Moral Darwinism: How We Became Hedonists

by Benjamin Wiker, William A. Dembski

Abortion. Euthanasia. Infanticide. Sexual promiscuity.

Ideas and actions once unthinkable have become commonplace. We seem to live in a different moral universe than we occupied just a few decades ago. Consent and noncoercion seem to be the last vestiges of a morality long left behind. Christian moral tenets are now easily dismissed and have been replaced with what is curiously presented as a superior, more magnanimous, respectful and even humble morality.

How did we end up so far away from where we began?

Can the decline be stopped?

Ben Wiker, in this provocative and insightful book, traces the amazing story that explains our present cultural situation. Wiker finds the roots of our moral slide reaching all the way back to the ethical theory and atheistic cosmology of the ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus. Christian teaching had been in contention with this worldview long before it reached its pinnacle with the rise and acceptance of Darwinism. But it was Darwinism, Wiker contends, that provided this ancient teaching with the seemingly modern and scientific basis that captured twentieth-century minds. Wiker demonstrates that this ancient atomistic and materialistic philosophy supplies the guiding force behind Darwinism and powerfully propels the hedonistic bent of our society while promoting itself under the guise of pure science.

This book is a challenge not only to those who believe Darwinism to be purely scientific fact but to Christian who have at times inconsistently lived out their Christian moral convictions and so have failed to recognize and address the ancient corrosive underpinnings of our present moral and intellectual crisis.

Genres: Philosophy, History, Nonfiction, Christianity, Psychology

329 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2002

About the author

Benjamin Wiker is a writer, teacher, lecturer, husband of one wife, and father of seven children. He has a Ph.D. in Theological Ethics from Vanderbilt University, an M.A. in Religion from Vanderbilt University, and a B.A. in Political Philosophy from Furman University. He has taught at Marquette University, St. Mary's University (MN), and Thomas Aquinas College, and is now a Professor of Political Science and Director of Human Life Studies at Franciscan University, and a Senior Fellow of Franciscan's Veritas Center.

Reviews

[Bryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

While there was a lot of good information, I felt that many of Wiker's arguments simply did not follow a coherent line of reason. I would suggest other books on philosophy before this one.

[Alvaro Hu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting to read about the origins of where our modern culture and "morals" come from. This is far from an objective point of view, but perhaps that's necessary in this day and age where every view is so far the opposite direction of where the author stands.

All in all, this book kind of made me lose some hope in where humanity is going tbh

[Father Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wiker's thesis is essentially this: every cosmology has a corresponding morality, and every morality is built upon a cosmology. The impasse at which we find ourselves when it comes to moral issues in the public square can only be explained by the fundamentally opposed cosmologies that undergird the various positions, he contends. Those cosmologies are ultimately two: blind materialism (as first enunciated by Epicurus in the 3rd century BC) and the existence of a creator as argued by the intelligent design movement. This latter perspective has been the one in which Christians have always found themselves. What is startling about Wiker's argument is that there is no middle ground between these two, and that any compromise between them is only a surrender of ground by Christianity to the materialism of contemporary "moral Darwinists," a term he coins to refer to the commandeering of scientific materialism by secularists who wish to impose certain moral perspectives on the public square and use Darwinian naturalism to justify it. The grounds for this claim lie in the "principle of uniformity" as stated in the first sentence of this review.
This is a spectacularly well-researched book and traces the history of this debate from the 3rd century through the middle ages, Renaissance, and Enlightenment to the present day, hitting some high peaks along the way: Lucretius, Hobbes, Locke, Spinoza, Rousseau, Reimarus, Haeckel, Margaret Sanger, Alfred Kinsey, not to mention, of course, Darwin himself. In particular the 20th-century chapters were startling and set our current debates within a historical framework that does not bode well for liberal secularists. We would do well to remember that just fifty years ago (or less) many of the opinions advanced in the name of "choice" and "rights" in our own day were coming from the mouths of racist eugenecists and sexual deviants.

For those interested in more of the same on these subjects, you can read articles by Wiker and others on the First Things website.
http://www.firstthings.com/article.ph...
http://www.firstthings.com/article.ph...
(Wiker's rebuttal in the 2nd link is particularly helpful)

[Bryce · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic blend of some of my favorite subjects (philosophy, history, Christianity, and psychology). Although I think Wiker gives post-apostolic Christianity a bit too much credit, I think he presents some very incisive observations about the state of our society and the philosophical assumptions and historical underpinnings of today's clash of cultures. Highly recommended!

[Allen Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is profoundly helpful in setting the philosophical background and trajectory stretching across the history of two competing ways of understanding the universe and mankind. This is a must read whether you favor natural law or materialism. The Universe Next Door (James Sire) and How the West Won (Rodney Stark) form a trinity of helpful tomes for the reader to evaluate and validate their personal epistemology.

[Andreas F · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simplesmente Incrível. Grande quantidade de informações e fontes, e uma escrita fluida que nos remete às raízes do materialismo/relativismo hodierno e das crises morais que a sociedade contemporânea enfrenta. Como já dizia Eclesiastes 1:9 "O que foi tornará a ser, o que foi feito se fará novamente; não há nada novo debaixo do sol." . Um alerta para os cristãos de hoje.

[Brian Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The way that we look at the world is bound up with what we think is right and wrong. In other words, our cosmology is connected to our ethics. The reverse is true as well. Those people who want a certain moral standard, or, more to the point, a lack thereof, will go looking for a worldview that allows them to do what they please.

This is the basic point of Wiker's book. It's a very important book that deserves to have a larger audience than it surely has over the last fourteen years. It's not an easy read at times, as it deals with the history of thought, which means learning about philosophers, scientists, and other thought leaders. For those interested in how we (Western civilization) got here (highly secular, with the belief that we are able to determine what is right and wrong), this book is a must read.

Wiker begins with a discussion of Epicurus, the ancient Greek philosopher. Epicurus is, of course, the father of Epicureanism. When we hear "Epicurean" today, we might think of gourmands and other pleasure seekers. Epicurus did teach that pleasure is the goal of life, but he didn't view pleasure in terms of unbridled hedonism. He thought pleasure was freedom from disturbance. And how can people have freedom from disturbance? By being free from the interference of gods. Epicurus didn't believe in gods who created the world, interfered in the world's affairs, or judged people after they die. This is more or less the opposite worldview of Christianity, which states that God created the universe, sustains it, directs its affairs, even entered into it, and will judge everyone who has ever lived at the end of time as we know it.

Epicurus was followed by Lucretius, who extolled the philosopher in the poem, De Rerum Natura. However, Christianity seems to have won the day as the dominant worldview. However, Epicureanism re-emerged during the Renaissance, when Lucretius's poem became popular again. The idea of a closed universe (no interference from God) was endorsed by various scientists in the late Renaissance and in the Enlightenment. From there, we get to Darwin, whose scientific theories were intended to exclude a Creator. As Wiker says early in the book, "modern science itself was designed to exclude a designer." That's an important point. It's not that modern science proved the universe is closed and that there is no God. Instead, people who don't want there to be a God excluded him from the picture.

Once Darwin's theory of evolution took root, two things happened: One, certain people like Ernst Haeckel and Margaret Sanger decided that if we're evolving, we can hasten evolution by weeding out unfit human beings; and, two, if there is no fixed human nature, there is no fixed moral law, and therefore morality itself can evolve in any way we desire it to.

The idea that there is no fixed human nature is prevalent today and is behind various views of sexuality and gender. This worldview (no God, no fixed human nature, we create ourselves, etc.) is completely against Christianity. Wiker thinks the war against such a false worldview ought to be waged in the realm of science. If we disprove any form of Darwinim and prove that there is a Designer, we can prove that human beings have a design. I'm not certain that science is the only way to move forward, but I certainly support the Intelligent Design movement, and I believe they are showing that, on scientific grounds alone, the idea that the universe emerged by chance is beyond belief. Unless, of course, one wants to believe there's no God in order to have license to be free from that sort of disturbance.

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

The evolution vs. creation debate is more than how we understand beginnings and what some old bones mean. It truly is a battle of worldviews and the soul of man is at stake. Whether you want to discuss modern materialism, classical materialism, social darwinianism, or understand why we are the way we are now as a society this book is a must. B. Wiker has thoroughly presented the most important and disturbing truths about ancient philosophies and reveals that they are foundational to understanding today’s culture wars. The book is meaty, not technical, so it remains profoundly interesting all the way through. You will often find yourself shaking your head in approval as well as finding yourself understanding the place and importance of metaphysics. This book is brilliant; you will need to read it twice to digest all that is given.

[Alexis · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you would like to sample one perspective of what drives the culture wars in the United States, you may find this interesting.

First, a disclaimer. I gave this book three stars instead of four because I personally find the author's writing style longwinded and pedantic.

I will also say that this is a painful book to read no matter what perspective you have, or what your take on the culture wars is. You will most likely recognize parts of yourself in both sides of the argument laid out. My brain will be hurting for quite a while to come as a result of reading this book.

[Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forced to read this for a class, so I hated it.

But then I realized the insights that the author brings to the origins of modern secularist and hedonistic thinking, and came to respect the book (though I will not read it again).

If you are interested in philosophy / the origins of psychology, this is a good read.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wiker outlines the arguments around the question, does life have meaning? The "No" side has a long history which Wiker traces across the centuries up to today. Shows that Darwin is a popularizer of ancient ideas rather than a pioneer.

[Joshua Rodning McIntyre · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall really good. A little loose and sloppy in certain places (i.e. on Epicurus "inventing" a cosmology when it was already an ancient viewpoint from Democritus and Leucippus). But it should be read and he has several good points which he makes.

[Steve Arntz]

Amazing book that teaches you the entire history of human thought and behavior. I have never read a book that has broadened my view of the world quite like this book.

[Alan Lestini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shows from historical perspective how our culture has become so Godless and hedonistic

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A slow read - overcomplicates things a lot. Interesting though