Moral Responsibility to be Intelligent.

[Jeremiahcp]

“As the chief moral guardian of the community, the church must implore men to be good and well-intentioned. It must extoll the virtues of kind-heartedness and conscientiousness. But somewhere along the way it must remind men that goodness and conscientiousness without intelligence may be the brutal forces that will lead to shameful crucifixions. The church must never tire of reminding men that they have a moral responsibility to be intelligent.” Martin Luther King Jr.

I think the idea that science has no role in morality is not realistic, as we constantly use scientific data to help us make moral choices. So which plays a bigger role in morality: Religion, or science?

 

[Deathbydefault]

I think the idea that science has no role in morality is not realistic, as we constantly use scientific data to help us make moral choices. So which plays a bigger role in morality: Religion, or science?

If we are talking about which one has more influence in the morality department, religion wins.
If we are talking about which one is the better adviser on what is moral, science wins.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I think the idea that science has no role in morality is not realistic, as we constantly use scientific data to help us make moral choices. So which plays a bigger role in morality: Religion, or science?

I'd say neither. Animal and even human testing is horrid at times to aquire data.

Religion tends to create extremism in its own right that leads down destructive paths.

 

[LuisDantas]

I think the idea that science has no role in morality is not realistic, as we constantly use scientific data to help us make moral choices. So which plays a bigger role in morality: Religion, or science?

Tell me how you define religion, then I will have the means to answer.

 

[Sunstone]

If we are talking about which one has more influence in the morality department, religion wins.
If we are talking about which one is the better adviser on what is moral, science wins.

I largely agree with this. I think science has tremendous potential to help decide moral issues. Of course, it cannot be the starting point for deciding such issues. You need an axiom or two for that, or a value to begin with. But once you have those, science can usually tell you a lot about which courses of action will result in your realizing your initial value(s).

 

[Revoltingest]

I think the idea that science has no role in morality is not realistic, as we constantly use scientific data to help us make moral choices. So which plays a bigger role in morality: Religion, or science?

An example....
A friend is a fundie Xian. He used to believe that all wrongful behavior was a conscious choice.
He believed that homosexuality & transgenderism were immoral choices. But after years of
discussing science, & his own reading, he's come around to seeing that brains don't function
so simply. Science enabled him to overcome incorrect religious training. He doesn't condemn
transsexual people anymore as reprobates.

Whatever values we hold, it's good to ensure they comport with reality. Science is for that.

 

[pearl]

I think faith and science enlighten each other. Science questions can we, faith questions, should we.

 

[Kemosloby]

I'm not sure religion gives a person morals, it's more like a mirror to see if you have any morals. Science doesn't care about morals, so that's more like staring at a wall.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

I think the idea that science has no role in morality is not realistic, ...

I think the idea that science has a role in morality is incoherent.​

 

[Revoltingest]

I think the idea that science has a role in morality is incoherent.​

Science has a role in debunking morality when conflicting with reality.
Another example is the immorality of life sentences for crimes committed by juveniles.
We now know enuf about brain development to see this as wrong. They do not
necessarily pose a threat to society when they become adults.

 

[Jeremiahcp]

If we are talking about which one has more influence in the morality department, religion wins.
If we are talking about which one is the better adviser on what is moral, science wins.

Isn't advising also influencing? For example science has been used to debunk many erroneous claims about blacks, and this has had a positive influence on how people think about blacks. I think, perhaps, you are just looking for a middle ground.

 

[Altfish]

I'm not sure religion gives a person morals, it's more like a mirror to see if you have any morals. Science doesn't care about morals, so that's more like staring at a wall.

Morals is usually about decision making, do I do A or B or C?
Religion has some guidelines and pastors and priests, etc. give further guidance but it tends to be fairly dogmatic and can often seem unjust (e.g. condoms and aids)
Although science in itself doesn't care about morals, its application can inform and help make those difficult decisions. So it is a lot more useful than 'staring at a wall'.

 

[Jeremiahcp]

I think the idea that science has a role in morality is incoherent.​

​

Seems straight forward to me. Knowledge illuminates the moral path; the better informed you are, the better able you are to make the right choices.

Had I said something like, "ignorance is the root of evil" people would be bending over backwards agreeing with me, or at least agreeing it plays a role.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

... the better informed you are, the better able you are to make the right choices.

That's an interesting claim.

 

[Reggie Miller]

I think the idea that science has no role in morality is not realistic, as we constantly use scientific data to help us make moral choices. So which plays a bigger role in morality: Religion, or science?

Neither.

MLK Jr was a Christian. To a Christian religion is nothing but Christ crucified is everything.

 

[Jeremiahcp]

Neither.

MLK Jr was a Christian. To a Christian religion is nothing but Christ crucified is everything.

I am sorry, but I can't make sense of what you are trying to say.

 

[Reggie Miller]

I am sorry, but I can't make sense of what you are trying to say.

Neither religion or science plays a role in morality. Christ is morality, the way, the truth and the life.

 

[Jeremiahcp]

Neither religion or science plays a role in morality. Christ is morality, the way, the truth and the life.

Alright, I'll file you under religion.

 

[Reggie Miller]

Alright, I'll file you under religion.

File it any way you like. See you in heaven!

 

[Quintessence]

...we constantly use scientific data to help us make moral choices.

We do? When did this happen? I can't say I've seen much indication of this and an awful lot of the opposite. Even working scientists who have regular access to this type of data don't do this.