Virtues of the Modern Secular State

NB: We do not resell your papers. Upon ordering, we do an original paper exclusively for you.

NB: All your data is kept safe from the public.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Main body
Conclusion
References

Introduction

The questions surrounding moral values have always been topical in the history of humanity. However, in the contemporary environment, these issues have acquired particular importance due to the increasing complexity of the social and political landscapes. Ideas inspired by the dogmas of religion dominated the world for centuries, but the situation has changed. Modern virtues are mostly secular in nature and dictated by the state. While some of them correspond to the paradigm of thought of the Christian worldview, the general policy direction often diverges from previously established values. The purpose of this paper is to examine the secular virtues promoted by the state in the 21st century.

Main body

The issues of morality and values have become the reason for heated debates in the current environment. Therefore, such matters often serve as an area of intense interest for researchers, aiming to compare the prevailing worldview to the previously established paradigms. Macintyre (2007, 6) states that “the most striking feature of contemporary moral utterance” lies in its focus on expressing disagreements. By the 20th century, humanity became highly militarized, promoting ideas of conflict and fighting to defend the interests of the state. In this regard, the concept of a just war has been introduced and promoted by various states, meaning that fighting for a noble cause is justified. In a way, it remains a virtue of protecting one’s soil and interests. However, Macintyre (2007) states that the scale of modern wars and the power of weapons lead to high numbers of civilian casualties, making any war inherently unjustified. Therefore, the concept of holy, just warfare misrepresents the reality of the era.

The idea described above may be viewed in a close connection to the notion of justice. This concept is a multi-faceted one, and it has been central to the contemporary societal discourse. From one perspective, social justice is a matter of paramount importance, as it aims at ensuring equality of people in all aspects. The ideas of the Scripture correspond to this philosophy, as “God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Gen. 1:27 English Standard Version). In other words, the Lord does divide people into races or classes, as all are made equal and in his image. Porter (2016) writes that justice is a crucial concept, which, in turn, may transform into the ultimate virtue of charity. Therefore, the ideas of the secular state and the Christian worldview intersect with the notion of justice as a key virtue.

In spite of the predominantly secularized discourse of today, the influence of traditional virtues has persisted. Vincent (2018, 226) confirms that the contemporary moral framework promoted by the state through education retains the signs of a strong influence of religion. However, these religious elements are implicit in the secular environment, being woven into the general paradigm of thought by centuries of philosophical evolution. Similar to the Christian dogmas, the state recognizes the crucial status of human life as a central concept of society (Macintyre 2007). However, this particular point raises controversy because the announced respect for the miracle of life itself often conflicts with the disagreement-centered discourse discussed earlier. This duality is related to the unprecedented complexity of the contemporary social landscape, which allows for various interpretations of the state’s view of virtues.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the moral framework of humanity has undergone major changes throughout history. While religious philosophy dominated the landscape in previous centuries, the modern age is characterized by the secularization of thought. Nevertheless, the ideas of the Scripture permeate profound levels of public thought, remaining implicitly embedded in modern moral principles. This tendency is reflected in several key virtues taught by the state in the 21st century. Nevertheless, divergences still occur, as observations suggest that the focus of the moral paradigm has shifted toward a conflict-centered one, contributing to the overall controversy surrounding the matter.

References

Macintyre, Alasdair. 2007. After Virtue: A Study in Moral Theory. 3^rd ed. Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press.

Porter, Jean. 2016. Justice as a Virtue: A Thomistic Perspective. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Vincent, Carol. 2018. “Civic Virtue and Values Teaching in a ‘Post-Secular’ World.” Theory and Research in Education 16 (2): 226-243.

Click Here To Order Now!

Virtues of the Modern Secular State

Do you need this or any other assignment done for you from scratch?

We have qualified writers to help you.

We assure you a quality paper that is 100% free from plagiarism and AI.

You can choose either format of your choice ( Apa, Mla, Havard, Chicago, or any other)