Konrad Szocik
Studia Religiologica, Volume 47, Issue 4, 2014, pp. 321-329
https://doi.org/10.4467/20844077SR.14.024.3125Sam Harris, one of the new atheists, believes that science is an authority in moral issues. Science can help us understand what our moral duties are, and what is right and wrong in a moral sense. However, the cultural and historical diversity of human behaviors, especially history of wars and conflicts, suggests that it is difficult to show one, common and universal kind of morality. Here we show that Harris’s moral theory is a particular project which could not be “scientifically” justifiable.
Konrad Szocik
Polish Pedagogical Thought, Issue 1, I (2015), pp. 241-255
https://doi.org/10.4467/24504564PMP.15.013.6677Marian Morawski pessimistically evaluated the development seen within the second half of the 19th century. He criticized socialism and liberalism, idealism and materialism. He drew attention to the cult of technology and hard work. He predicted that this kind of civilization would lead to war. Philosophy was responsible for this dangerous turn because of its rejection of realism and common sense. Education for life in the state requires a realistic philosophy, which develops morality and a critical approach to reality.
Konrad Szocik
Studia Religiologica, Volume 48, Issue 4, 2015, pp. 313-326
https://doi.org/10.4467/20844077SR.15.023.4762Cognitive Science of Religion (CSR) suggests the naturalness of religion. Religious beliefs are viewed as natural because they are intuitive and cognitively effortless. They are also inevitable and more obvious than atheism. In consequence, atheism is an unnatural phenomenon which requires special cultural and social support. However, this naturalness of religion hypothesis seems overestimated. Here we show that atheism is more natural than religion and religious beliefs in the cognitive sense because it meets the criteria appropriate for natural selection in the sense of ultimate explanation. Religion and religious beliefs require cultural inputs. Without cultural support, they seem unnatural.