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The Need for Moral Guidance | The Evidence Course | Session 4 / Part 2 (2021-09-22) ​

Description ​

Session 4 Part 2

In an age of information overload and widespread pseudo-intellectualism, understanding the core foundations of Islam is as essential as ever.

This course comprehensively deconstructs the skeletal structure of prevalent ideologies and concepts such as atheism, scientism, materialism, secularism, and skepticism, in light of an all-encompassing intellectually robust Islamic worldview.

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The Hosts: ----------------------| Jake Brancatella, The Muslim Metaphysician

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Yusuf Ponders, The Pondering Soul

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Sharif

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Abdulrahman

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Summary of The Need for Moral Guidance | The Evidence Course | Session 4 / Part 2 ​

This summary is AI generated - there may be inaccuracies. *

00:00:00 - 00:15:00 ​

the presenter discusses the need for moral guidance, and how humans often rely on assumptions about life and morality to make decisions. He points to two examples of contradictory moral views - murder being a greater crime than rape, and bestiality being a lesser crime. argues that humans have always differed in their opinions on morality, and that this means that there is no one correct answer to questions of morality. Instead, people should look to Allah for guidance on how to live their lives.

**00:00:00 ** the author explains the need for moral guidance, and how this need is created by our innate desire to worship God. He also explains that our wider moral judgments need to be guided by God, and that human beings have innate drives and needs other than just seeking to worship. He gives an example of how a moral judgment is made, and discusses how different situations can lead to different judgments. He concludes by discussing the ethics of different forms of intentional killing.

  • **00:05:00 ** the presenter discusses the need for moral guidance, and how humans often rely on assumptions about life and morality to make decisions. He points to two examples of contradictory moral views - murder being a greater crime than rape, and bestiality being a lesser crime.
  • **00:10:00 ** argues that humans have always differed in their opinions on morality, and that this has always been the case. He goes on to say that this means that there is no one correct answer to questions of morality, and that people should instead look to Allah for guidance.
  • **00:15:00
  • Discusses the need for moral guidance in order to determine for ourselves how to live our lives and determine the right way to go about it. Allah has given us guidance in the Quran through verses such as the one mentioned in Hadid 25, which states that we sent prophets with clear proofs and revealed the scripture and the balance in order for humans to stand up for justice. This is why the revelation was meant to be a means of teaching humans how to be moral agents and to help them make decisions in their lives.

Full transcript with timestamps: CLICK TO EXPAND

0:00:14 i want you to imagine you had one0:00:16 healthy individual he's got healthy0:00:18 heart healthy lungs healthy liver0:00:21 healthy kidneys he's a healthy0:00:23 uh person0:00:25 but then you had four unhealthy people0:00:28 one who needs a heart one who needs a0:00:31 lungs one who needs liver and one who0:00:33 needs kidneys0:00:34 and they need these things to live0:00:37 in this scenario would it be ethical0:00:40 would it be the moral thing to do to0:00:42 kill that one healthy person0:00:45 harvest their organs in order to save0:00:47 for people0:00:48 isn't this maximizing the greatest good0:00:51 for the greatest number of people0:00:53 is it a moral thing to do0:00:57 so in first part in the first part of0:00:59 this section of need for messengers we0:01:01 spent some time talking about and0:01:04 explaining the fitra of the human being0:01:06 the fact that human beings have this0:01:08 innate desire to worship which was0:01:10 ultimately created by allah0:01:13 however in this part0:01:15 i want to expand our understanding of0:01:17 the human nature0:01:19 and explain that not only0:01:22 would our instinct to worship require0:01:24 regulating from allah from the creator0:01:27 but also0:01:28 our wider moral judgments we make needs0:01:31 to be guided from by allah0:01:34 you see human beings we've been created0:01:36 with needs0:01:38 and with drives0:01:39 other drives other than just seeking to0:01:41 worship so for example we have the drive0:01:43 to eat to drink to sleep0:01:46 we also have the drive within us to form0:01:49 relationships with other people like0:01:51 family bonds like living and interacting0:01:54 with our neighbors like engaging in0:01:56 trade like establishing security and0:01:58 cooperation with other people0:02:01 how then do we organize these types of0:02:04 relationships this is part of us this is0:02:06 what it means to be a human being to0:02:08 live within a social society socially0:02:11 with other people and interact so how0:02:13 then do we regulate these types of0:02:15 relationships0:02:16 and not just that but also within human0:02:20 beings we have this desire to do good0:02:23 meaning we have this desire to seek the0:02:26 moral or ethical value behind the0:02:28 actions that we perform0:02:30 so this innate desire to be moral as0:02:32 well as being able you know this desire0:02:34 to satisfy our instincts and biological0:02:36 needs by interacting with others etc0:02:40 we need to ask the question how do we do0:02:42 this0:02:43 while still being moral agents so how do0:02:45 i go out and interact with my family or0:02:48 with neighbors or how do i interact with0:02:50 the ruler or how does a rule interact0:02:51 with me while being moral agents while0:02:54 being able to be considered moral0:02:56 now some people would argue0:02:58 that we innately know whether an act is0:03:01 moral or immoral we just simply have to0:03:03 observe the act0:03:05 in and of itself0:03:06 but we need to ask0:03:08 is it really moral0:03:10 how do we know that our innate desire or0:03:13 innate feeling that says something is0:03:15 right or wrong is really a moral0:03:18 judgment because a moral judgment is an0:03:20 intellectual process0:03:22 so let me give you an example killing0:03:25 a number of people would normally say0:03:27 our killing is innately wrong you can't0:03:30 kill0:03:31 however when making a moral judgment we0:03:34 don't just look at the act itself0:03:36 but also the circumstances behind the0:03:38 action and the motivation of the person0:03:41 or people who've done the action0:03:43 so if we just say killing is innately0:03:46 wrong0:03:47 does that mean0:03:49 that if a person who0:03:51 you know goes out and intentionally0:03:54 kills another person0:03:56 you know out of premeditative intention0:03:59 would he be considered equivalent0:04:01 morally equivalent to the one who you0:04:04 know accidentally killed a person you0:04:06 know maybe they were driving down the0:04:08 street the tire burst and they drove0:04:10 into a person0:04:12 or what about the person who killed in0:04:14 self-defense is he going to be morally0:04:17 equivalent to the one who killed0:04:19 premeditatively or even the one who0:04:22 killed0:04:22 as an accident0:04:24 or what about the state0:04:26 that adjudicates that a person should be0:04:28 killed and0:04:29 executed because he committed murder as0:04:33 an example and this is based upon the0:04:34 law of that particular country0:04:36 or even if we argue that killing0:04:38 intentionally intentionally is always0:04:40 wrong does that make euthanasia always0:04:44 wrong0:04:45 was it wrong for the british to enter0:04:47 the world war ii and its soldiers0:04:50 intentionally killed nazi soldiers0:04:53 and we haven't even started talking0:04:54 about abortion yet so this is also0:04:57 another form of intentional killing and0:04:59 the question then becomes also uh more0:05:01 than you know about whether it's live or0:05:03 not0:05:04 but the point i'm trying to say is that0:05:06 if you look at the act in and of itself0:05:09 you can't say that the act tells us0:05:12 whether it's morally right or morally0:05:14 wrong so when people turn around say oh0:05:15 you can just tell from your heart or you0:05:17 can just tell inside of you or you're0:05:19 born with this innate feeling that0:05:20 something is morally wrong we don't even0:05:22 look at morality in that way we don't0:05:24 even look at the action that way we look0:05:25 at the circumstances we look at the0:05:28 motivations of the individuals and then0:05:30 we start to make certain judgments upon0:05:36 that so it's not the actual moral act0:05:39 that gives us the moral judgment but0:05:41 it's something else and in fact it's0:05:42 what we call the metaphysical principles0:05:45 that we hold so these are the0:05:47 assumptions that we have about life and0:05:50 it's these assumptions and this outlook0:05:51 and this moral viewpoint that we have0:05:53 about life it actually comes before0:05:56 we look at and sense the act0:05:58 so we have these assumptions about what0:06:00 life should be about what should be0:06:02 morally good what should be morally evil0:06:04 and then place that upon the axe that we0:06:06 sense for example euthen euthanasia so0:06:09 euthanasia what is that it's killing0:06:11 somebody because maybe they're0:06:12 terminally ill or maybe they're in0:06:14 severe pain and they want to die0:06:17 is his life0:06:19 in term who's in terminal pain is it0:06:21 worth saving0:06:23 or not or is it morally right to allow0:06:26 that person to kill himself or morally0:06:28 right for a for him to ask a doctor kit0:06:30 to kill him0:06:32 now this presupposes certain assumptions0:06:35 about morality one of those assumptions0:06:37 is that this life is about maximizing or0:06:40 the value of life is about maximizing0:06:43 pleasure and benefit for the individual0:06:46 individual and minimizing pain0:06:49 so this is your purpose0:06:50 and this then forms your moral outlook0:06:53 so if a person is not maximizing his0:06:55 pleasure0:06:57 because he's in greater pain so his pain0:06:59 supersedes his pleasure then really does0:07:02 he0:07:03 therefore you know see his life as being0:07:05 worthwhile and therefore is it a right0:07:08 is it morally correct in that situation0:07:10 to minimize the pain to kill the0:07:13 individual through euthanasia0:07:15 euthanasia0:07:17 this then results in us you know0:07:19 constantly scratching our heads you know0:07:20 as human beings trying to work out is it0:07:22 morally good is it morally right0:07:24 euthanasia right euthanasia wrong some0:07:26 countries say it's allowed some0:07:27 countries don't say it's allowed0:07:29 but it shows us this contradictory0:07:31 nature this problem that we have even if0:07:34 we turn around and talk about this0:07:36 maximizing benefit for the majority of0:07:38 people and minimizing the pain uh0:07:40 criteria0:07:42 then you know we go got that scenario i0:07:44 gave at the beginning about harvesting a0:07:47 healthy person's body in order to save0:07:49 for sick people well it follows from the0:07:51 moral this follows from this moral0:07:53 outlook of utilitarianism0:07:55 but sure but it also clearly indicates0:07:57 certain contradictions because people0:07:59 don't live their life like that people0:08:01 disagree with that in in in certain0:08:03 cases anyway in most cases but there are0:08:06 also loads of other examples that we can0:08:09 give in order to highlight the0:08:10 contradictions within human beings when0:08:13 they make moral judgments and therefore0:08:15 the inability for human beings to make0:08:17 moral judgments for example bestiality0:08:20 is a classic example you know is it0:08:22 morally right or morally wrong now most0:08:25 people probably say that's disgusting0:08:26 that's morally wrong0:08:28 but there are people who actually argue0:08:30 it's a moral right and in fact you've0:08:32 got the problem if you think you sh0:08:35 that it's morally wrong0:08:37 and in fact there is an argument that0:08:38 one person proposed and he said and he0:08:42 proposes not to articulate an argument0:08:44 for bestiality but to show its0:08:46 contradiction he said in most societies0:08:49 murder is considered a greater crime0:08:51 than rape0:08:53 yeah so0:08:54 if the question about bestiality is0:08:56 wrong because you can't get consent of0:08:59 the animal you know before0:09:01 you know the0:09:02 man or woman whatever starts doing some0:09:04 dodgy things with the animal yeah0:09:07 then0:09:08 did you seek consent to kill the animal0:09:11 and eat its meat0:09:12 if you didn't believe it was morally0:09:14 right or wrong to seek its consent to0:09:17 kill it and eat it0:09:18 and that's considered murder0:09:20 then rape would be of a lesser degree0:09:24 so by therefore the logic would follow0:09:26 that bestiality being a lesser crime0:09:29 would be allowed so he's trying to show0:09:31 and trying to argue the point actually0:09:33 this doesn't make a0:09:35 you know this is the problem or the0:09:36 contradiction of the the inconsistency0:09:38 when human beings make these types of0:09:40 decisions0:09:41 but there are other people0:09:43 like the moral philosopher peter singer0:09:45 singer who actually argues that0:09:48 bestiality should be made legal0:09:51 he's actually says it should be made0:09:52 legal0:09:53 and that to be against bestiality is a0:09:56 form of racism0:09:58 known as speciesism yeah0:10:01 so he's arguing that actually you know0:10:04 why are you being prejudiced against the0:10:05 cat and the dog yeah or the dolphin or0:10:07 whatever is the orangutan you know if0:10:10 love is love this is what his argument0:10:13 is0:10:14 similarly the same femoral philosopher0:10:16 who's talking about racism towards0:10:18 animals because you're not allowing0:10:19 bestiality0:10:20 also argued that it was morally right to0:10:23 kill and0:10:24 that kill an unborn child0:10:26 and it was morally right to kill an0:10:29 infant child as well so not only is it0:10:31 right to kill an aborted you know a an0:10:33 unborn child in the mother's womb but0:10:36 also an infant child outside of the0:10:37 mother's womb because he said look you0:10:40 know he's trying to follow this logic0:10:42 and show consistency and logic he said0:10:45 if you can kill a child that's in the0:10:47 mother's womb then what's the moral0:10:49 difference between a child that's0:10:51 outside of the mother's womb people say0:10:53 well the child won't live without the0:10:55 mother0:10:57 being inside the womb0:10:59 he said would the baby live0:11:01 without the mother if the if the mother0:11:03 didn't look after the baby0:11:05 so they said no so therefore he said0:11:07 well if you one is acceptable the other0:11:09 one should be acceptable so if killing0:11:11 the child inside the mother because it0:11:13 can't live without the mother is0:11:14 acceptable then killing the child0:11:16 outside of the mother should also be0:11:17 acceptable if the baby can't look after0:11:19 itself without the mother0:11:22 so here's his argument so therefore he0:11:24 was trying to provide the moral0:11:25 justification for infanticide then you0:11:28 got our favorite atheist richard dawkins0:11:31 who tweeted about whether a mother0:11:33 should undertake an abortion if they0:11:35 found out that their child had down0:11:37 syndrome0:11:38 he said when he was asked a question0:11:40 from a from a woman about you know if i0:11:42 was pregnant with a down syndrome maybe0:11:44 i wouldn't know what to do this is what0:11:46 he said he said i bought it and try0:11:48 again0:11:49 it would be immoral he's not even saying0:11:52 you know he's giving him you know not0:11:54 just saying it's acceptable he said it's0:11:55 immoral to bring into the world0:11:58 if you have a choice0:12:00 so it's immoral to have a handicapped or0:12:03 a down syndrome baby0:12:05 in fact0:12:06 these types of tweets and justifications0:12:09 and moral perspectives you know echoes0:12:12 back to the ideas of eugenics you know0:12:14 killing off bad genes0:12:16 from spreading within society or0:12:18 stopping them to spread from the wider0:12:19 society and this is where you had0:12:21 eugenics programs within fascism and0:12:23 nazi germany etc0:12:25 but you know the thing is that we can0:12:27 apply0:12:28 this question on morality on a number of0:12:30 examples or a number of actions and what0:12:33 we all notice is humans have always0:12:36 differed over this question i whether0:12:38 morality is good or not0:12:40 and this has always been the case so0:12:42 even if we go further back and we talk0:12:44 about democracy you know today people0:12:46 say democracy is a moral form of0:12:47 government0:12:48 but in the past plato socrates and0:12:50 aristotle argued against democracy0:12:53 saying it's irrational it's immoral0:12:57 similarly aristotle himself he argued0:12:59 for the morality of slavery0:13:01 and i could keep giving examples from0:13:03 homosexuality being considered immoral0:13:06 and unnatural act to now people0:13:08 considering it moral to the differences0:13:10 of age of consent where in the past it0:13:12 used to be as low as seven or you know0:13:14 even younger to now it has to be 16 or0:13:17 18 or in some countries higher you know0:13:20 where in the past you know homosexuality0:13:23 and you know transgenderism was0:13:25 considered psychological illness to now0:13:28 you you people celebrate when kids0:13:31 little kids are transitioning from one0:13:33 gender to another0:13:35 so0:13:36 and even those people who consider0:13:37 incest to be abhorrent now we don't know0:13:40 whether in the future people will turn0:13:42 around and argue well if it's two0:13:43 consenting adults you know0:13:46 love is love isn't it0:13:47 so when humans0:13:49 want to make morals or seek moral0:13:51 justifications for their actions0:13:53 without the guidance from the creator0:13:55 they end up contradicting themselves0:13:57 changing their moral views over times0:13:59 and places and thus morality without0:14:02 this anchoring0:14:03 to allah anchoring to the creator0:14:06 makes morality subjective and have no0:14:09 basis0:14:10 so the only way to satisfy our need to0:14:12 be moral0:14:14 and uh is to have our actions guided0:14:17 upon0:14:19 allah's guidance0:14:21 that's therefore we would seek out that0:14:23 guidance not only are we seeking out the0:14:26 guidance because allah created us with a0:14:29 desire to worship but also we're seeking0:14:31 guidance in order to know how to live0:14:33 our life correctly and it's rational to0:14:37 accept that if allah had created us each0:14:41 individual created our needs our0:14:43 instincts our desire to be good0:14:46 then who knows better how a human being0:14:49 should act and function than the one who0:14:51 created that creation in the first place0:14:54 so rather than leaving humanity to0:14:56 wander in darkness and ignorance of0:14:58 self-contradiction we look out for a0:15:00 communication on all aspects of our life0:15:03 in order to determine for us how to live0:15:05 our life0:15:06 allah he says in the quran in surah0:15:10 hadid verse 25 indeed we sent our0:15:13 messengers will with clear proofs and0:15:16 revealed with them the scripture0:15:18 and the balance0:15:22 so that mankind may stand up for justice0:15:25 the purpose of the revelation then and0:15:27 the guidance was that human beings were0:15:30 able to become moral agents0:15:42 you

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