--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Those who think that modern times are…" description: "\"“Those who think that modern times are wickeder than previous times are apt to identify the cause as the weakening of a sense of moral law, associated ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/496/a-c-grayling-9398_character_those-who-think-that-modern-times-are-wi_1782333.png" --- # Those who think that modern times are wickeder than… ![“Those who think that modern times are wickeder than previous times are apt to identify the cause as the weakening of a sense of moral law, associated with the departure of religious traditions of morality as a social influence... Such views give comfort to apologists for religion, who fasten on…” quote by A.C. Grayling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/496/a-c-grayling-9398_character_those-who-think-that-modern-times-are-wi_1782333.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/496/a-c-grayling-9398_character_those-who-think-that-modern-times-are-wi_1782333.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/496/a-c-grayling-9398_character_those-who-think-that-modern-times-are-wi_1782333.png) > ““Those who think that modern times are wickeder than previous times are apt to identify the cause as the weakening of a sense of moral law, associated with the departure of religious traditions of morality as a social influence... Such views give comfort to apologists for religion, who fasten on the implication that to revive a culture of moral concern people must be encouraged back into churches. But this reprises the usual muddle that getting people to accept as true... such propositions as that at a certain historical point a virgin gave birth, that the laws of nature were arbitrarily suspended so that, for example, water turned into wine, that several corpses came to life (and so forth), will somehow give them a logical reason for living morally (according to the attached view of what is moral - e.g. not marrying if you can help it, not divorcing if you do, and so forth again). It is scarcely needful to repeat that the morality and the metaphysics here separately at stake do not justify or even need one another, and that the moral questions require to be grounded and justified on their own merits in application to what they concern, namely, the life of human beings in the social setting.”” [A.C. Grayling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-c-grayling/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Moral standards should be grounded in human well‑being and social context, not in religious doctrine or supernatural claims. **In simple terms:** Morality needs human‑based reasons, not religion. Key Takeaway Base ethics on human experience. Themes ethics secularism humanism Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical critical explanatory When to use this quote - public policy - education - community building - personal decision‑making Key Concepts moral philosophy social contract Questions to Reflect On - How can societies foster shared values without religion? - What non‑religious foundations can support moral behavior? A Different Perspective Religious narratives can still inspire moral behavior for some people. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics/) [Modern times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern-times/) [Moral Concern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral-concern-658850/) [Moral law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral-law/) [Moral Marrying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral-marrying-1873877/) [Moral Questions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral-questions-1118773/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Traditions Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/traditions-morality-1873876/) ## Related quotes > [The individualism of current economic theory is manifest in the purely self-interested behaviour it generally assumes. 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Such views give comfort to apologists for religion, who fasten on the implication that to revive a culture of moral concern people must be encouraged back into churches. But this reprises the usual muddle that getting people to accept as true... such propositions as that at a certain historical point a virgin gave birth, that the laws of nature were arbitrarily suspended so that, for example, water turned into wine, that several corpses came to life (and so forth), will somehow give them a logical reason for living morally (according to the attached view of what is moral - e.g. not marrying if you can help it, not divorcing if you do, and so forth again). 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