--Ethics, as opposed to morals, can be "explained", as being independent of, and not needing, religion; since it's obvious that ethical and largely athiestic countries do quite well without religion. The explanation? ethics are hardwired in DNA, and animals have a rudimentary capacity for ethical behavior. Then couple the DNA with game theory and we have a plausible hypothesis for the origins of ethics, but without the need for moral or religious underpinnings. The above viewpoint is consistent with MMY's Natural Law and the concept of Dharma; but various "experts" have only scratched the surface of possible discourses on the subject. Sakyamuni Buddha and his successors seemed to know more than most.
- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, new.morning <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "george_deforest" > <george.deforest@> wrote: > > > > > Jonathan Chadwick wrote: > > > > > > One interesting "comprehensive" philosophical-ethical view > > > that is making a comeback these days (mostly in Catholic circles, > > > but not exclusively so) is "natural law theory." > > > Believe it or not, M.'s version is both deeper and better > > > (or at least less intellectualistic) than all of that. > > > In any event, we certainly do not teach ethics in K-12 here. > > > > Catholic Natural Law theory overview: > > > > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_law#Contemporary_Catholic_Understan\ > > ding > > > > Per excerpts below, Aquinas was interesting, parallel in some ways to > logic and frameworks found in the TMO worldview. > > Aquinas borrowed heavily from Greeks and other traditions. I have a > hard time hearing some of aquinas' words through the mouth of Jesus. > The height of Greeks philosophy preceeded Christ. If Christ wanted to > incorporate such into his message, he could have. > > From this arises the question about the pure message of christ vs > centuries of overlays from other philosophies, moderated and absorbed > into christianity and Aquinas oriented Catholicism. > > Hinduism seems to thrive and live the ideal that there is no one > founder, and spiritual knowledge will always be a blend of past > phrophets and seers. But christianity, by its name, implies "the > teachings of christ" not "a teaching began by christ and moderated, > shifted, repackaged, blended, changed, parts thrown away, and updated > with many other traditions, thinkers, seers, stumbling neer-do-wells > and hoodlums." > > In TMO I see both currents -- lots of blending of various currents of > Hinduism, with modern thought and knowledge. On the other hand, an > insistance that on pure vedic teaching is "worthy". > > > > > Excerpts on Aquinas -- the key thinker in Catholic Natural Law theory > ---------------------------- > From the above article. > > To know what is right, one must use one's reason and apply it to > Aquinas' precepts. The most important is the primary precept, self > preservation. There are also four subsidiary precepts: procreation, > education of children, living in society, and worshipping God > (veneration). > > ------- > Aquinas viewed theology, or the sacred doctrine, as a science, the raw > material data of which consists of written scripture and the tradition > of the church. These sources of data were produced by the > self-revelation of God to individuals and groups of people throughout > history. Faith and reason, while distinct but related, are the two > primary tools for processing the data of theology. Aquinas believed > both were necessary - or, rather, that the confluence of both was > necessary - for one to obtain true knowledge of God. Aquinas blended > Greek philosophy and Christian doctrine by suggesting that rational > thinking and the study of nature, like revelation, were valid ways to > understand God. According to Aquinas, God reveals himself through > nature, so to study nature is to study God. The ultimate goals of > theology, in Aquinas' mind, are to use reason to grasp the truth about > God and to experience salvation through that truth. > > --- > Aquinas denied that human beings have any duty of charity to animals > because they are not persons. Otherwise, it would be unlawful to use > them for food. But this does not give us license to be cruel to them, > for "cruel habits might carry over into our treatment of human > beings."[17] > --- > [Substitute God for "Being" or Brahman] > > Concerning the nature of God, Aquinas felt the best approach, commonly > called the via negativa, is to consider what God is not. This led him > to propose five positive statements about the divine qualities:[18] > > 1. God is simple, without composition of parts, such as body and > soul, or matter and form. > 2. God is perfect, lacking nothing. That is, God is distinguished > from other beings on account of God's complete actuality. > 3. God is infinite. That is, God is not finite in the ways that > created beings are physically, intellectually, and emotionally > limited. This infinity is to be distinguished from infinity of size > and infinity of number. > 4. God is immutable, incapable of change on the levels of God's > essence and character. > 5. God is one, without diversification within God's self. The unity > of God is such that God's essence is the same as God's existence. In > Aquinas's words, "in itself the proposition 'God exists' is > necessarily true, for in it subject and predicate are the same." > > In this approach, he is following, among others, the Jewish > philosopher Maimonides.[19] > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Aquinas > > ----------- > The Quinquae viae, or Five Ways, are five proofs of the existence of > God summarized by St. Thomas Aquinas in his Summa Theologiae. These > proofs take the form of philosophical arguments: > > 1. The argument of the unmoved mover (ex motu). > * Some things are moved. > * Everything that is moved is moved by a mover. > * An infinite regress of movers is impossible. > * Therefore, there is an unmoved mover from whom all motion > proceeds. > 2. The argument of the first cause (ex causa). > * Some things are caused. > * Everything that is caused is caused by something else. > * An infinite regress of causation is impossible. > * Therefore, there must be an uncaused cause of all caused > things. > 3. The argument of contingency (ex contingentia). > * Many things in the universe may either exist or not exist. > Such things are called contingent beings. > * It is impossible for everything in the universe to be > contingent. > * Therefore, there must be a necessary being whose existence > is not contingent on any other being(s). > 4. The argument of degree (ex gradu). > * Various perfections may be found in varying degrees > throughout the universe. > * These degrees of perfections assume the existence of the > perfections themselves. > 5. The argument of design (ex fine). > * All designed things have a designer. > * The universe is designed. > * Therefore, the universe has a designer. > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinquae_viae >
