Is Moral Relativism Really Just Conflict Avoidance? w/ Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P. & Prof. Michael Gorman
Jun 12, 2024
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Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P. & Prof. Michael Gorman discuss moral relativism, charitable disagreement, and engaging in difficult conversations with charity. They explore tolerance, the impact of violence on truth claims, and the complexities of maintaining charitable discourse in disagreements. The podcast also delves into managing conflicts in modern culture, the importance of bravery and courage in social engagement, and the parallels between internet communication and demon-like manipulation.
Relativist language often masks desire for non-interference in personal choices.
Prudential judgment essential in balancing tolerance and just interventions when correcting others.
Face-to-face engagements foster virtues like tolerance, advocating for local involvement in constructive dialogues.
Deep dives
Challenging Relativism and Tolerance
Challenging the concept of relativism, the discussion delves into the inconsistency of individuals who claim relative truths but demonstrate non-relativistic actions. The conversation scrutinizes how the use of relativist language often masks a desire for non-interference in personal choices, emphasizing the need to reevaluate the extent of toleration in society.
Navigating Disagreement and Correction
Exploring the nuances of correcting others, the conversation highlights the complexity of fraternal correction and the balance between tolerance and just interventions. It discusses the challenges of knowing when to engage in correction, emphasizing the importance of prudential judgment and understanding different approaches to addressing wrongs.
Social Engagement and Virtue Cultivation
Reflecting on the impact of digital spaces on social interactions, the discussion underscores the importance of face-to-face engagements in fostering virtues like tolerance and understanding. The conversation advocates for meaningful social connections and local involvement to bridge differences and promote constructive dialogues.
Prioritizing Human Interactions Over Virtual Realms
Highlighting the need to prioritize human connections over virtual engagements, the conversation encourages individuals to focus on tangible interactions with neighbors and local communities to foster kindness and constructive dialogues. Emphasizing the impact of personal interactions in resolving societal issues, the discussion advocates for a shift towards humanizing social interactions.
Concluding Thoughts on Local Engagement
The podcast episode concludes with reflections on the significance of engaging locally to address broader societal challenges. Encouraging listeners to prioritize human interaction and kindness in real-world interactions, the conversation emphasizes the potential of small-scale, personal engagements to foster understanding and resolve social issues.
Join Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P. of Aquinas 101, Godsplaining, and Pints with Aquinas for an off-campus conversation with Prof. Michael Gorman about moral relativism and the avoidance of conflict, the importance of charitable disagreement, and how to engage in difficult conversations with charity.
You can watch this interview on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/JSHeIYQI-os
About the speaker:
Michael Gorman is Professor of Philosophy at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He has doctorates in philosophy and theology, and his work covers both areas, with a special emphasis on metaphysical themes. He is the author of over thirty-five scholarly articles, a book entitled Aquinas on the Metaphysics of the Hypostatic Union (Cambridge University Press, 2017), and a book that will appear in the spring of 2024 entitled A Contemporary Introduction to Thomistic Metaphysics (The Catholic University of America Press, 2024).
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