Where must morality be founded? Would it be Theology as mostly thought? or Sociology?

Question

Thank you so much for all the answers. Have a great day!

Answer 1

While morality traditionally has been part of the questions taken up in Theology, that is a poor place for it to be founded because of the inscrutable nature of the divine and the superimposition of various pet hermeneutics on most bases and understandings of divine revelation (The Holiness Code found in Deuteronomy upholds and justifies slavery, genocide and discrimination. Is that moral?). I would vote for Sociology, because that has to do with verifiable standards found in the studies of human interaction. Looking within the Prophets one will find that upheld in Scripture.

[Sociology cannot be founded upon Theology, to do so produces a theocracy rife with injustice and bigotry.]

[I must respectfully differ from my friend Psychic Cat on this one. I do not uphold any "universal" or "absolute" standard of morality. Sociology crosses cultural boundaries. I believe morality is found within the relationships it studies. The study itself founds nothing, but unless morality is founded therein it founders. We must look to how we treat and value others, and on what bases we make distinctions and form relationships, our mores,customs, and institutions for the foundations of our morals. This is the stuff of Sociology. Logic alone is coldly analytical. Sociology better supplies the data from which good and valid syllogisms are formed than does Theology. First and foremost I must be moral for myself, I cannot be moral for another or apply any standards of morality I fail to comprehend. Neither can I expect that of another, imposing my morals upon them, or subjecting to or acquiescing in their morals. That is the bad news. The good news is that we do nothing alone, we learn from each other and find many points of agreement from our common condition as human beings, social animals. It is in this that I can come to comprehend Kant's Categorical Imperative, Ghandhi's satyagraha, Aristotle's Golden Mean, Lao Tsu's principles, etc., and by study comparing and contrasting apply them to my own understandings of society's rules and expectations. I don't have to re-invent the wheel every time I get into a car. And I'm not left adrift at sea with neither sail, rudder, nor anchor.]

["It's right because I say so." is a wet paper bag argument my kids could punch holes in by the time they were three years old. So is the idea that every opinion is equally valid, the concept of the solely subjective nature of morality that ends up in meaningless relativity. This gives over to the cross-fertilization of ignorance that is the mill of American public opinion. Unless we have accepted standards of morality within society and personal accountability our culture is morally bankrupt. I'll go off and join a pack of wolves, at least they know how to interact.]

[THA: It was 638 laws, to be precise, many of them having nothing whatsoever to do with morality. Jesus said, "True morality is this, to provide for the widow and needy in their distress, and to keep one's self unspotted by the world". This holds morality to social needs and standards, not to any concept of divine revelation. Whom am I to follow, Jesus or you?]

Answer 2

It would seem to be Sociology. Having a morality founded on Theology means thats someone (god) could have decided some other way. That is to say that he could have decided that murder was fine. If that's something that seems plausible then maybe theology is the foundation of morality. If you say 'well, god could have said that but there's no way he would' then you have assumed that god would never say murder is right. In doing so, you assume that the laws about the okayness of murder exist somewhere outside of god and thus seperate from him.

I'm taking Sociology to mean humanity here. Since those laws about morality exist outside of god, then they must be founded is something else. It's probably not people, as such, but it probably is something like logic or reason. I don't think you can call that Sociology but it's certainly not god or Theology.

Answer 3

Immutable truths in the sociology in self to self, self for self for other, the immediate self evincing facts in self consciousness. The Will is positive, the Judgment is negative and upon these two feet the mind walks through its self.

>>>>>>>>
Where must morality be founded? Would it be mostly Theology as thought? or Sociology?

Answer 4

None of the above, in fact, "morality" varies with time, cultures, societies & individuals. It cannot be "founded."
LOGIC: If morality was based solely on the bible, this would mean that NO ONE but Christians would have any sense of morality. Clearly, logically, this isn't true.
Every religion has its unique doctrines of morality. People choose their religion because it is compatible with--guess what? THEIR sense of morality. What does this tell you?
Sociology can help us to better understand various moral compasses, the "exotic" in anthropological terms--but can never, ever, (or should attempt to), establish an absolute morality.
This is one of the problems the US has with the Middle East. The US has absolutely no understanding of other cultures, & pompously PROJECTS on them conditions & concepts that in themselves are fallible, as the people of this country are also divisive as to what is "morality."
Andrew & Kathryn R gave excellent answers. THINK about them. When you are in philosophy, focus on LOGIC. Don't confine to "either or," nor accept subjective opinion or assumptions.

Edit: I'd like to add Fr.Al (who perhaps types faster than I!)
Except for one thing; sociology cannot "found" morality, as asked in your question.

Answer 5

Where morality must be founded? In my view, morality, which is a social code, must be established in sociology – see Rousseau (the French philosopher) about his social contract. I explain the Rousseau's thought like that:
SOCIOLOGY using (limited) 'freedom' within a democratic society can be suited to the Rousseau's saying about his sociological statement:
"Freedom is living according to a self-imposed code of ethics, as opposed to the slavery of barbarism". Some theologians afford the lasts within their social code.

Answer 6

I think that morality comes from within ones self. If you don't have respect for your self and others than you have no morality. Why would you care what happens to someone else if you have no respect for them?? Morality to me is caring about others and the world around you. You do the moral thing because it right for you and the rest of society. If you don't cheat on your taxes do you do it because it's the right thing to do or because society will find out?? Seriously how often does the greater society find you that you cheated on your taxes if you're not a celebrity ? No you don't' cheat on your taxes because you respect yourself and you want to be able to feel good about yourself no matter what the greater society says. Morality to me is a very personal thing that one does if one has respect for one's self and other's.

Answer 7

so·ci·ol·o·gy (ss-l-j, -sh-)
n.
1. The study of human social behavior, especially the study of the origins, organization, institutions, and development of human society.
2. Analysis of a social institution or societal segment as a self-contained entity or in relation to society as a whole.

the·ol·o·gy (th-l-j)
n. pl. the·ol·o·gies
1. The study of the nature of God and religious truth; rational inquiry into religious questions.
2. A system or school of opinions concerning God and religious questions: Protestant theology; Jewish theology.
3. A course of specialized religious study usually at a college or seminary.

Dictionary....There is the difference. It is apparent that a social system must rest upon the moral foundation of theology.

Answer 8

Morality is the correlation of a doctrine of God to an understanding of the ontology and teleology of the human person. Sociology can describe this phenomena, as well as propose an ethical methodology for its discipline, but it cannot found morality-- unless it where to gound its principles for inquiry in a doctrine of God.

Answer 9

--MORALITY in its true & full sense is detailed from the Bible!
--PRINCIPLES in the Bible have greater magnitude especially in referring to things of morality, honesty, ethics, human relations etc. than do laws.

FOR INSTANCE, the Hebrews were given about 600 laws in the presentation in wilderness with Moses transferring them from God to the Israelites 1513 B.C.E!

JESUS when asked the following question concerning the commandments, please note what he answered, in PRINCIPLE not law:

(Mark 12:28-31) “. . .Now one of the scribes that had come up and heard them disputing, knowing that he had answered them in a fine way, asked him: “Which commandment is first of all?” 29 Jesus answered: “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel, Jehovah our God is one Jehovah, 30 and you must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind and with your whole strength.’ 31 The second is this, ‘You must love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.””
----SO LOVE of God & love of neighbor if genuine would prevent individuals from violating any of the moral laws given the Israelites and more.
-----SUCH AS , just because there is no reference in the Bible that says "DON'T THROW garbage on your neighbors lawn" --should one do so, without feeling guilty--of course not, because of the principle of love of neighbor!
------BUT with reference to the 2 greatest commandments , there should be enough sincere love for a neighbor to prevent us from doing so!

--MANY A person have said of the Bibles morality as follows:

*** w96 5/1 p. 15 par. 4 Paying Back Caesar’s Things to Caesar
--- In the 18th century, the renowned English jurist William Blackstone wrote: “This law of nature [natural law], being co-eval with [the same age as] mankind and dictated by God himself, is of course superior in obligation to any other. It is binding over all the globe, in all countries, and at all times: no human laws are of any validity, if contrary to this.”
--Blackstone went on to speak of “revealed law,” as found in the Bible, and he commented: “Upon these two foundations, the law of nature and the law of revelation, depend all human laws; that is to say, no human laws should be suffered [allowed] to contradict these.”

*** g00 12/22 p. 4 A Far-Reaching Educational Program ***

THE 19th-century antislavery activist William H. Seward believed that “the whole hope of human progress is suspended on the ever growing influence of the Bible."

*** g84 3/22 p. 10 Why Should I Read the Bible?
--“It is the best book that ever was or will be in the world, because it teaches you the best lessons by which any human creature who tries to be truthful and faithful can possibly be guided.”—Charles Dickens, English author
*** w94 9/15 p. 27 Are You Learning From Our Grand Instructor?
--“I STUDIED law for five years at one of the best universities in Spain,” explained Julio. “But what I learned when I began studying the Bible was far superior. The university taught me how to study; the Bible taught me how to live.

WIKIPEDIA:
"Sociology is the new discipline which study social structure and patterns, relations and interactions, agencies and institutions, etc. of the society. "Sociology is the study of meaningful social actions" Sociology is a cluster of disciplines which seek to explain the dimensions of society and the dynamics that societies operate upon"

--MANY times the "cluster of disiciplines" can be very contradictory, where as the Bible and its principles & honest application can indeed be of great moral direction:

*** Multiple Articles ***

“I BELIEVE the Bible is the best gift God has ever given to man,” said Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth president of the United States. Although he never joined a church, Lincoln was a Bible reader from his youth. In fact, during his backwoods school days, the Bible was used for reading lessons. And, reportedly, Lincoln often had an old family Bible in hand during his days as president, in the years 1861-1865

Answer 10

socialogy