Truth Unites Why Sam Harris’s Moral Vision Still Doesn’t Satisfy
19 snips
Jan 5, 2026 
Sam Harris, a philosopher and neuroscientist, engages with Gavin Ortlund's critique of secular morality. Ortlund argues that our deepest moral intuitions, like human dignity, are rooted in theistic beliefs. He explores how abolitionism and the Declaration of Independence are influenced by a theological framework. The discussion also delves into challenges of grounding moral 'oughts' in atheism, and the moral inspiration found in the biblical narrative, particularly the crucifixion. It's a thought-provoking exchange that questions the foundations of morality.
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Abolition Rooted In The Image Of God
- Abolitionist moral arguments were explicitly religious and appealed to humans being made in God's image.
- Gavin Ortlund argues that this theological premise supplied the normative basis that made anti-slavery claims persuasive historically.
Gregory Of Nyssa's Scathing Sermon
- Gavin recounts Gregory of Nyssa's sermon confronting slave owners with the image-of-God argument.
- He calls it 'the most scathing criticism of slavery in all antiquity' and uses it as a historical example.
Rights Language Carries Theological History
- Modern moral commitments like 'inalienable rights' are historically shaped by theological language and belief.
- Ortlund cautions that discarding the religious backdrop yet keeping the moral vision is a significant historical departure.
