Lecture Notes: Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis - The Three Parts of Morality

Introduction

• Perception of God and Morality:
  • Common misconception: God/morality as an interference
  • True purpose: Moral rules are like directions for running a machine efficiently

Moral Rules vs. Moral Ideals

• Analogy with Machines:
  • Rules prevent breakdowns or strains, similar to machine usage
• Ideals vs. Rules:
  • Moral perfection is unattainable like perfect car driving, yet necessary
  • Ideals are personal, but moral laws are universal and necessary
  • Avoiding self-congratulation for moral behavior, as it is expected

Two Ways the Human "Machine" Goes Wrong

1. Interpersonal Relations:
   • Individuals colliding or drifting apart
   • Analogy: Fleet of ships—success requires avoiding collisions
2. Internal Order:
   • Inner faculties drifting or interfering
   • Analogy: Individual instruments in tune within a band

• Purpose and Direction:
  • Need to know the ultimate goal/purpose
  • Morality involves fair play, internal harmony, and overall purpose

Three Parts of Morality

1. Fair Play and Harmony Between Individuals:
   • Often the sole focus in modern discourse
2. Internal Tidying or Harmonizing:
   • Essential for effective moral conduct
   • True morality requires individual integrity
3. General Purpose of Human Life:
   • What man is made for; overarching direction

• Modern Focus:
  • Overemphasis on social relations misses the importance of individual and universal purpose

Importance of Internal Morality

• Social and Economic Reforms:
  • Ineffective without internal moral integrity
  • Laws cannot make individuals good; personal virtues are critical

Connection to Religion

• Religious Beliefs and Morality:
  • Different beliefs lead to different moral perspectives
• Ownership and Purpose:
  • Question of whether we are "landlords" or "tenants" of our being influences moral duties
• Christianity's Assertion:
  • Belief in immortality changes moral imperatives
  • Individual's eternal significance vs. temporal civilizations

Conclusion

• Three Departments of Morality:
  • 1. Interpersonal relations, 2) Individual integrity, 3) Relationship with the divine
• Christian vs. Non-Christian Morality:
  • Differences primarily arise in the third category
• Assumption for Further Discussion:
  • Christian perspective on morality to be considered in subsequent analyses