An Ethic of Trust: Mutual Autonomy and the Common Will to Live

Description

The proximity of many different religions, each with its own unique metaphysics and ethics, did not exist in the ancient world when those religions came into existence. Many went uncontested for centuries, and many merged with governments to shape the laws for the entire people of a culture or nation. Theocracies can exist only where there is no plurality of religions or where the minor religions do not mind the dominant one dictating policy for all citizens. In the word’s two greatest democracies, the U.S. and India, despite the diversity that a democratic society presupposes, a majoritarian religion continues to assert an advantage over others to shape the social contract. An Ethic of Trust: Mutual Autonomy and the Common Will-to-Live addresses this problem, moving beyond sheer utilitarianism. W. Royce Clark argues that because of religious pluralism, a nation’s ethic must be grounded on “freestanding” principles. This means that its base must be universally obvious, and its principles must be agreeable to all citizens. The base is instinctual, the “will-to-live” which is present in all living creatures, and the recognition of that can influence people to agree to a voluntary unity and a couple of other basic principles to which all would agree, principles which embrace differences within relationships, whether in a marriage or a constitutional republic. But to voluntarily agree to these requires a genuine mutual trust and mutual autonomy which can maximize unity while allowing individual liberties. To arrive at this point, Clark blends scholars who are often cast as opposites—Albert Schweitzer, Friedrich Nietzsche, and John Rawls—to forge a new path for an inclusive ethic for a nation, within which both the religious and non-religious will have equal freedom and stability. Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Contents Preface and Acknowledgments Notes Introduction The Problem Thesis, Sources, and Scope for an Ethic of Trust Some Basic Definitions Notes Chapter 1: For What Will You Vote? One Voice and One’s Vote The Divisive Desire for an Impossible Theocracy A Diminutive History of Human Responsibility and Religion From Historical Reality to Images of Reality to Aspirational Symbols Religions’ Different Contingent Perspectives, Figures, and Ethics Present Ethical Issues and Irrelevant Ancient Absolute Ethics The Challenge of Autonomy: Stages of the “Metamorphoses” of Maturing Notes Chapter 2: Adjusting to the New Millennium in Search of a Common Ethic Prospect and Retrospect: Decadence and Determination Earlier and Continuing Religious Attempts to Address the World’s Ethical Problems The Rude Awakening: The Dissolution of Trust and the Twin Towers Religion’s Ethical Anacoluthon: The Presupposed Absolute to Finish the Sentence Toward Mutual Human Trust and Autonomy: Prerequisite for Living Together Notes Chapter 3: The Relief of Recognizing Different Ethical Grounds or Sets Critical Reflection versus the Institutions’ Retention of Metaphysics of Infinity Theological Awakening: The Gradual Implosion of Theism Conclusion Notes Chapter 4: Ethics of the “End”: Myth/Mysticism, “Will-to-Live,” or Total Presence? The Mythical End and the Mystical End Detachment from the World as Release to Serve Others From Theory to Existential Service: The Real Ground of Ethics Mysticism of Being, Agnosticism, and the Common Will to Live Instinctual Trust and the Development of Trust in Mutual Autonomy Universal Ethical Mysticism versus Supra-ethical Mysticism Truthfulness and Trust as the Ethics of the Will-to-Live Minor Variations on the Eschatological Theme Extensive Recent Eschatological or Apocalyptic Developments Conclusion Notes Chapter 5: The Instinctual End or Purpose as Life-Process The Quest for the Connection between Instinct, Reflection, and Actual Behavior “Instinct” as End? The End as Life-Process? The Will to Power and Sublimation Honesty, Truth, and Trust Conclusion Notes Chapter 6: The “Best (or ‘Worst’) of All Possible Worlds”?: Perspectives or Attitude? Early Christian Conceptions of Universal “Guilt” and an “Evil World” Inevitable Human Depravity and the Dehumanizing of Jesus the Christ The Metaphysics of Infinity’s Persistence through Prioritizing Being over Becoming On Realizing That Community or the Species Has More Potential Than Self To Rediscover and Redescribe Oneself beyond Illusion Instinct, Reason, Character, and Attitude Acceptance of the World Tied to Acceptance of Self Notes Chapter 7: Theoretical Trust in Unity Despite Differences The Connecting and Ethical Element: An Agreement or Social Contract A Contract Based on a Concept of Justice as Fairness On Narrowing the Scope and Expectation of the Conception of Justice Toward a Political Rather Than a Metaphysical Conception of Justice Other Considerations on the Principle of Equality and the Difference Principle The Role of Trust as the Common Unmentioned Element Conclusion Notes Chapter 8: Concluding Challenge: To Become Responsible in the Present Being Responsible for the “Will-to-Live” Two Spheres for the Two Sets of Ethics: Political and Metaphysical The Universal Ability to Respond Even from within Poverty to Others’ Suffering Sacrificing Oneself to Save Homo Sapiens: The Complexity of a Great Moral Example Notes Bibliography and Table of Cases Table of Cases Index About the Author