Non-Religious Worldviews Flashcards
the human search for personal fulfilment through non-religious practices: Agnosticism
- Believes that God’s existence cannot be proved nor disproved = DOUBT
- belief that nothing is known or can be known about the existence or nature of God
- Is a middle ground between Theism and Atheism
- As agnostics are not certain if a god exists or not, their moral reasoning is often similar to a humanist (i.e. figure it out rationally - rational thought)
- Some would argue it is important to live a good moral life, just in case there is a God.
- Moral relativism - too many answers (not one single answer)
- Agnostics can be commonly divided into two groups.
- One is uninterested in God or religion in general.
- The second group contains people who are actively searching for some meaning outside their own existence
E.g. Blaise Pascal, Charles Darwin
the human search for personal fulfilment through non-religious practices: Atheism
- refers to the belief that no deity or God exists
- believe there is no way humanity can prove or justify any power higher than itself
- Belief in God attacks human autonomy
- Also assert that a belief in a loving god is denied by the existence of evil + suffering
- Believe universe evolved by a natural scientific progress w/o intervention by a supernatural entity
- Through this = highly influential on A+B of indivs
- Atheists believe in the ‘common good’, meaning to make the right decisions for benefit of all of humanity
- influences indivs to behave in a moral + ethical way that is beneficial to society
- belief that religion is a limit placed on humanity, that restricts indivs from reaching their aspirations.
- Atheists desire that humanity be free of such constraints so indivs can reach their full potential + A through self-determination, human freedom + ethical behaviour based on rational thought
- believe edu is essential for humans to realise their asp + learn appropriate behaviour, hence the significance of edu + reason, in helping indivs with their life path
- focus on answers to life’s existential questions rationally, rather than w/ a divine power
- Atheists also place emphasis on legacy + aspiring to create a just + sustainable future for future gen
- Through actions e.g. protecting env e.g. atheists in secular organisations like Greenpeace, indivs = called to behave ways that benefit future = influence behaviours of indivs
the human search for personal fulfilment through non-religious practices: Humanism (rational + scientific)
Rational:
- refers to those who emphasise human reason in providing answers to the questions of life
- Reason, logic, rational thought, secular
- Code of ethics: “10 Commandments” of rational humanism - based on human rights e.g. education
- Emphasises the importance of rational human thought + reasoning in all aspects of life, inclu belief + behaviour
- Live moral life based on respect for human life + dignity → not because of a belief in God or religious standards → rationally, best way to behave
Scientific:
- Emphasises that reality can be discovered through scientific research and experimentation
- Current problems/ills along w/ future desires + expectations can be solved or satisfied by scientific thought, discovery, development + understanding
- Needs scientific proof/experiments - deductive reasoning
- Believes that reality is what can be touched, measured or numbered → things that can’t be seen e.g. emotion, beauty + thought should not be regarded as knowledge or truth
Humanists: Fred Hollows (ophthalmologist), Tim Flannery (env) - many involved in SJ activities e.g. Greenpeace
the human search for personal fulfilment through non-religious practices: Humanism (A + B)
- places emphasis on efforts + abilities of human reason in conjunction w/ scientific logic to understand world,
- rejects the notion that truth can only be discovered through divine revelation
- It is human reason that enables an indiv to find out what is to be done and how a good life can be achieved
- Through investigation, research + study, people can determine for themselves what it means to be human and what the appropriate ways are to live a human life
- Humanists adopt a stance known as moral relativism (idea that each situation is unique) + that examination of a wide range of evidence = required, before decisions are made
- choices can be very liberal in nature, because of the freedom + autonomy of indiv
- embraces the emotions + ideals of altruism, integrity, honesty + responsibility, while rejecting concepts of sin + guilt
- Many humanists assert = freer to live their lives according to own desires than those who are adherents to strict religions
- believe that what a person leaves behind is what is important
- Impact: pushed to change the marriage act (1973) → changed to non-Church setting 2016 census: religion question - non-religion moved to top
