Intrinsic Morality

In his book “How the Mind Works”, Steven Pinker uses the computational theory of mind to explain how the mind works, which states that the mind operates like a computer. This coupled with Darwinian thought explains how we developed an intrinsic morality. It appears that Jung also agrees morality is intrinsic to us humans, not requiring some religous doctrine for morality.

It should never be forgotten that morality was not brought down on tablets of stone from Sinai and imposed upon the people, but is a function of the human soul, as old as humanity itself. Morality is not imposed from the outside; we have it in ourselves from the start – not the law, but our moral nature without which the collective life of human society would be impossible. This is why morality is found at all levels of society. It is the instinctive regulator of action which also governs the collective life of the herd.

Carl Jung

Logos

Everything this man says is quotable. To me he is one of the most empowering speakers. With this quote he is speaking in relation to universities but obviously you do not need a university to attain what he’s talking about. This is the reason why I have made a decision to dedicate just about all my “free/idle time” to doing something constructive and it has created a positive feedback loop that empowers me daily.

“Read great books.” Libraries are “full of the writings of people that are intelligent and articulate beyond comprehension.”
He asks why do you go to university to learn all this? He replies with “you learn it to get a job, or you learn it to get good grades, or you learn it to get a degree, and that’s all nonsense! It’s all nonsense!” “The reason you come to university to be educated is because there is nothing more powerful than someone who is articulate and who can think and speak. It’s power! And I mean power of the best sort! Its authority and influence and respectability and competence. So you come to university to craft your highest skill, your highest skill is found in articulated speech. If you’re a master in formulating your arguments you win everything! And better than that when you win everything everyone around you wins too. Consider your transformation to something approximating the Logos, it means you shine a light on the whole world!.”

“Be who you could be, and with the highest faculty of the human being is articulated speech, it’s the divine faculty and there is nothing more powerful than that! There’s nothing even in the same league.”