I am going to be discussing the claims made by Ivan Karamazov in the book, The Brothers Karamazov. I will also be discussing what these claims mean and how they contribute to the discussion of the morality, religion, and their relation to each other. He first claims that “If there is no God, everything is permitted.” He later claims that “There is no virtue if there is no immortality.” These are interesting claims, as they both have to do with the idea of religion and aspects of Christianity which are referenced throughout the book. I will also mention Dostoevsky’s views on the subject as well, as that could add insightful information to the overarching question. Ivan is seen as a “good guy” in the book, because he is honest, smart, well educated,
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It puts into perspective the idea that if immortality does not exist, then there is no reason to live a virtuous life. Morality in itself refers back to a religious teachings and ideologies. Being virtuous is being morally excellent in every aspect of your life, by living a life that is considered “godly” by those who are moved by religious practices. Immortality is also a subject discussed in certain religions, however not as explicitly in Christianity. Virtue and immortality are directly related to religion in that rationalization is not normally called for when accepting immortality for religious reasons. In fact, natural theology attempts to provide some sort of rational proof that God may actually exist. Many philosophers have argued that if we can rationally prove that God is truly there above us, we may be able to infer that we are indeed immortal. This alone is proof enough that virtue and immortality go hand in hand with religion and religious principles. The virtue found in followers of God gives a greater purpose to their lives, as it could be linked to their eventual realization of immortality. However, some philosophers have countered that since there are three basic models of immortality—the survival of the astral body, the immaterial soul, and resurrection—it is impossible to determine which would be the one God is in favor of, and which one will lead to
It puts into perspective the idea that if immortality does not exist, then there is no reason to live a virtuous life. Morality in itself refers back to a religious teachings and ideologies. Being virtuous is being morally excellent in every aspect of your life, by living a life that is considered “godly” by those who are moved by religious practices. Immortality is also a subject discussed in certain religions, however not as explicitly in Christianity. Virtue and immortality are directly related to religion in that rationalization is not normally called for when accepting immortality for religious reasons. In fact, natural theology attempts to provide some sort of rational proof that God may actually exist. Many philosophers have argued that if we can rationally prove that God is truly there above us, we may be able to infer that we are indeed immortal. This alone is proof enough that virtue and immortality go hand in hand with religion and religious principles. The virtue found in followers of God gives a greater purpose to their lives, as it could be linked to their eventual realization of immortality. However, some philosophers have countered that since there are three basic models of immortality—the survival of the astral body, the immaterial soul, and resurrection—it is impossible to determine which would be the one God is in favor of, and which one will lead to