confucians, such a personal deity, Shangdi, would be substituted for an abstract principle (理, li). For Zhu Xi (1130–1200), this would be the Supreme Ultimate (太極, taiji), and for Wang Yangming (1472–1529), the heart or good conscience (良知, liangzhi). Although Ching tried to make analogies between neo- Confucians and Christian theologians to demonstrate that the Absolute concepts in Zhu Xi and Wang Yangming are comparable with the God in the writings of Nicholas of Cusa and Eckhart, respectively, in Ching’s opinion, generally speaking, in the neo- Confucian tradition, Shangdi almost lost its position as a personal deity (Ching 1977, 19–24). -
Metaphysics Today and Tomorrow*
1 Metaphysics Today and Tomorrow* Raphaël Millière École normale supérieure, Paris – October 2011 Translated by Mark Ohm with the assistance of Leah Orth, Jon Cogburn, and Emily Beck Cogburn “By metaphysics, I do not mean those abstract considerations of certain imaginary properties, the principal use of which is to furnish the wherewithal for endless dispute to those who want to dispute. By this science I mean the general truths which can serve as principles for the particular sciences.” Malebranche Dialogues on Metaphysics and Religion 1. The interminable agony of metaphysics Throughout the twentieth century, numerous philosophers sounded the death knell of metaphysics. Ludwig Wittgenstein, Rudolf Carnap, Martin Heidegger, Gilbert Ryle, J. L. Austin, Jacques Derrida, Jürgen Habermas, Richard Rorty, and, henceforth, Hilary Putnam: a great many tutelary figures have extolled the rejection, the exceeding, the elimination, or the deconstruction of first philosophy. All these necrological chronicles do not have the same radiance, the same seriousness, nor the same motivations, but they all agree to dismiss the discipline, which in the past was considered “the queen of the sciences”, with a violence at times comparable to the prestige it commanded at the time of its impunity. Even today, certain philosophers hastily spread the tragic news with contempt for philosophical inquiry, as if its grave solemnity bestowed upon it some obviousness. Thus, Franco Volpi writes: ‘Grand metaphysics is dead!’ is the slogan which applies to the majority of contemporary philosophers, whether continentals or of analytic profession. They all treat metaphysics as a dead dog.1 In this way, the “path of modern thought” would declare itself vociferously “anti- metaphysical and finally post-metaphysical”. -
RD 071 937 SO 005 072 AUTHOR Payne, Judy Reeder TITLE Introduction to Eastern Philosophy, :Jocial Studies: 6414.23
DOCIDIENT RESUME RD 071 937 SO 005 072 AUTHOR Payne, Judy Reeder TITLE Introduction to Eastern Philosophy, :Jocial Studies: 6414.23. INSTITUTION Dade County Public Schools, Miami, Fla. PUB DATE 71 NOTE 39p.; An Authorized course of instruction for the Quinmester Program EDRS PRICE MF -S0.65 HC -93.29 DESCRIPTORS Activity Units; Asian Studies; Behay.aral Objectives; Chinese Culture; Curriculum Guides; Grade 10; Grade 11; Grade 12; *Non Western Civilization; *Philosophy; *Religion; Resource Units; Secondary Grades; *Social Studies Units; Values IDENTIFIERS Flcrida; *Quinmester Program ABSTRACT Major Eastern philosophies and/or religions col sisting of Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, and Shintoism are investigated by 10th through 12th grade students in this general social studies quinmester course. Since Eastern philosophical ideas are already influencing students, this course aims to guide students in a universal search for values and beliefs about the meaning of life. Through suggested activity learning, the five major religions are compared and contrasted for their differences, similarities, and .are examined for their influences upon Non Western and Western civilizations. Lastly, students trace contemporary ideas to Eastern philosophies. The course is arranged, as are other quinmester courses, with sections on broad goals, course content, activities, and materials. (SJM) AUTHORIZED COURSE OF INSTRUCTION FOR THE Uo Vlige1/45) 0 O Spcial Studies : INTRODUCTION TO EASTERNPHILOSOPHY 64111.23 6448.69 DIVISION OF INSTRUCTION1971 ED 071937 SOCIAL STUDIES INTRODUCTION TO EASTERN PHILOSOPHY zwoom5,13,0-mmmMZ17,MmMgg25.±:1"21'zmy., -omc 6448.696414.23 mmzocon>owao5zar4o--4m-5).35o5mt7zom74oviSollAmstwoz.3:14mm_pm..'mo mzsimmZ .momoo5,7,09c JUDY REEDERby PAYNE CmzQrfi7!!400z0m'10'.00m:;CS-,.740Olapm zMrsg;,T,m, for the 517,ZE5c00,m2.00'T23-DOM OM 2..I DadeDivision CountyMiami, 1971of PublicFloridaInstruction Schools DADE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD Mr. -
The Heritage of Non-Theistic Belief in China
The Heritage of Non-theistic Belief in China Joseph A. Adler Kenyon College Presented to the international conference, "Toward a Reasonable World: The Heritage of Western Humanism, Skepticism, and Freethought" (San Diego, September 2011) Naturalism and humanism have long histories in China, side-by-side with a long history of theistic belief. In this paper I will first sketch the early naturalistic and humanistic traditions in Chinese thought. I will then focus on the synthesis of these perspectives in Neo-Confucian religious thought. I will argue that these forms of non-theistic belief should be considered aspects of Chinese religion, not a separate realm of philosophy. Confucianism, in other words, is a fully religious humanism, not a "secular humanism." The religion of China has traditionally been characterized as having three major strands, the "three religions" (literally "three teachings" or san jiao) of Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism. Buddhism, of course, originated in India in the 5th century BCE and first began to take root in China in the 1st century CE, so in terms of early Chinese thought it is something of a latecomer. Confucianism and Daoism began to take shape between the 5th and 3rd centuries BCE. But these traditions developed in the context of Chinese "popular religion" (also called folk religion or local religion), which may be considered a fourth strand of Chinese religion. And until the early 20th century there was yet a fifth: state religion, or the "state cult," which had close relations very early with both Daoism and Confucianism, but after the 2nd century BCE became associated primarily (but loosely) with Confucianism. -
Elements of Chinese Religion
ELEMENTS OF CHINESE RELIGION Professor Russell Kirkland Department of Religion University of Georgia 1) CONFUCIANISM: A humanistic value-system based on the teachings of Confucius (Kongzi: 551- 479 BCE). It stresses the moral responsibilities of the individual as a member of society. Confucian ideals are to be attained in one's everyday life, through individual moral cultivation and the fulfillment of one's proper roles in society. Though the early thinkers Mencius (Mengzi) and Hsün-tzu (Xunzi) debated human nature, Confucians generally share a common assumption that human nature and/or society are ultimately perfectible. Though called "humanistic," Confucian ideals were originally grounded in a belief that humanity is perfectible because our higher qualities somehow come from "Heaven" (T'ien/Tian). Also, the Confucian tradition includes a liturgical tradition in which Confucius is venerated as a spiritual being. But most Confucian leaders since the 10th century have been humanistic intellectuals leery of any concept of a personalized higher reality. Influenced by Taoism and Buddhism, those "Neo-Confucians" developed sophisticated metaphysical theories as well as meditative practices. Westerners often overlook the Neo-Confucian pursuit of individual "sagehood." 2) TAOISM: Includes both a classical school of thought (fl. 4th-2nd centuries BCE) and an organized religion (fl. 2nd-12th centuries CE). Classical Taoism — represented by texts like the Nei-yeh (Neiye), Lao-tzu (Laozi), Chuang-tzu (Zhuangzi), and Huai-nan-tzu (Huainanzi) — stressed a return to natural harmony with life's basic realities; such harmony, they thought, typified humanity's original state. Later Taoism is rich and complex. It began as a sacerdotal, liturgical tradition centered upon the socio-political ideal of a world that functions in holistic harmony. -
Chastity As a Virtue
religions Article Chastity as a Virtue Hwa Yeong Wang College of Confucian Studies and Eastern Philosophy, Sungkyunkwan University, 25-2, Seonggyungwan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul 03063, Korea; [email protected] Received: 26 April 2020; Accepted: 18 May 2020; Published: 21 May 2020 Abstract: This paper analyzes two philosophers’ views on chastity as a virtue, comparing Song Siyeol, a Korean neo-Confucian philosopher of the east, and David Hume, a Scottish philosopher. Despite the importance in and impact on women’s lives, chastity has been understated in religio-philosophical fields. The two philosophers’ understandings and arguments differ in significant ways and yet share important common aspects. Analyzing the views of Song and Hume helps us better understand and approach the issue of women’s chastity, not only as a historical phenomenon but also in the contemporary world, more fully and deeply. The analysis will provide an alternative way to re-appropriate the concept of chastity as a virtue. Keywords: chastity; Song Siyeol; David Hume; virtue; gender; Korean neo-Confucianism 1. Introduction Chastity, understood as a commitment or disposition to remain innocent of extramarital sexual intercourse, has been considered a virtue among human beings for a long time, not only in traditional societies but in contemporary societies as well.1 The value of chastity has been recognized since very early times and regardless of geographical location; it was an important virtue in ancient Greece and China, for example. This duty of chastity remains widespread in contemporary societies, which, in general, take monogamy as the moral standard regarding intimate human relationships. In a number of countries, the violation of chastity is recognized as unlawful and has consequences within the penal system.2 The virtue of chastity, however, has been discussed one-sidedly and almost always as “female” chastity. -
The Three Teachings of Ancient China
Social Studies – 6 Name: ______________________ The Three Teachings of Ancient China Taoism Laozi (Lao-tzu) wandered out to the western border of his state, riding his water buffalo. When he was eighty years old he set out for the western border of China, toward what is now Tibet, saddened and disillusioned that men were unwilling to follow the path to natural goodness. He searched for a place to live a simple life, close to nature and without trouble. With him, he carried his ideas. Before he could cross the boarder, officials made him write down his ideas: “Live a simple life, be free, be yourself, and be close to nature. Do these things and you will be happy.” Theses words have been kept in a little book called Tao Te Ching, the “Writing of God’s Way for a Good Life.” Like Confucius, Laozi had been troubled by the violence if his times. He thought it was a mistake to try to change people. He believed that people were naturally good. Man didn’t have to be “controlled.” Too much control was spoiling man. He saw that men were trying to live by “man-made” laws, customs, and traditions. They couldn’t do this and were unhappy. If men follow the ways of Tao, they will lead a good life. He really told each man to “do your own thing” – be yourself. Laozi wanted people to be closer to nature. He wanted to get away from the rules made by the government or society. To him, the government was selfish and power-hungry. -
Hinduism and Hindu Philosophy
Essays on Indian Philosophy UNIVE'aSITY OF HAWAII Uf,FU:{ Essays on Indian Philosophy SHRI KRISHNA SAKSENA UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII PRESS HONOLULU 1970 Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 78·114209 Standard Book Number 87022-726-2 Copyright © 1970 by University of Hawaii Press All Rights Reserved Printed in the United States of America Contents The Story of Indian Philosophy 3 Basic Tenets of Indian Philosophy 18 Testimony in Indian Philosophy 24 Hinduism 37 Hinduism and Hindu Philosophy 51 The Jain Religion 54 Some Riddles in the Behavior of Gods and Sages in the Epics and the Puranas 64 Autobiography of a Yogi 71 Jainism 73 Svapramanatva and Svapraka!;>atva: An Inconsistency in Kumarila's Philosophy 77 The Nature of Buddhi according to Sankhya-Yoga 82 The Individual in Social Thought and Practice in India 88 Professor Zaehner and the Comparison of Religions 102 A Comparison between the Eastern and Western Portraits of Man in Our Time 117 Acknowledgments The author wishes to make the following acknowledgments for permission to reprint previously published essays: "The Story of Indian Philosophy," in A History of Philosophical Systems. edited by Vergilius Ferm. New York:The Philosophical Library, 1950. "Basic Tenets of Indian Philosophy," previously published as "Are There Any Basic Tenets of Indian Philosophy?" in The Philosophical Quarterly. "Testimony in Indian Philosophy," previously published as "Authority in Indian Philosophy," in Ph ilosophyEast and West. vo!.l,no. 3 (October 1951). "Hinduism," in Studium Generale. no. 10 (1962). "The Jain Religion," previously published as "Jainism," in Religion in the Twentieth Century. edited by Vergilius Ferm. -
Six Political Philosophies in Search of a Virus: Critical Perspectives on the Coronavirus Pandemic
LSE ‘Europe in Question’ Discussion Paper Series Six political philosophies in search of a virus: Critical perspectives on the coronavirus pandemic Gerard Delanty LEQS Paper No. 156/2020 May 2020 Editorial Board Dr Bob Hancké Dr Vassilis Monastiriotis Dr Sonja Avlijas Dr Cristóbal Garibay-Petersen Dr Pieter Tuytens Mr Toon Van Overbeke All views expressed in this paper are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the editors or the LSE. © Gerard Delanty Six political philosophies in search of a virus: Critical perspectives on the coronavirus pandemic Gerard Delanty * Abstract The Coronavirus (Covid-19) poses interesting questions for social and political thought. These include the nature and limits of the ethical responsibility of the state, personal liberty and collective interests, human dignity, and state surveillance. As many countries throughout the world declared states of emergency, some of the major questions in political philosophy become suddenly highly relevant. Foucault’s Writings on biopolitical securitization and Agamben’s notion of the state of exception take on a new reality, as do the classical arguments of utilitarianism and libertarianism. In this paper, I discuss six main philosophical responses to the pandemic, including provocative interventions made by Agamben, Badieu, and Zizek, Latour on the governance of life and death as Well as the Kantian perspective of Habermas on human dignity. Keywords: Agamben, Badieu, Utilitarianism, Habermas, libertarianism, Latour, nudge theory, Zizek, * School of Law, Politics and Sociology, University of Sussex Email: [email protected] Acknowledgments This is an expanded version of a short essay that appeared in the Hong Kong Review of Books in May 2020.