Discussion question 8 discusses how Schopenhauer believes that compassion is the true and only basis of moral action and not religion. Why does he believe that? Do you agree with him on this point? Why or why not? Describe Schopenhauer’s notion of justice and provide a reason or two to why you would agree or disagree with such an account.
I agree with Schopenhauer that compassion is the true and only basis of moral action because compassion is what shows what kind of people we really are and what our basis of moral actions are. In the text, “When an action is characterized by an extraordinary absence of compassion, it bears the certain stamp of the deepest depravity and loathsomeness” (Schopenhauer, 106). Our actions show our character. Compassion is what defines us and it shows others what we our morals are. It is the best way to show people what we love.
Schopenhauer believes that compassion is the true and only basis of moral action and not religion because compassion shows people really we really are and what their basic
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Religion is something that we teach ourselves or someone will teach it to us. When we start to grow up, we figure out ourselves and what we like to do. We don’t have people teaching us about our favorite things. Our favorite things come to us naturally and that is when we start to get compassion for it. We start developing compassion when we are born and with religion we start to learn that when we are old enough to understand the concept of our religion. Being able to decide for ourselves what we are compassionate about shows who we really are. When we are compassionate about something, our actions follow right along with it. As mentioned in the text, “Compassion is the root no less of justice than of loving-kindness; but it is more clearly evidenced in the latter than in the former” (Schopenhauer,