| This question <38|38> overall <41|43> Hans: <40|43>. |
| Question 99: Why did God create something as imperfect as nature and humans? (And what does this have to do with the topic at hand?) Compare chapter 1 in Cohen's Karl Marx's Theory of History: A Defence. |
| [42] Hans: Marxism and ethics. Many concepts in Marxism seem to cry out for an ethical interpretation. The Marxist view that a better society without exploitation can be achieved raises the question: is this perhaps our ethical duty? If labor is needed to bring out the dormant properties in things and make them useful, this resonates with the Christian view that work is good for us. |
| We all are vexed by the contradiction that on the one hand the world can be beautiful and full of wonders, and on the other incredibly unjust and cruel. Exploitation of others can perhaps be seen as an attempt to capture the good and ward off the bad. The ability to do evil is a sign of our freedom. |
| Humans have a free will but they also want to do the right thing and they want to know what it means to do good. One insight which Marxism can contribute here is that a bad social order, which is not necessarily anybody's fault, can do infinitely more damage than the worst intentions. I see this as the problem we are facing today. US citizens are not evil, but we are part of a system that causes untold and unjust damage, in our name, in the entire world. This is a fact. It poses an ethical issue for every single one of us, whether or not we believe in God. |
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