Difference between revisions of "Coerced morality"
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'''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]]. | ||
| − | 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. | + | 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== | ==References== | ||
Revision as of 19:12, 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.
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
