This chapter in Mere Christianity serves as CS Lewis’ followup to mail he received about his previous essay. People were writing him with misunderstandings of what he was communicating as the Law of Human Nature. I can’t say that i am surprised that people got it wrong. It would be very easy (and quick) to disregard his teachings because you believe that morality is something we are taught by other human beings.
But Lewis holds up a good, solid argument for why there has to be a moral standard. Even today, there are people who claim to have found that morality is relative, and that each individual has the freedom to decide what is moral and what is not. But even in those people, you will find that if you press had enough there will be something that causes them to break from their speech, and declare that there are indeed absolutes (they may nor phrase it as such, but it is there). My view of morality and yours may not stack up, but by comparing them and holding one over the other we are declaring that there is a standard to hold to. If there were no standard, there would be no superior morality.
Lewis also makes a great point that The Law of Human Nature is external, and not programming we have been taught or to be confused with our other human natures (self-preservation, a desire to help those in need, etc.). If we hear someone in danger we have two instincts, one is to flee and preserve ourselves, the other is to provide help. If we only had our regular natures inside of us, we would allow the stronger of these two to win out in a battle. But often the stronger instinct is silenced in favor of The Law of Human Nature.
This chapter was a relatively easy read. It flowed nicely from the preceding piece, and allowed Lewis to shore up some of his perceived weaknesses in his argument. At times I found myself wondering where he was going, but in the end, I find that I agree with Lewis on this concept. Morals are external, and in my opinion, they come to us from the God who created us.
Posted on January 27, 2012
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