Moral syncretism
Encyclopedia
Moral syncretism consists of the attempt to reconcile disparate or contradictory moral beliefs
, often while melding the ethical
practices of various schools of thought.
The requirements of a global ethic calls for "a minimal basic consensus relating to binding values, irrevocable standards and moral attitudes, which can be affirmed by all religions despite their undeniable dogmatic or theological differences and should also be supported by non-believers." It cannot, however, make the specific ethics of the different religions and philosophies around the world superfluous or obsolete, nor should it strive to do so.
Syncretism
tends to facilitate coexistence and constructive interaction between different cultures (intercultural competence
), a factor that has recommended it to rulers of multi-ethnic realm
s. Conversely the rejection of syncretism, usually in the name of "piety
" and "orthodoxy," may help to generate, bolster or authorize a sense of cultural unity
in a well-defined minority or majority. While strengthening the ethical identity
of the subgroup
, this is often detrimental to the unity
of the whole.
of moral syncretism is that religion
cannot be morality's only arbiter.
The Dalai Lama
, for example, has said that compassion and affection are human values that are independent of religion: "We need these human values. I call these secular ethics
, secular beliefs. There’s no relationship with any particular religion. Even without religion, even as nonbelievers, we have the capacity to promote these things."
This notion is also supported by the traditional Judeo-Christian
concept of natural law
. In his book On Law, Morality and Politics, St. Thomas Aquinas identifies the innate rational nature of humans as being what defines moral law: "The rule and measure of human acts is the reason, which is the first principle of human acts."
This does not, however, mean secular ethics and religion are mutually exclusive. In fact, many principles, such as the Golden Rule, are present in both systems, and some religious people, as well as some Deists, prefer to adopt a rational approach to ethics.
, compassion
and a human
concern for others; respect for order, society, and law; and a desire for a good reputation and self-esteem. According to this view, ethical behavior would come from altruistic motivation, not from fear of punishment or promise of reward after death. In addition, while atheism does not entail any particular moral philosophy, many atheists are drawn towards views like secular humanism
, empiricism
, objectivism, or utilitarianism
, which provide a moral framework that is not founded on faith in deities.
endorse universal morality
based on the commonality of human nature
and the belief that knowledge of right and wrong is based on our understanding of individual and joint interests, rather than a system of ethics stemming from a transcendental or arbitrarily local source, rejecting faith
completely as a basis for moral action. The humanist ethics goal is a search for viable individual, social and political principles of conduct, judging them on their ability to enhance human well-being and individual responsibility.
The International Humanist and Ethical Union
(IHEU) is the worldwide umbrella organization for those adhering to the Humanist life stance. Member organisations and individual members are required to accept the following statement:
Humanism is also known to adopt principles of the Golden Rule. As Oscar Wilde
once said, "Selfishness is not living as one wishes to live, it is asking others to live as one wishes to live." This emphasizes a respect for other people's identities and ideals.
(SES) is an organisation based in Mandeville Place
, London
, founded by Leon MacLaren in 1937. Originally constituted to facilitate the study of economics
, over time it came to focus on philosophy
, particularly the Hindu
tradition of Advaita Vedanta
. In North America
, the SES is also known as the School of Practical Philosophy
, or by other similar names. In Australia
, it is known as the School of Philosophy. Although the SES has been highly criticized for its methodology and alleged motives, it purports to be a syncretic school of moral philosophy.
through doctrine, faith and practice.
is a theologically liberal
religion characterized by its support of "a free and responsible search for truth and meaning." This principle permits Unitarian Universalists a wide range of beliefs and practices. Some communities even offer a class called "Building Your Own Theology."
Many Unitarian Universalists consider themselves humanists
, while others hold Christian
, Buddhist, Jewish, pagan, atheist, agnostic, pantheist, or other beliefs. Some choose to attach no particular theological label to their idiosyncratic combination of beliefs. Others consider themselves to be Unitarian Universalists in theology and seek moral orientation in the Unitarian Universalist Association's
Seven Principles and Six Sources. This diversity of views is considered a strength, since the emphasis is placed on a common search for a meaningful existence, rather than an adherence to a particular doctrine
.
revolves around a unity
of all people and religion
s, as well as the ability to find beauty
in all things. It is a form of Sufism
that does not exist within the traditional framework of Islam
and was most likely influenced by Advaita philosophy. Universal Sufism is characterised by its respect (if not inclusion) for other devotional traditions and its disapproval of miracles.
It is mandated that Universal Sufis should strive to "realize and spread the knowledge of Unity, the religion of Love, and Wisdom, so that the biases and prejudices of faiths and beliefs may, of themselves, fall away, the human heart overflow with love, and all hatred caused by distinctions and differences be rooted out."
Morality
Morality is the differentiation among intentions, decisions, and actions between those that are good and bad . A moral code is a system of morality and a moral is any one practice or teaching within a moral code...
, often while melding the ethical
Ethics
Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality—that is, concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime, etc.Major branches of ethics include:...
practices of various schools of thought.
The role of moral syncretism
Syncretism
Syncretism
Syncretism is the combining of different beliefs, often while melding practices of various schools of thought. The term means "combining", but see below for the origin of the word...
tends to facilitate coexistence and constructive interaction between different cultures (intercultural competence
Intercultural competence
Intercultural competence is the ability of successful communication with people of other cultures.A person who is interculturally competent captures and understands, in interaction with people from foreign cultures, their specific concepts in perception, thinking, feeling and acting...
), a factor that has recommended it to rulers of multi-ethnic realm
Empire
The term empire derives from the Latin imperium . Politically, an empire is a geographically extensive group of states and peoples united and ruled either by a monarch or an oligarchy....
s. Conversely the rejection of syncretism, usually in the name of "piety
Piety
In spiritual terminology, piety is a virtue that can mean religious devotion, spirituality, or a combination of both. A common element in most conceptions of piety is humility.- Etymology :...
" and "orthodoxy," may help to generate, bolster or authorize a sense of cultural unity
Cultural identity
Cultural identity is the identity of a group or culture, or of an individual as far as one is influenced by one's belonging to a group or culture. Cultural identity is similar to and has overlaps with, but is not synonymous with, identity politics....
in a well-defined minority or majority. While strengthening the ethical identity
Cultural identity
Cultural identity is the identity of a group or culture, or of an individual as far as one is influenced by one's belonging to a group or culture. Cultural identity is similar to and has overlaps with, but is not synonymous with, identity politics....
of the subgroup
Subculture
In sociology, anthropology and cultural studies, a subculture is a group of people with a culture which differentiates them from the larger culture to which they belong.- Definition :...
, this is often detrimental to the unity
Cooperation
Cooperation or co-operation is the process of working or acting together. In its simplest form it involves things working in harmony, side by side, while in its more complicated forms, it can involve something as complex as the inner workings of a human being or even the social patterns of a...
of the whole.
Morality independent of religion
A cornerstoneCornerstone
The cornerstone concept is derived from the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.Over time a cornerstone became a ceremonial masonry stone, or...
of moral syncretism is that religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
cannot be morality's only arbiter.
The Dalai Lama
Dalai Lama
The Dalai Lama is a high lama in the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" branch of Tibetan Buddhism. The name is a combination of the Mongolian word далай meaning "Ocean" and the Tibetan word bla-ma meaning "teacher"...
, for example, has said that compassion and affection are human values that are independent of religion: "We need these human values. I call these secular ethics
Secular ethics
Secular ethics is a branch of moral philosophy in which ethics is based solely on human faculties such as logic, reason or moral intuition, and not derived from purported supernatural revelation or guidance...
, secular beliefs. There’s no relationship with any particular religion. Even without religion, even as nonbelievers, we have the capacity to promote these things."
This notion is also supported by the traditional Judeo-Christian
Judeo-Christian
Judeo-Christian is a term used in the United States since the 1940s to refer to standards of ethics said to be held in common by Judaism and Christianity, for example the Ten Commandments...
concept of natural law
Natural law
Natural law, or the law of nature , is any system of law which is purportedly determined by nature, and thus universal. Classically, natural law refers to the use of reason to analyze human nature and deduce binding rules of moral behavior. Natural law is contrasted with the positive law Natural...
. In his book On Law, Morality and Politics, St. Thomas Aquinas identifies the innate rational nature of humans as being what defines moral law: "The rule and measure of human acts is the reason, which is the first principle of human acts."
This does not, however, mean secular ethics and religion are mutually exclusive. In fact, many principles, such as the Golden Rule, are present in both systems, and some religious people, as well as some Deists, prefer to adopt a rational approach to ethics.
Atheism and morality
Most atheists argue that no religious basis is necessary for one to live an ethical life. They assert that atheists are as motivated towards moral behavior as anyone, or more, citing a range of non-theistic sources of moral behavior, including: their upbringing; natural empathyEmpathy
Empathy is the capacity to recognize and, to some extent, share feelings that are being experienced by another sapient or semi-sapient being. Someone may need to have a certain amount of empathy before they are able to feel compassion. The English word was coined in 1909 by E.B...
, compassion
Compassion
Compassion is a virtue — one in which the emotional capacities of empathy and sympathy are regarded as a part of love itself, and a cornerstone of greater social interconnection and humanism — foundational to the highest principles in philosophy, society, and personhood.There is an aspect of...
and a human
Humanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
concern for others; respect for order, society, and law; and a desire for a good reputation and self-esteem. According to this view, ethical behavior would come from altruistic motivation, not from fear of punishment or promise of reward after death. In addition, while atheism does not entail any particular moral philosophy, many atheists are drawn towards views like secular humanism
Secular humanism
Secular Humanism, alternatively known as Humanism , is a secular philosophy that embraces human reason, ethics, justice, and the search for human fulfillment...
, empiricism
Empiricism
Empiricism is a theory of knowledge that asserts that knowledge comes only or primarily via sensory experience. One of several views of epistemology, the study of human knowledge, along with rationalism, idealism and historicism, empiricism emphasizes the role of experience and evidence,...
, objectivism, or utilitarianism
Utilitarianism
Utilitarianism is an ethical theory holding that the proper course of action is the one that maximizes the overall "happiness", by whatever means necessary. It is thus a form of consequentialism, meaning that the moral worth of an action is determined only by its resulting outcome, and that one can...
, which provide a moral framework that is not founded on faith in deities.
Humanist ethics
HumanistsHumanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
endorse universal morality
Moral universalism
Moral universalism is the meta-ethical position that some system of ethics, or a universal ethic, applies universally, that is, for "all similarly situated individuals", regardless of culture, race, sex, religion, nationality, sexuality, or any other distinguishing feature...
based on the commonality of human nature
Human nature
Human nature refers to the distinguishing characteristics, including ways of thinking, feeling and acting, that humans tend to have naturally....
and the belief that knowledge of right and wrong is based on our understanding of individual and joint interests, rather than a system of ethics stemming from a transcendental or arbitrarily local source, rejecting faith
Faith
Faith is confidence or trust in a person or thing, or a belief that is not based on proof. In religion, faith is a belief in a transcendent reality, a religious teacher, a set of teachings or a Supreme Being. Generally speaking, it is offered as a means by which the truth of the proposition,...
completely as a basis for moral action. The humanist ethics goal is a search for viable individual, social and political principles of conduct, judging them on their ability to enhance human well-being and individual responsibility.
The International Humanist and Ethical Union
International Humanist and Ethical Union
The International Humanist and Ethical Union is an umbrella organisation embracing humanist, atheist, rationalist, secular, skeptic, freethought and Ethical Culture organisations worldwide. Founded in Amsterdam in 1952, the IHEU is a democratic union of more than 100 member organizations in 40...
(IHEU) is the worldwide umbrella organization for those adhering to the Humanist life stance. Member organisations and individual members are required to accept the following statement:
- Humanism is a democratic and ethical life stance, which affirms that human beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives. It stands for the building of a more humane society through an ethic based on human and other natural values in the spirit of reason and free inquiry through human capabilities. It is not theistic, and it does not accept supernatural views of reality.
Humanism is also known to adopt principles of the Golden Rule. As Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish writer and poet. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of London's most popular playwrights in the early 1890s...
once said, "Selfishness is not living as one wishes to live, it is asking others to live as one wishes to live." This emphasizes a respect for other people's identities and ideals.
School of Economic Science
The School of Economic ScienceSchool of Economic Science
The School of Economic Science , a registered charity based in Mandeville Place, near Oxford Street in London, provides courses in what it calls "Practical Philosophy" and "Economics with Justice". The courses are based on the Hindu philosophy of Advaita Vedanta, which sees an underlying unity in...
(SES) is an organisation based in Mandeville Place
Mandeville Place
Mandeville Place is a skyscraper currently proposed to be built in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at 2401 Walnut St. It was scheduled to be completed in 2008, but construction had not yet begun as of January 2010. Upon completion, it will become the seventh tallest building in Philadelphia at 607 feet...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, founded by Leon MacLaren in 1937. Originally constituted to facilitate the study of economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
, over time it came to focus on philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
, particularly the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
tradition of Advaita Vedanta
Advaita Vedanta
Advaita Vedanta is considered to be the most influential and most dominant sub-school of the Vedānta school of Hindu philosophy. Other major sub-schools of Vedānta are Dvaita and ; while the minor ones include Suddhadvaita, Dvaitadvaita and Achintya Bhedabheda...
. In North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, the SES is also known as the School of Practical Philosophy
School of Practical Philosophy
The School of Practical Philosophy is a not-for-profit corporation chartered by the Board of Regents of the State of New York that began in New York City in 1964 as an offshoot of the School of Economic Science....
, or by other similar names. In Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, it is known as the School of Philosophy. Although the SES has been highly criticized for its methodology and alleged motives, it purports to be a syncretic school of moral philosophy.
Religions that incorporate moral syncretism
Several groups have taken on the challenge of establishing a world communityWorld community
The term is used primarily in political and humanitarian contexts to describe an international aggregate of nation states of widely varying types. In most connotations, the term is used to convey meanings attached to consensus or inclusion of all people in all lands and their...
through doctrine, faith and practice.
Unitarian Universalism
Unitarian UniversalismUnitarian Universalism
Unitarian Universalism is a religion characterized by support for a "free and responsible search for truth and meaning". Unitarian Universalists do not share a creed; rather, they are unified by their shared search for spiritual growth and by the understanding that an individual's theology is a...
is a theologically liberal
Liberal religion
Liberal religion is a religious tradition which embraces the theological diversity of a congregation rather than a single creed, authority, or writing...
religion characterized by its support of "a free and responsible search for truth and meaning." This principle permits Unitarian Universalists a wide range of beliefs and practices. Some communities even offer a class called "Building Your Own Theology."
Many Unitarian Universalists consider themselves humanists
Humanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
, while others hold Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
, Buddhist, Jewish, pagan, atheist, agnostic, pantheist, or other beliefs. Some choose to attach no particular theological label to their idiosyncratic combination of beliefs. Others consider themselves to be Unitarian Universalists in theology and seek moral orientation in the Unitarian Universalist Association's
Unitarian Universalist Association
Unitarian Universalist Association , in full the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations in North America, is a liberal religious association of Unitarian Universalist congregations formed by the consolidation in 1961 of the American Unitarian Association and the Universalist Church of...
Seven Principles and Six Sources. This diversity of views is considered a strength, since the emphasis is placed on a common search for a meaningful existence, rather than an adherence to a particular doctrine
Doctrine
Doctrine is a codification of beliefs or a body of teachings or instructions, taught principles or positions, as the body of teachings in a branch of knowledge or belief system...
.
Universal Sufism
The philosophy of Universal SufismUniversal Sufism
Universal Sufism is a universalist spiritual movement founded by Hazrat Inayat Khan while traveling throughout the West between 1910 and 1926, based on unity of all people and religions and the presence of spiritual guidance in all people, places and things. It is to some extent influenced by the ...
revolves around a unity
Cooperation
Cooperation or co-operation is the process of working or acting together. In its simplest form it involves things working in harmony, side by side, while in its more complicated forms, it can involve something as complex as the inner workings of a human being or even the social patterns of a...
of all people and religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
s, as well as the ability to find beauty
Beauty
Beauty is a characteristic of a person, animal, place, object, or idea that provides a perceptual experience of pleasure, meaning, or satisfaction. Beauty is studied as part of aesthetics, sociology, social psychology, and culture...
in all things. It is a form of Sufism
Sufism
Sufism or ' is defined by its adherents as the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a '...
that does not exist within the traditional framework of Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
and was most likely influenced by Advaita philosophy. Universal Sufism is characterised by its respect (if not inclusion) for other devotional traditions and its disapproval of miracles.
It is mandated that Universal Sufis should strive to "realize and spread the knowledge of Unity, the religion of Love, and Wisdom, so that the biases and prejudices of faiths and beliefs may, of themselves, fall away, the human heart overflow with love, and all hatred caused by distinctions and differences be rooted out."
See also
|
Moral relativism Moral relativism may be any of several descriptive, meta-ethical, or normative positions. Each of them is concerned with the differences in moral judgments across different people and cultures:... Public morality Public morality refers to moral and ethical standards enforced in a society, by law or police work or social pressure, and applied to public life, to the content of the media, and to conduct in public places... Secular ethics Secular ethics is a branch of moral philosophy in which ethics is based solely on human faculties such as logic, reason or moral intuition, and not derived from purported supernatural revelation or guidance... World community The term is used primarily in political and humanitarian contexts to describe an international aggregate of nation states of widely varying types. In most connotations, the term is used to convey meanings attached to consensus or inclusion of all people in all lands and their... World peace World Peace is an ideal of freedom, peace, and happiness among and within all nations and/or people. World peace is an idea of planetary non-violence by which nations willingly cooperate, either voluntarily or by virtue of a system of governance that prevents warfare. The term is sometimes used to... |