A philosophical treatise on the nature of atheism and its place in society. Written by renowned philosopher Felix Adler, this lecture explores the reasons why people choose to reject religion, as well as the consequences of living in a world without God. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of faith, reason, and morality. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
German-born American educator and reformer Felix Adler in 1876 founded the society for ethical culture, an organization, dedicated to the teaching of ideals.
The effort of people to live moral lives involved and applied this foremost philosopher. People frequently list his name alongside those of leaders Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Confucius, and Socrates. From the very basic premise of Immanuel Kant that moral worth of each and every person deserves both dignity and respect, Adler began.
Adler argued for the idea that each person act in a manner in accordance with and ideal of "self-actualization" and compatible with the social nature of humans. In this way, he like Immanuel Kant, a moral perfectionist, measures each action against a standard of perfection, which he summed as "Act so as to elicit the best in others and thereby in thyself."
Adler frequently emphasized the need to develop a virtuous self, not in pursuit of some other goal but rather as a goal: "A virtuous act is one in which the ends of self and of the other are respected and promoted jointly."
Major Works: Creed and Deed (1877) The Moral Instruction of Children (1892) The World Crisis and its Meaning (1915) An Ethical Philosophy of Life (1919) The Reconstruction of the Moral Ideal (1924)