Ethics

Some people trace their ethical code back to religious books of some kind. The world's religions provide moral inspiration for many people, yet the Greek philosopher Plato was not convinced that we could derive ethics from religion. He felt that our moral values defined whether or not we should accept religion and not the other way around. What do you think?

Does your religion define your notion of ethics or do you accept or reject your religion due to your ethical foundations? Morality and ethics have been the subject of philosophical, political and religious discussions for centuries. In addition, ethics provided material for authors and artists. Hieronymus Bosch's painting 'The Garden of Earthly Delights' may be old, but it still appeals to contemporary viewers, not in the least due to the reflections it provokes. Many cultures and religions are obsessed with the idea of purity and excess is often defined as sinful. But why is this the case?

Does this idea merely have contextual (historical) foundations (such as the idea of avoiding pork)? We may all have a gut instinct about what's right or wrong, but it may be worth unpicking where this comes from. Is it rooted in our religion, culture or upbringing? Or does it stem from a common compassion and humanity? Why does one find gay marriage completely unacceptable, whereas someone else claims it is a human right? Are we always 'reasonable' or perhaps sometimes too rational when defining what is morally acceptable? Are we guided by the stories our tradition or religion have passed on to us through language? Where do emotions we use to form moral judgements, such as disgust and fear, come from? The community of knowers you belong to strongly influences your sense of morality. Nevertheless, the very existence of the vast range of religions may undermine the absolute claims they often propose. Although the latter does not advocate moral relativism, it should lead us to open up discussions regarding extreme or fundamentalist moral views.

Many religions postulate that human beings should somehow "know their place" and "not know too much". Several religious texts offer a warning to those who try to get too close to the Gods. Hubris was already frowned upon in ancient Greek Mythology, as illustrated by Prometheus' cruel punishment for stealing fire from the Gods. In Christianity, similar quests for knowledge would come under the deadly sin of "pride", which is considered the worst sin of all. And indeed, at the very core of the Bible, the fall of mankind was caused by Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge (of good and evil).

Interestingly, such thinking still permeates current debates about the limits of our human quest for knowledge. This is especially the case when it comes to new scientific or technological developments. The development of knowledge in the natural sciences is subject to ethical, but also religious considerations. For example, many people feel trepidation regarding gene editing, stem cell research, or the extension/termination of life. It is interesting to analyse where such feelings come from. Are they based on generalisable ethical principles, or rather rooted in cultural and religious traditions?