Hi All:
Pirsig claims that the MOQ presents a "rational morality." As such, it is
a rarity. As Alan Dershowitz, a celebrity lawyer from Harvard, writes in a
recent book:
"For most people, the question of why be good--as distinguished from
merely law abiding--is a simple one. Because God commands it,
because the Bible requires it, because good people go to heaven and
bad people go to hell. The vast majority of people derive their morality
from religion."
Dershowitz argues that those who follow a religion-based morality are
cynics. As Pascal put it 300 years ago, "Let us weigh the gain and the
loss in wagering that God is. If you gain, you gain all; if you lose, you
lose nothing."
Dershowitz presents other arguments against religion as well. But
what he fails to do, and fails miserably, is to offer any basis for what he
considers to be moral.
For example, he says "Real heroes are those who face death for a
principle--say, to save the lives of others--without any promise of
reward." A fine sentiment perhaps. But the morality derived from what
origin? Blank out.
Other Dershowitzisms:
"There are good reasons for human beings to do better than merely
being happy." What reasons? Blank out.
"The truly moral person is the one who does the right thing without any
promise of reward or threat of punishment." What is the right thing?
Blank out.
"Good character consists of recognizing the selfishness that inheres in
each of us and trying to balance it against the altruism to which we
should all aspire to." Why is selfishness immoral? Why is altruism
good? Blank out.
Etc., etc.
What the Dershowitz sermon boils down to is a diatribe against
morality derived from religious beliefs, but offering nothing in its place
other than a "soup of sentiments" that you are "supposed to cheer for"
as Pirsig put it.
So here we go again--moral relativism. Wouldn't you expect more from
a Harvard lawyer? On second thought, what would you expect?
The complete excerpt from the book by Dershowitz can be found at:
http://www.beliefnet.com/story/92/story_9263.html
Platt
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