The Truth Project – Lesson 2 “Philosophy & Ethics” Says Who?

Lesson 2 deals with the subjects of Philosophy and Ethics.  Philosophy (from the Greek philos sophia meaning “love of wisdom”) started out as a scientific quest to discover ultimate reality.  It branched out later to ask the bigger questions such as, “What is reality?” “Why am I here?” and “What is the purpose and meaning for my life?”

Thinkers have used Philosophy as a starting point but have conjured up a myriad of worldviews such as naturalism, humanism, existentialism, postmodernism, etc to explain ultimate reality.  Carl Sagan, the well-known scientist, had his own naturalistic worldview that can be summed up in these famous words, “the cosmos is all there is, ever was, and ever will be”.  This implies that the only reality is inside the box of this world.  Naturalism makes no room for an outside entity – no room for an outside creator.  Although Sagan does not outright state “There is no God,” his statement that the cosmos is all there is assumes that there is no God.  The assumption is there, and the most dangerous form of knowledge is an assumption.  If you buy the statement, you buy the assumption.

Because humankind does not want to live in a sterile box, they invent a god to fill that void, but they invent this god inside the box to suit their own needs.  Humans then try to make sense of the universals by looking at the particulars, when God has given us the universals to help us understand the particulars.  For example, one great thinker used mathematics, science and art to find universal truth, but ultimately failed in his attempt to discover the Holy Grail.  He must have not looked outside the box.

What’s more, our understanding of right and wrong is directly dependent on our worldview: is the universe God’s creation or a closed cosmic cube?  If it is God’s creation, then there are objective moral standards for humans.  These standards correlate to the character and nature of God.  There is also a clear distinction between Ethics and Morality.  As the well-known theologian, R.C. Sproul states, “Ethics implies ‘ought’ and Morality implies ‘what is’.”  In other words, Ethics is what ought to be regardless of time and culture (transcendent) and morality has to do with the behaviors (mores) of a particular culture and society.

Everyone has a personal worldview, and this worldview determines people’s actions.  The Bible encourages believers to “… not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2).  The word “transformed” in the Greek is “metamorphoo” and is used in this verse, the transfiguration of Jesus and in 2 Cor. 3:18: “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory”.  Let us seek to be transformed.

1. Lesa says:

   January 24, 2012 at 11:33 am

   The statement that lingered with me was, “May we not turn away from the struggle in the cocoon.”

   May we look upon the face of God and welcome the transformation He brings. May we set our mind and heart on Truth, in a culture that stands opposed to it.

   This is a fabulous series! Thank you Neomi for capturing the nuggets of each lesson.