Difference between revisions of "Coerced morality"
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{{cquote|If people are good only because they fear punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed.<ref>Albert Einsten</ref>}} | {{cquote|If people are good only because they fear punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed.<ref>Albert Einsten</ref>}} | ||
| − | '''Coerced morality''' is the idea that [[ethics]] can spring from some force, either physical or mental. [[Law]] seeks to create a form of coerced morality, in that a citizen will decide to obey the law, not because of their inherent rightness and the value of morality, but for fear of the consequences. Similarly, religious laws are a form of coerced morality if obeyed only for fear of consequences, such as [[Heaven]] or [[Hell]]. | + | '''Coerced morality''' is the idea that [[ethics]] can spring from some force, either physical or mental. [[Law]] seeks to create a form of coerced morality, in that a citizen will decide to obey the law, not because of their inherent rightness and the value of morality, but for fear of the consequences. Similarly, religious laws are a form of coerced morality if obeyed only for fear of consequences, such as [[Heaven]] or [[Hell]], and not out of personal love for [[God]. |
Since coerced morality secures adhesion merely out of fear or hope, rather than inherent belief in the normative qualities of morality, coerced morality is a secondary tier of ethics, and someone who is good only out of coercion cannot be said to have resolved personal ethical issues. Nonetheless a form of coercive morality is almost always necessary to a [[steady state]] society. | Since coerced morality secures adhesion merely out of fear or hope, rather than inherent belief in the normative qualities of morality, coerced morality is a secondary tier of ethics, and someone who is good only out of coercion cannot be said to have resolved personal ethical issues. Nonetheless a form of coercive morality is almost always necessary to a [[steady state]] society. | ||
Revision as of 19:45, April 2, 2008
| “ | If people are good only because they fear punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed.[1] | ” |
Coerced morality is the idea that ethics can spring from some force, either physical or mental. Law seeks to create a form of coerced morality, in that a citizen will decide to obey the law, not because of their inherent rightness and the value of morality, but for fear of the consequences. Similarly, religious laws are a form of coerced morality if obeyed only for fear of consequences, such as Heaven or Hell, and not out of personal love for [[God].
Since coerced morality secures adhesion merely out of fear or hope, rather than inherent belief in the normative qualities of morality, coerced morality is a secondary tier of ethics, and someone who is good only out of coercion cannot be said to have resolved personal ethical issues. Nonetheless a form of coercive morality is almost always necessary to a steady state society.
References
- ↑ Albert Einsten