Does Morality Depend upon Religion?

Abstract

In Plato’s Euthyphro, Socrates raises the question, “Is what is holy, holy because God approve it, or do they approve it because it is holy?” This question is the beginning of a debate among philosophers and theologians about the foundation of morality. Is an action right or wrong because God commands or prohibits it, or does God command or prohibit the action because it is already right or wrong?

Virtually all religions include a code of moral conduct. It is believed that all religions laid stress on Dharma or righteousness. Plato, Socrates, Aristotle, Kant, Swedenborg and Spinoza, the Vedas and Dharmaśāstras are all striking examples in the history of East and Western philosophy for the high pedestal on which they have placed morality, duty and righteousness, and adored them all as the only means to the attainment of the goal of life. Each religion lays greater stress on certain aspects of Dharma. Vaiśeṣika Sūtra claims: “Yato-bhyudayaniḥśreyasa-siddhiḥsadharmaḥ.”

Each religion teaches that the ultimate goal of moral living is unattainable without the practice of that religion. So not only is morality an intrinsic feature of almost all religions, but also morality is incapable of standing alone. Morality needs religion. In this contribution, an attempt has been made to show that in one respect in which it is said that morality needs religion is that the goal of moral life is unreachable without religious practice. Some philosophers also maintain that morality needs religion in at least two other respects: (1) to provide moral motivations, and (2) to provide morality with its foundation and justification.  In the end of this paper, it is discussed that these three ways in which morality may depend on religion are logically independent, although there are conceptual connections among the standard arguments for these positions.