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Right and Wrong: A Clue to the Meaning of the Universe
Common Decency
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Right and Wrong Lewis says when people argue, they appeal to fairness. In other words, this response is universal, being found in people of all ages and classes everywhere.
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Right and Wrong Lewis says that the “standard” is not merely opinion. In fact, when someone is accused of violating it, they don’t dismiss the standard. Rather, they seek to justify themselves.
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Right and Wrong In other words, a person accused of falling afoul of the standard will justify herself / himself. Lewis calls this standard morality.
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Right and Wrong Quarreling means trying to prove that one person is in the wrong. However, this would be pointless unless there exists a real right and a real wrong.
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Right and Wrong The “Law of Nature” used to be thought of as meaning the moral law. However, today it is more likely to be understood as meaning scientific laws.
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Right and Wrong For the ancients, the “Law of Nature” really meant the law of human nature. Furthermore, it is analogous with scientific law in that it is similarly immutable (or, unchangeable and unchanging).
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Right and Wrong The one key difference between the “Natural Law” and “The Law of Human Nature” is choice.
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Right and Wrong Lewis mentions World War II (which was raging when this lecture was first broadcast). What was his point in mentioning the war?
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Right and Wrong Lewis mentions the objection that, down through time, different civilizations have had different moralities. However, Lewis disagrees. He says that their moralities were only slightly different.
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Right and Wrong What example does Lewis cite to prove that all moral systems are, at their rock bottom, very similar? He mentions marriage customs.
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Right and Wrong In fact, Lewis notes that the only difference in these moralities is who you decide you should be unselfish with.
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Right and Wrong The common thread running through all of the world’s moral systems is selfishness has always been seen as wrong.
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Right and Wrong Lewis says that, when you meet an individual who claims not to believe in any absolute right and wrong, you will see that same person going back on this not long after.
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Right and Wrong Ultimately, we are forced to believe in a real right and wrong, though we might be mistaken about them.
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Right and Wrong Why does Lewis remark that no one keeps the law? We are only human. Why does he make the aside that, for those people who do (or mistakenly think they do!!), they should stop listening? Self righteousness is wrong; it makes you deaf and blind to this truth.
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Right and Wrong What is the significance of “excuse making”? It proves the moral law. What does it say about our relationship with “The Law of Human Nature”? The moral law is universal and inescapable.
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Right and Wrong For those who claim not to believe in right and wrong, Lewis asks, why should we be so eager to justify ourselves?
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Right and Wrong It is only for our bad behavior that we make excuses. We attribute our good behavior to ourselves.
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Right and Wrong Homework – In your own words, write a short summary of Lewis’ talk. To receive full credit, include a brief statement about your thoughts on Lewis’ overall point. What is Lewis’ getting at when he says that “this is the foundation of all clear thought about ourselves and the nature of the universe”? Do you agree or disagree? Explain.
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