Kurt Gray

“People say cutting things that hurt feelings. But everyone always moves past these bursts of outrage because we appreciate that each other’s true selves are good. They know I don’t have evil intentions”
― Kurt Gray, Outraged: Why We Fight About Morality and Politics and How to Find Common Ground

“Discussions of virtues inevitably connect with religion, which seems to argue that virtues are intrinsically important. Some moral psychologists see the religious commitment to acting virtuously as evidence of the disconnect between virtues and concerns about harm. For example, one biblical virtue is unquestioning obedience to God, exemplified by the Genesis story of God commanding Abraham to sacrifice his innocent son Isaac, which seems to be a flagrant harm. But we need to consider the broader context. The Christian philosopher Søren Kierkegaard discussed this biblical event in his book Fear and Trembling, a title that reflects the deep emotional states associated with Abraham’s act of obedience and the difficulty of causing such harm. To nonbelievers, Abraham’s obedience seems cruel and callous, but closer examination reveals that this virtue is rooted in a deep belief about how the world works—and how to best prevent suffering. Christians (along with Jews and Muslims) believe that God’s understanding is “infinite” (Psalm 147:5) and good, so trusting him will lead to an ultimate good, as evidenced by verses in the Bible like Proverbs 3:5–6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him and he will make your paths straight.” Christians see their own moral intuitions as flawed or incomplete and believe that by outsourcing their conscience to a higher and more knowledgeable power (a core virtue), they can better alleviate pain and create a better world.”
― Kurt Gray, Outraged: Why We Fight About Morality and Politics and How to Find Common Ground