scholarly journals God, Moral Requirements, and the Limits of Freedom

Religions ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 285
Author(s):  
Laura W. Ekstrom
Keyword(s):  
Human Freedom ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Recent Argument ◽  
Moral Principles ◽  
Nonhuman Animals ◽  
The World ◽  
Moral Requirements

This article addresses James Sterba’s recent argument for the conclusion that God’s existence is incompatible with the degree and amount of evil in the world. I raise a number of questions concerning the moral principles that Sterba suggests God would be required to follow, as well as with respect to the analogy he draws between the obligations of a just state and the obligations of God. Against Sterba’s proposed justified divine policy of constraint on human freedom, I ask: What would motivate a perfect being to create human beings who imagine, intend, and freely begin to carry out horrific actions that bring harm to other human beings, to nonhuman animals, and to the environment? I argue that the rationale is lacking behind the thought that God would only interfere with the completion of the process of human beings’ bringing to fruition their horrifically harmful intended outcomes, rather than creating beings with different psychologies and abilities altogether. I end by giving some friendly proposals that help to support Sterba’s view that God, by nature, would be perfectly morally good.

Religiusitas Tokoh-Tokoh Dalam Novel Bumi Cinta Karya Habiburrahman El-Shirazy

AKADEMIKA ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 205-221
Author(s):  
Minahul Mubin
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Literary Criticism ◽  
Human Freedom ◽  
Religious Values ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Relationship With God ◽  
Belief In God ◽  
The World ◽  
Religious Aspects ◽  
Religious Elements

A novel titled BumiCinta written by Habiburrahman El-Shirazy takes place in the Russian setting, in which Russia is a country that adopts freedom. Russia with various religions embraced by its people has called for the importance of human freedom. Free sex in Russia is commonplace among its young people. Russia is a country that is free with no rules, no wonder if there have been many not embracing certain religion. In fact, according to data Russia is a country accessing the largest porn sites in the world. Habiburrahman in his Bumi Cinta reveals some religious aspects. He incorporates the concept of religion with social conflicts in Russia. Therefore, the writer reveals two fundamental issues, namely: 1. What is the characters' religiosity in the Habiburrahman El-Shirazy'sBumiCinta? 2. What is the characters' religiosity in the BumiCinta in their relationship with God, fellow human beings, and nature ?. To achieve the objectives, the writer uses the religious literary criticism based on the Qur'an and Hadith. It emphasizes religious values in literature. The writer also uses the arguments of scholars and schools of thought to strengthen this paper. This theory is then used to seek the elements of religiousity in the Habiburrahman El-Shirazy'sBumiCinta. In this novel, the writer explains there are strong religious elements and religious effects of its characters, especially the belief in God, faith and piety

The Freedom of God and Human Freedom

1983 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-180
Author(s):  
Axel D. Steuer
Keyword(s):  
Moral Responsibility ◽  
Human Freedom ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Images Of God ◽  
The World ◽  
Free Actions ◽  
Freedom Of Action

Our peculiar dignity as persons seems to rest on our freedom of action, since freedom of action is required to make sense both out of moral responsibility and out of the God—man relationship. Indeed, the possession of freedom seems to be a (if not the) major justification for claims that humans are in an important way images of God. Furthermore, the most promising theodicies all ascribe a good portion of the evil experienced in the world to the free actions of human beings.

Concluding Reflections

2016 ◽  
Vol 81 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-109
Author(s):  
Govert Buijs ◽  
Simon Polinder
Keyword(s):  
International Relations ◽  
Research Agenda ◽  
Human Action ◽  
Human Freedom ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Philosophical Approach ◽  
Fundamental Notion ◽  
The World ◽  
Practice Approach

This article sketches a research agenda for the development of a Christianly inspired perspective in International Relations. It is argued that a practice-approach offers fruitful starting points for such an attempt. This approach shares three fundamental insights with the Christian philosophical approach known as Reformational philosophy, namely that science is just one mode of relating to the world, that human action and human freedom should be taken seriously, and that reality is intrinsically meaningful. In turn, Reformational philosophy can deepen existing practice-approaches on four points. In the first place, it addresses the fundamental notion that all human beings have an (Archimedean) point of trust. Secondly, it includes the notion that reality is made up of many dimensions. Thirdly, it takes seriously dominant cultural ideas or so-called groundmotives. Finally, a Reformational approach is sensitive to vicissitudinary processes which may open up or close down certain positive developments in history.

scholarly journals THE CORRELATION BETWEEN LANGUAGE AND REALITY

2021 ◽  
pp. 45-51
Author(s):  
Iryna Kachur
Keyword(s):  
Complex Structure ◽  
Human Perception ◽  
Word Formation ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Moral Principles ◽  
The World ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Grammatical Structures ◽  
The Universe ◽  
The Way

The correlation between language and reality is investigated in this article. The question whether language shapes the way we think or it is the reality which defines what we say is highly disputable. Any language is a complex structure of vocabulary and grammar which serves as the main means of communication, and with the help of which people can render their thoughts, achieve their goals, or simply socialize. The influence of language on our way of thinking can be observed on the example of the process of word formation in different languages or the usage of specific words, which describe phenomena common to this or that culture. However, at the same time, the reality influences lexicon as well and plays a significant role in building a culture. Moreover, grammatical categories of time and gender, which differ from language to language, may also affect the way people perceive the world. As for the category of gender, it may restrict human beings in the choice of adjectives they attribute to different entities, depending on the word being masculine or feminine. Meanwhile, the very essence of time vary from language to language, depending on it, speakers may give prominence to different chunks of information expressed in a sentence. To achieve these not only grammatical structures but also certain words may be used. Due to the differences in world images that speakers of different languages have, some cultural misunderstanding may arise. It has to be mentioned that a culture is a combination of values, moral principles, customers and traditions of a nation which are reflected in its language. Moreover, great emphasis was put on the process of acquiring a new language which has the power to alter human perception of the universe. Therefore, learning a foreign language a person as well studies its culture and begins to see the world from a different perspective. Thus, language has an impact on the human perception of the world, but at the same time, the reality has an influence on what we say.

scholarly journals URDU-19 The Islamic Concept of freedom of expression

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 209-218
Author(s):  
Dr Sajjad Ali Raeesi ◽  
Dr Mujeeb Rehman Abro ◽  
Muneera Khanum
Keyword(s):  
Freedom Of Expression ◽  
Freedom Of Speech ◽  
Human Freedom ◽  
Human Being ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
The World ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract There is a lot of negotiation on freedom of speech. There is no doubt that man is born free. Every religion in the world is convinced of the freedom of human beings, but to what extent man has this freedom. Is man allowed to put any kind of materialism in the freedom he enjoys or is it not?  Does religion, especially Islam, give freedom to man or not? This research discusses these questions۔ According to divine teachings, man is also made free. However, the freedom of man is rooted in the relationship between man (Abd) and God. The meaning of freedom within divine religions is associated with the concept of humanity (Abdit). The concept of 'Abdit' is very broad in Islam. If a man imagines that he is a servant of God, he must also demonstrate godly worship. The freedom of humanity that is talked about today is terrible, in which the relationship between man and God is not taken care of and Islam is blamed that Islam destroys human freedom. In the ideology of Islam, the freedom of human being is a sacred phenomenon. There is no inflation in this regard. Let man not sell his freedom to any other man. That is, do not enslave anyone other than God. Hazrat Ali ibn Abi Talib said: "O man, do not go into the custody of any other human being, for Allah has created you free.

The Star of Redemption as a System of Philosophy

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karin Nisenbaum
Keyword(s):  
Human Action ◽  
Human Freedom ◽  
Practical Philosophy ◽  
Human Consciousness ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Abstract Concepts ◽  
Philosophical Investigations ◽  
The World ◽  
Subject And Object

This chapter explains why Schelling and Rosenzweig hold that the representation of God by finite human beings is a topic of practical philosophy. Like Schelling’s Philosophical Investigations into the Essence of Human Freedom and his Ages of the World fragments, Rosenzweig’s Star of Redemption is motivated by an attempt to provide an explanation for the existence of the finite world, for the condition that brings about the relation between subject and object that characterizes all states of human consciousness. The system that Rosenzweig develops in the Star invites us to consider our commitments, the values that we ascribe to ourselves when we form maxims for action, as the means through which abstract concepts of the good are cognized. On Rosenzweig’s view, our commitments are the site of reason’s revelation; for this reason, God is both cognized and realized through human action in the world.

scholarly journals Buddhist ethics of Pancha Shila: A Solution to the Present Day and Future Problems

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 215-227
Author(s):  
Aamir Riyaz ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Developing Country ◽  
Basic Assumption ◽  
Sexual Misconduct ◽  
Actual Practice ◽  
Future Generations ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Buddhist Ethics ◽  
Cardinal Virtues ◽  
Moral Principles ◽  
The World

Most of the religions of the world are based on some fundamental moral principles of good conduct/virtues and prohibits its followers to do anything which is not good for the welfare of the society as a whole. This fundamental moral principal of good conduct, in Buddhism, is known as Pancha Shila (Five Precepts or Five Virtues). Pancha Shila is the basic assumption of moral activities for both households as well as for renunciates. It forms the actual practice of morality. Each time the precepts are upheld, the moral volitions are strengthened, until morality becomes a habitualtrait through the condition of repetition. For the smooth functioning of a society, every Buddhist has to follow the five moral precepts i.e. abstaining from killing, abstaining from stealing, abstaining from sexual misconduct, abstaining from falsehood, abstaining from taking intoxicants. Jainism, Christianity, Hinduism and Islam too accept such ethical codes with little modification. These are called cardinal virtues. Jaina concept of Pancha Mahavrata is very close to Buddhist concept of Pancha Shila. In Jainism these are; Ahimsa (Abstinence from all injury to life), Satyam (Abstinence from falsehood), Asteyam (Abstinence from stealing), Brahmacharyam (abstinence from self indulgence), Aparigraha (Abstinence from all attachment). Mahatma Gandhi too accepted these five cardinal virtues given by Jainism but he added two more in it which are; Fearlessness and Faith in God. The five precepts of Buddhism offers the moral conducts following which everyone can avoid evil deeds and can contribute in making this world a better world for present and future generations. The precept of abstaining from killing leads to the respect for other’s life. The precept of abstaining from stealing leads to the respect for other’s property. The precept of abstaining from sexual misconduct leads to the respect for one’s own dignity and dignity of other’s especially women. The precept of abstaining from falsehood leads to the respect for honesty. The precept of abstaining from taking alcohol leads to innumerable number of good qualities like respect for a clear mind, respect for modesty of other human beings, respect for money, respect for one’s own dignity, respect for other’s life and so on. The five precepts of Buddhism make a person disciplined, which is one of the most important ingredients for the development of overall personality of a person. A developing country cannot become a developed one unless its citizens are disciplined. If we analyze the five precepts given by Buddhism then, we find that the solution for most of world problems lies in it. If everyone follows five precepts then, I think this world will be transformed into a better place, a place where people have respects for other’s life and property, where everybody’s interest will be taken care of, where people will have an altruistic approach towards society. In short, this world can be transformed into a heaven.

Study on Ecological Value of Practical Consciousness of Sustainable Development Based on Chinas Ancient Great Thinkers Thought on Ecological Ethics

2014 ◽  
Vol 507 ◽  
pp. 888-891 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shi Hua Li
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Intrinsic Value ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Ecological Ethics ◽  
Ecological Value ◽  
Moral Principles ◽  
Ecological Ethic ◽  
The World ◽  
Value Of Nature ◽  
Heaven And Man

The thinking of sustainable development not only respects the intrinsic value of nature, but also defines the human beings transcendent position in the world. At the same time, it determines specifically human subjectivity in the practice, and admits the legitimacy that humans use and transform the nature. Based the understanding of distinction between heaven and man, Tsunzi specifically set forth the eco-ethics practice theory of adapting the law of heaven and making use of it. His theory dialectically integrated human utilization, protection, rights, and obligations to nature, which not only involved human moral courage, but also embraced ecological moral principles of human practice as well as the ethical spirit of pursuing ecological ethic aims.

All Animals Are Equal, or Are They? The Ikhwān al-Ṣafāʾ’s Animal Epistle and its Unhappy End

2014 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 42-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarra Tlili
Keyword(s):  
The Body ◽  
Final Outcome ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Main Text ◽  
Nonhuman Animals ◽  
Privileged Status

The Ikhwān al-Ṣafāʾ’s animal epistle is an intriguing work. Although in the body of the narrative the authors challenge anthropocentric preconceptions and present nonhuman animals in a more favourable light than human beings, inexplicably, the narrative ends by reconfirming the privileged status of humans. The aim of this paper is to propose an explanation for this discrepancy. I argue that the egalitarian message reflected in the body of the narrative is traceable back to the Qur'an, the main text with which the authors engage in the fable, whereas the final outcome is due to the Ikhwān's hierarchical worldview.

“Utopia First!” A Machiavellian Conception of Solidarity in More's Utopia

Moreana ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 55 (Number 209) (1) ◽  
pp. 79-93
Author(s):  
Marie-Claire Phélippeau
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Farm Work ◽  
The World ◽  
Social Difficulties ◽  
The Republic ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Democratic Elections ◽  
Communal Organization

This paper shows how solidarity is one of the founding principles in Thomas More's Utopia (1516). In the fictional republic of Utopia described in Book II, solidarity has a political and a moral function. The principle is at the center of the communal organization of Utopian society, exemplified in a number of practices such as the sharing of farm work, the management of surplus crops, or the democratic elections of the governor and the priests. Not only does solidarity benefit the individual Utopian, but it is a prerequisite to ensure the prosperity of the island of Utopia and its moral preeminence over its neighboring countries. However, a limit to this principle is drawn when the republic of Utopia faces specific social difficulties, and also deals with the rest of the world. In order for the principle of solidarity to function perfectly, it is necessary to apply it exclusively within the island or the republic would be at risk. War is not out of the question then, and compassion does not apply to all human beings. This conception of solidarity, summed up as “Utopia first!,” could be dubbed a Machiavellian strategy, devised to ensure the durability of the republic. We will show how some of the recommendations of Realpolitik made by Machiavelli in The Prince (1532) correspond to the Utopian policy enforced to protect their commonwealth.

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