RIGHT AND WRONG AS A CLUE TO THE MEANING OF THE UNIVERSE

BY C. S. Lewis

C.S Lewis is a moral philosopher (and a champion of Christian apologetics) who argues that in a man's nature and consciousness there resides an inescapable awareness of the need to act responsibly toward nature, ourselves and our fellowman. His position reveals the reasonableness of recognising the need for respect of others based on our recognition that to act decently is an inherent urge in man's consciousness. Even when we contravene this law we are aware of our inadequacy and we excuse ourselves by an appeal to this very law itself. No one can escape the need to act honourably and no one can escape the recognition that some acts are more honourable than others.

When people acknowledge this moral imperative for all people they will be forced to develop a system of morality to accommodate individual difference while preserving the universality of the principle underpinning all human behaviour. There is a need to preserve goodness and to control evil in the world. The task of developing a system to accommodate everyone is overwhelmingly large but essential to our preservation.

His suggestion allows for moral pluralism and democratic individualism. His establishment of the university of the need for right action redirects the advocates of anarchy or moral relativism. His proposals provide hope and optimism in a world prone to despair and destruction. His answers are irrefutable as the basis for a new morality and a humanism based on equality and compassion for all. An ethical world view is the only antidote for the extremes of scientism and the naivete of the mythic mind.