Chris deBettencourt

TH300-1

 

I.                     Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

   A. Chapter 1-The Law of Human Nature

         1. Standards of Behavior

                a) Quarreling is often a means to show one is right and one is wrong.

                b) This leads to the notion of the Law of Right and Wrong

         2. Law of Nature vs. Law of Human Nature

                a) Laws of nature are constant and predicable; one cannot disobey the Law of Nature

                b) Laws of Human Nature can be obeyed or disobeyed by man through choice.

          3. Objective Morality              

        a) Some say that morality is subjective, based on ages and civilizations. This is not true.

        b) There are minor differences among moralities, not total differences and not extreme opposites.

        c) People through the ages have agreed to not put self first. Selfishness is unadmirable.

        d) People don’t really keep the Law of Nature. People fail to follow the “Golden Rule” of treating others as they’d like to be

             treated. When this reality is brought to our eyes, we make excuses.

        e) Excuses are proof in the natural belief in the Law of Nature. We believe in morals and decency so much that we can’t   

            believe that we break the Law.

  4. Summary

       a) All humans have the uncanny notion that they are bound to act or ought to act a certain way, and that humans are unable to

           change this notion.

       b) Despite this notion, humans do not act in the ways they ought to. People know the Law of Nature, yet they break it.

           B. Chapter 2 - Some Objections

                  1. Herd Instinct

                       a) Humans have instinctual wants and desires, but Law of Human Nature is different. Moral Law helps us guide our instincts.

               b) Moral Law often pushes us to choose the weaker impulses. Instincts do need to be restrained.

              c) The most dangerous thing is taking an impulse of one’s nature and following it at all costs.

         2. Real Right

              a) We believe that some moralities are better than others. Doing so implies that there is a standard of Real Right

   C. Chapter 3 - The Reality of Law     

        1.Law of Human Nature or Law of Decent Behavior

           a) When something does not meet our needs, we often judge it as bad or wrong, but this is false. We do this due to convenience.

          b) The Law of Human Nature tells us what we ought to do. Often, we know men ought to behave differently.

          c) Sometimes bad behavior is not inconvenient to us. We can’t say that decent behavior is simply what is useful to us.

          d) Some say decent behavior means what helps the human race as a whole, not just the individual.

          e) Men ought to be fair and unselfish.

           f) Law of Human Nature is not just a fact, and it must be real. It is not something that we made up ourselves, yet it presses us.

   D. Chapter 4 – What Lies Behind the Law

           a) Law of Human Nature is a real law which people did not create and which we know we ought to obey.

       1.Views of the Universe

           a) Materialism-There is just matter, life just existed, behavior is fixed, life is random.

            b) Religious view- Something mind-like created life. Something conscious, purposeful, has preference.

           c) Science can not answer the question because it is experimental.

            d) Whatever is behind the universe will remain unknown or will reveal itself to us.

        2. Man

             a) The one thing we ought to know is Man because we can observe the external and experience the internal.

             b) Man is under a moral law which he knows he ought to obey. This can not be realized without internal experience.

             c) Whatever controls the universe can not reveal itself as a fact. It can only show itself inside of man as an influence or

                 command which attempts to guide our action.

             d) Man does not exist by his own, there is a law he is under. Therefore, there is a power behind this law.

             e) Whatever created the law is more mind than matter.

        3. Life-Force Philosophy

             a) Life-Force philosophy is an in-between view.

             b) This views believes in evolution from smaller life-forms, but this evolution was caused by “striving” and “purposiveness of

                a Life Force. This leads too comfort of God, without consequences, the thrills of religion without the cost.

 

 

The Law of Human Nature Applies to Me Here and Now

 

            The Law of Human Nature suggests that a universal force, God, somehow created me with the natural inclination to do right. Even though I was created with free will to choose as I please, I still naturally know what I ought to do, and I know what is right and what is wrong. Therefore, the Law of Human Nature affects my conscience and the way I act and feel. The Law exists so that I do not simply act on impulses or desires. The Law is in place so that I am able to realize what the right or moral decision or action is. Although following the Law would make me a great moral person, I do not always follow what is right and I sin, and consequently I try to justify my wrong-doing, although I contradict the idea of the Law of Human Nature because I justify my wrong-doing even though I knew all along what I needed to do. My daily life is full of instances during which the Law of Human Nature takes place.

            The Human Law applies to me here and now because it is in my very nature. I am thankful that such a Law is able to help me decipher between right and wrong, especially when, as a teenager, I am constantly bombarded by peer pressure from friends and the media. I am often pressured to do things to “be cool”, and such actions involve selfishness, laziness, sex, alcohol, and drugs. The Law of Human Nature helps me recognize that I ought to do in such a situation. I ought to avoid alcohol, sex, drugs, selfishness, and laziness, and decide as an individual for the best interests of myself and those most concerned about me. Therefore, I realize the importance of the Law of Human Nature in my life, and in most decisions, especially major ones, I do the right thing.

            However, there are instances when I do know what I ought to do, but I go against this realization and do the wrong thing. This is a case when I fall to concupiscence; I know what is right but do what is wrong. I often do what is wrong knowingly for personal gain. Sometimes I will lie to cover myself, even though I want to be honest and know that the truth is best. There have been instances when I have cheated in a minor sense, even though I knew it was wrong. Sometimes I slander others, yet I know it is wrong and I sure would not like to have it done to me.

            I don’t often try to justify my wrong-doings or make excuses because I see that as a form of lying and am able to admit when I’m wrong. I realize that it is rather pitiful to do wrong to others and get angry when the same wrong is done to me. I firmly believe in the Golden Rule and try to live my life in accordance with it and the Law of Human Nature, and excuses and pointing the blame hinder such guides in my life.

            I know that the Law of Human Nature is constantly working for me in my life, and I am thankful for it. I try to follow what I ought to do as often as possible, but I still sin and do wrong. I don’t make excuses, but nonetheless there is room for improvement and I need to follow the Law more often.