October 2018 – Article 3:
No doubt the world is a mess and getting worse. What to do?
Christians know the only answer is Jesus Christ. Proverbs 16:6 says, “…by the fear [reverence] of the Lord men depart from evil.”
Like looking for love in all the wrong places, the ungodly are perusing non-biblical solutions that will never work. Even if they succeed in imposing any level of humanistic morality on our decision-making process, their solutions pose serious problems that threaten our God-given Personhood.
Technology as the Solution
Researchers admit humanity has a morality problem, but think the answer will be found in technology—such as genetic engineering, surgery, or drugs.
They base their claim on studies showing that neurological and genetic characteristics influence moral decision-making in subtle ways.
University of Massachusetts Professor James J. Hughes wrote in the Washington Post: “Drugs, devices and gene therapies will soon allow us to safely suppress our appetites with a level of control only seen in ascetics and transcendent states previously only accessible through yogis.”
Oxford University professor Molly Crockett wrote in Edge: “Imagine we could develop a precise drug that amplifies people’s aversion to harming others; on this drug you would not hurt a fly; everyone taking it becomes like Buddhist monks.” She even asked if it should be “put in the water supply.”
Morality Pill as the Solution
Leading the list of potential solutions is the “morality pill”—a far off concoction advocates claim would improve self-control, empathy, benevolence, and other desirable characteristics.
At the same time, the hope is that the pill might discourage such traits as violent aggression, drug abuse and addiction, the likelihood of committing a crime, and racism. That’s because many dangerous conditions are believed to be linked to genetics and brain chemicals.
Supporters suggest taking a morality pill would make people kinder to their families, better members of their communities, and better able to deal with some of the world’s biggest problems.
Forced Moral Conformity as the Solution
While patients are prescribed various medications to control behavior, they pale in comparison to the idea of trying to manipulate people’s moral decision-making process.
Even those who support the idea see dangers. Their biggest challenge is to determine what they believe constitutes moral behavior.
Who decides what is moral? Who should receive such treatments? Should they be taken voluntarily, or forced on anyone society considers dangerous? Should we give the treatment to people without their knowledge? Should we put it in the water? How would we determine if the treatment works?
Professor Crockett says, “First we have to pick a behavior that we can all agree is moral, and secondly we need to measure it in a way that tells us something about the mechanism.”
Professor Hughes claims, “The field of moral enhancement will need to re-engage with the wisdom traditions to flesh out a more sophisticated understanding of what a mature moral character entails.”
He adds: “…we will each need to discover our ideal moral settings.”
Another writer asserts they will need a “…fairly high degree of certainty and agreement about what right values are.”
Others express fears of brainwashing and enforced conformity. Hazem Zohny worried in Practical Ethics that it might be possible to convert all gays, or put something in the water “… that would make having an abortion even more emotionally traumatic than it is.”
The Real Solution
Besides being a dangerous idea, all of this will never work—a chasing after the wind. No pill, surgery, social strategy or philosophical system will make people moral.
Please pray that God moves in a powerful way in opening the eyes of the lost to see that sin is the root of the world’s problems and that turning to Jesus Christ is the only answer.
Sources: washingtonpost.com; edge.org; slate.com; onlinelibrary.wiley. com; practicalethics.ox.ac.uk.
By Wayne DuBois
Georgia Right to Live
Media Relations Advisor
No doubt the world is a mess and getting worse. What to do?
Christians know the only answer is Jesus Christ. Proverbs 16:6 says, “…by the fear [reverence] of the Lord men depart from evil.”
Like looking for love in all the wrong places, the ungodly are perusing non-biblical solutions that will never work. Even if they succeed in imposing any level of humanistic morality on our decision-making process, their solutions pose serious problems that threaten our God-given Personhood.
Technology as the Solution
Researchers admit humanity has a morality problem, but think the answer will be found in technology—such as genetic engineering, surgery, or drugs.
They base their claim on studies showing that neurological and genetic characteristics influence moral decision-making in subtle ways.
University of Massachusetts Professor James J. Hughes wrote in the Washington Post: “Drugs, devices and gene therapies will soon allow us to safely suppress our appetites with a level of control only seen in ascetics and transcendent states previously only accessible through yogis.”
Oxford University professor Molly Crockett wrote in Edge: “Imagine we could develop a precise drug that amplifies people’s aversion to harming others; on this drug you would not hurt a fly; everyone taking it becomes like Buddhist monks.” She even asked if it should be “put in the water supply.”
Morality Pill as the Solution
Leading the list of potential solutions is the “morality pill”—a far off concoction advocates claim would improve self-control, empathy, benevolence, and other desirable characteristics.
At the same time, the hope is that the pill might discourage such traits as violent aggression, drug abuse and addiction, the likelihood of committing a crime, and racism. That’s because many dangerous conditions are believed to be linked to genetics and brain chemicals.
Supporters suggest taking a morality pill would make people kinder to their families, better members of their communities, and better able to deal with some of the world’s biggest problems.
Forced Moral Conformity as the Solution
While patients are prescribed various medications to control behavior, they pale in comparison to the idea of trying to manipulate people’s moral decision-making process.
Even those who support the idea see dangers. Their biggest challenge is to determine what they believe constitutes moral behavior.
Who decides what is moral? Who should receive such treatments? Should they be taken voluntarily, or forced on anyone society considers dangerous? Should we give the treatment to people without their knowledge? Should we put it in the water? How would we determine if the treatment works?
Professor Crockett says, “First we have to pick a behavior that we can all agree is moral, and secondly we need to measure it in a way that tells us something about the mechanism.”
Professor Hughes claims, “The field of moral enhancement will need to re-engage with the wisdom traditions to flesh out a more sophisticated understanding of what a mature moral character entails.”
He adds: “…we will each need to discover our ideal moral settings.”
Another writer asserts they will need a “…fairly high degree of certainty and agreement about what right values are.”
Others express fears of brainwashing and enforced conformity. Hazem Zohny worried in Practical Ethics that it might be possible to convert all gays, or put something in the water “… that would make having an abortion even more emotionally traumatic than it is.”
The Real Solution
Besides being a dangerous idea, all of this will never work—a chasing after the wind. No pill, surgery, social strategy or philosophical system will make people moral.
Please pray that God moves in a powerful way in opening the eyes of the lost to see that sin is the root of the world’s problems and that turning to Jesus Christ is the only answer.
Sources: washingtonpost.com; edge.org; slate.com; onlinelibrary.wiley. com; practicalethics.ox.ac.uk.
By Wayne DuBois
Georgia Right to Live
Media Relations Advisor