Myth and Morality: The Love Command

Abstract. Following in general a history of religions analysis, the paper argues that myth lays a basis for morality in that it sets forth a picture of “how things really are” (the is), to which humans seek to conform their actions (morality, the ought). A parallel argument locates the capacity for...

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Détails bibliographiques
Auteur principal: Hefner, Philip 1932- (Auteur)
Type de support: Électronique Article
Langue:Anglais
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Publié: Wiley-Blackwell 1991
Dans: Zygon
Année: 1991, Volume: 26, Numéro: 1, Pages: 115-136
Sujets non-standardisés:B Christian Theology
B Morality
B Myth
B Évolution
B Love Command
B Altruism
B Culture
Accès en ligne: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Édition parallèle:Non-électronique
Description
Résumé:Abstract. Following in general a history of religions analysis, the paper argues that myth lays a basis for morality in that it sets forth a picture of “how things really are” (the is), to which humans seek to conform their actions (morality, the ought). A parallel argument locates the capacity for morality and values orientation in the process of evolution itself. A hypothesis is formulated concerning the function of myth in the emergence of Homo sapiens, namely, to motivate the action required if creatures so culturally formed as humans were to survive. The Christian love command (understood as altruism) is interpreted as an example of the general hypothesis.
ISSN:1467-9744
Contient:Enthalten in: Zygon
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9744.1991.tb00805.x