session 23 modernity and the moral life. i. introduction:

Session 23Session 23Session 23Session 23

Modernity and the Moral LifeModernity and the Moral Life

I. Introduction:I. Introduction:

Modernity is the first truly global civilization to Modernity is the first truly global civilization to emerge in human history. . . . Its impact is felt emerge in human history. . . . Its impact is felt even in the more remote villages of the world as even in the more remote villages of the world as much as in the universities, commercial centres much as in the universities, commercial centres and government offices of major cities. It is full and government offices of major cities. It is full of paradoxes and ambiguities, bringing in its of paradoxes and ambiguities, bringing in its wake both enormous blessings and terrible wake both enormous blessings and terrible sufferings.sufferings.

Vinoth Ramachandra, Vinoth Ramachandra, Gods That FailGods That Fail, 143, 143

II. Intellectual Strands of II. Intellectual Strands of Modernity: The Pursuit of Modernity: The Pursuit of

and Demand for Certainty in and Demand for Certainty in TruthTruth

A.A. Two Main Schools of ThoughtTwo Main Schools of Thought1.1. Rationalism: The Sufficiency of ReasonRationalism: The Sufficiency of Reason

a)a) Cartesian DualismCartesian Dualism

II. Intellectual Strands of II. Intellectual Strands of Modernity: The Pursuit of Modernity: The Pursuit of

and Demand for Certainty in and Demand for Certainty in TruthTruth

A.A. Two Main Schools of ThoughtTwo Main Schools of Thought1.1. Rationalism: The Sufficiency of ReasonRationalism: The Sufficiency of Reason

a)a) Cartesian DualismCartesian Dualismb)b) The Search for a “Traditionless” and The Search for a “Traditionless” and

“Contextless” Knowledge“Contextless” Knowledge

II. Intellectual Strands of II. Intellectual Strands of Modernity: The Pursuit of Modernity: The Pursuit of

and Demand for Certainty in and Demand for Certainty in TruthTruth

A.A. Two Main Schools of ThoughtTwo Main Schools of Thought2.2. Empiricism: The Sufficiency of the SensesEmpiricism: The Sufficiency of the Senses

a)a) Comprehensive Analytic Investigation of Comprehensive Analytic Investigation of Our WorldOur World

II. Intellectual Strands of II. Intellectual Strands of Modernity: The Pursuit of Modernity: The Pursuit of

and Demand for Certainty in and Demand for Certainty in TruthTruth

A.A. Two Main Schools of ThoughtTwo Main Schools of Thought2.2. Empiricism: The Sufficiency of the SensesEmpiricism: The Sufficiency of the Senses

a)a) Comprehensive Analytic Investigation of Comprehensive Analytic Investigation of Our WorldOur World

b)b) Grand Theories to Explain Everything in Grand Theories to Explain Everything in Scientifically Natural TermsScientifically Natural Terms

II. Intellectual Strands of II. Intellectual Strands of Modernity: The Pursuit of Modernity: The Pursuit of

and Demand for Certainty in and Demand for Certainty in TruthTruth

B.B. The Rejection of Traditional Sources of The Rejection of Traditional Sources of Authority and the Elevation of the Authority and the Elevation of the Rational Evaluative SelfRational Evaluative Self

Modernity is distrustful of authority. It was Modernity is distrustful of authority. It was born in a movement of emancipation from what born in a movement of emancipation from what were seen as external authorities, and its were seen as external authorities, and its appeal was to the freedom and responsibility of appeal was to the freedom and responsibility of the individual reason and conscience to judge the individual reason and conscience to judge between rival truth claims.between rival truth claims.

Lesslie Newbigin, Lesslie Newbigin, Truth and AuthorityTruth and Authority, 11, 11

II. Intellectual Strands of II. Intellectual Strands of Modernity: The Pursuit of Modernity: The Pursuit of

and Demand for Certainty in and Demand for Certainty in TruthTruth

C.C. The Assumed Result for Both Schools: The Assumed Result for Both Schools: Unbridled Human Freedom and Unbridled Human Freedom and Unhindered Human ProgressUnhindered Human Progress

II. Intellectual Strands of II. Intellectual Strands of Modernity: The Pursuit of Modernity: The Pursuit of

and Demand for Certainty in and Demand for Certainty in TruthTruth

D.D. Some Ethical ImplicationsSome Ethical Implications1.1. The Idea EthicalThe Idea Ethical Evolution and Progress Evolution and Progress

II. Intellectual Strands of II. Intellectual Strands of Modernity: The Pursuit of Modernity: The Pursuit of

and Demand for Certainty in and Demand for Certainty in TruthTruth

D.D. Some Ethical ImplicationsSome Ethical Implications1.1. The Idea of EthicalThe Idea of Ethical Evolution and Progress Evolution and Progress2.2. A Focus on A Focus on Humanity’s Ability Humanity’s Ability to Solve All to Solve All

Ethical ProblemsEthical Problems

II. Intellectual Strands of II. Intellectual Strands of Modernity: The Pursuit of Modernity: The Pursuit of

and Demand for Certainty in and Demand for Certainty in TruthTruth

D.D. Some Ethical ImplicationsSome Ethical Implications3.3. The The IrrelevanceIrrelevance (and Perhaps Even (and Perhaps Even

Insidiousness) of the Divine in Ethical Insidiousness) of the Divine in Ethical JudgmentsJudgments

II. Intellectual Strands of II. Intellectual Strands of Modernity: The Pursuit of Modernity: The Pursuit of

and Demand for Certainty in and Demand for Certainty in TruthTruth

D.D. Some Ethical ImplicationsSome Ethical Implications3.3. The The IrrelevanceIrrelevance (and Perhaps Even (and Perhaps Even

Insidiousness) of the Divine in Ethical Insidiousness) of the Divine in Ethical JudgmentsJudgments

4.4. The Secularization (and Subsequent The Secularization (and Subsequent Impoverishment) of Christian EthicsImpoverishment) of Christian Ethics

III. Industrial/Technological III. Industrial/Technological Strands of Modernity: The Strands of Modernity: The

Rise of “Technism”Rise of “Technism”

A.A. The Industrial Revolution and the Rise The Industrial Revolution and the Rise of the Technologicalof the Technological1.1. The Demand for and Love of The Demand for and Love of EfficiencyEfficiency

III. Industrial/Technological III. Industrial/Technological Strands of Modernity: The Strands of Modernity: The

Rise of “Technism”Rise of “Technism”

A.A. The Industrial Revolution and the Rise The Industrial Revolution and the Rise of the Technologicalof the Technological1.1. The Demand for and Love of The Demand for and Love of EfficiencyEfficiency2.2. The Passionate Push for a Sense of The Passionate Push for a Sense of

Control over Nature, Human Relationships, Control over Nature, Human Relationships, and the Selfand the Self

III. Industrial/Technological III. Industrial/Technological Strands of Modernity: The Strands of Modernity: The

Rise of “Technism”Rise of “Technism”

B.B. The Ethics of the TechnologicalThe Ethics of the Technological1.1. New Ethical Quandaries and the Myth of New Ethical Quandaries and the Myth of

Technological ControlTechnological Control

Technology . . . always carries with it a certain Technology . . . always carries with it a certain kind of control over us. The premise that we kind of control over us. The premise that we can easily control technologies toward moral can easily control technologies toward moral ends is not at all self-evident. Most of the great ends is not at all self-evident. Most of the great ethical issues grappled with today are ethical issues grappled with today are somehow related to our technological somehow related to our technological sophistication. Our capabilities to create and sophistication. Our capabilities to create and manufacture outpace our moral sensibilities.manufacture outpace our moral sensibilities.

Dennis P. Hollinger, Dennis P. Hollinger, Choosing the GoodChoosing the Good, 95, 95

III. Industrial/Technological III. Industrial/Technological Strands of Modernity: The Strands of Modernity: The

Rise of “Technism”Rise of “Technism”

B.B. The Ethics of the TechnologicalThe Ethics of the Technological2.2. The Ascendance of Technique over MoralityThe Ascendance of Technique over Morality

IV. Sociological Strands of IV. Sociological Strands of ModernityModernity

A.A. Differentiation and SpecializationDifferentiation and Specialization1.1. Of Economic Production and LaborOf Economic Production and Labor

IV. Sociological Strands of IV. Sociological Strands of ModernityModernity

A.A. Differentiation and SpecializationDifferentiation and Specialization1.1. Of Economic Production and LaborOf Economic Production and Labor2.2. Of EducationOf Education

IV. Sociological Strands of IV. Sociological Strands of ModernityModernity

A.A. Differentiation and SpecializationDifferentiation and Specialization1.1. Of Economic Production and LaborOf Economic Production and Labor2.2. Of EducationOf Education3.3. Of Politics and LawOf Politics and Law

IV. Sociological Strands of IV. Sociological Strands of ModernityModernity

A.A. Differentiation and SpecializationDifferentiation and Specialization1.1. Of Economic Production and LaborOf Economic Production and Labor2.2. Of EducationOf Education3.3. Of Politics and LawOf Politics and Law4.4. Of Applied EthicsOf Applied Ethics

IV. Sociological Strands of IV. Sociological Strands of ModernityModernity

B.B. Pluralization: Intensifications of:Pluralization: Intensifications of:1.1. Geographic MobilityGeographic Mobility

IV. Sociological Strands of IV. Sociological Strands of ModernityModernity

B.B. Pluralization: Intensifications of:Pluralization: Intensifications of:1.1. Geographic MobilityGeographic Mobility2.2. Informational ExchangeInformational Exchange

IV. Sociological Strands of IV. Sociological Strands of ModernityModernity

B.B. Pluralization: Intensifications of:Pluralization: Intensifications of:1.1. Geographic MobilityGeographic Mobility2.2. Informational ExchangeInformational Exchange3.3. Cosmopolitan Centers (i.e., World Cities)Cosmopolitan Centers (i.e., World Cities)

IV. Sociological Strands of IV. Sociological Strands of ModernityModernity

B.B. Pluralization: Intensifications of:Pluralization: Intensifications of:1.1. Geographic MobilityGeographic Mobility2.2. Informational ExchangeInformational Exchange3.3. Cosmopolitan Centers (i.e., World Cities)Cosmopolitan Centers (i.e., World Cities)4.4. Challenges to Basic Religious and Ethical Challenges to Basic Religious and Ethical

Conceptions of RealityConceptions of Reality

IV. Sociological Strands of IV. Sociological Strands of ModernityModernity

B.B. Pluralization: Intensifications of:Pluralization: Intensifications of:5.5. Justification for Ethical RelativismJustification for Ethical Relativism

IV. Sociological Strands of IV. Sociological Strands of ModernityModernity

B.B. Pluralization: Intensifications of:Pluralization: Intensifications of:5.5. Justification for Ethical RelativismJustification for Ethical Relativism6.6. The Marginalization of a Specifically The Marginalization of a Specifically

Christian Ethical ViewpointChristian Ethical Viewpoint

IV. Sociological Strands of IV. Sociological Strands of ModernityModernity

C.C. SecularizationSecularization

[T]hough religion still plays a significant role in [T]hough religion still plays a significant role in the lives of people and continues to influence the lives of people and continues to influence societies and cultures, it does not play the societies and cultures, it does not play the same role it once played in relation to major same role it once played in relation to major social institutions such as government, social institutions such as government, economics, education, and law. . . . [W]ithin economics, education, and law. . . . [W]ithin secularized societies, religion tends to have secularized societies, religion tends to have minimal impact on the larger societal minimal impact on the larger societal institutions and the main contours of cultural institutions and the main contours of cultural life. Religion, therefore, is one social institution life. Religion, therefore, is one social institution alongside others, no longer providing the alongside others, no longer providing the overarching framework for the society.overarching framework for the society.

Dennis P. Hollinger, Dennis P. Hollinger, Choosing the GoodChoosing the Good, 101, 101

IV. Sociological Strands of IV. Sociological Strands of ModernityModernity

D.D. Privatization of ReligionPrivatization of Religion

V. Conclusion:V. Conclusion:

Modernity:Modernity:The Blessing and the CurseThe Blessing and the Curse