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Quote by Irving Howe

“The most glorious vision of the intellectual life is still that which is loosely called humanist: the idea of a mind committed yet dispassionate, ready to stand alone, curious, eager, skeptical. The banner of critical independence, ragged and torn though it may be, is still the best we have.”

Author

Irving Howe

Irving Howe was a distinguished literary critic and intellectual in the United States. Renowned for his incisive analyses of American literature and his significant role in the Jewish intellectual community, Howe's work often explored the interplay between literature, politics, and culture. He was a pivotal figure in the formation of the New York Intellectuals. more

“When I was at Notre Dame studying under Joe Evans, Frank O'Malley, and others, there was a very lively debate about the distinction between natural law and revealed truth. Most of the philosophers of church and state expected that what was going to be advocated as the law of the land would be related to natural law. If you attempted to draw lines about certain general moral truths that were derivative of logic and reason, they would prove to be widely shared, and therefore suitable to be enacted into law on both the civic and religious sides.”

Reason Natural Church Religious Moral Study Prove Logic Philosopher Debate Frank Church And State Lively Natural Law

Author:Bruce Babbitt

“I think there has been an unfortunate tendency for a lot of different groups to forget that distinction between natural law and revealed truth and to say: Our complete agenda is to be enacted into laws governing the entire society. Many different religious groups claim that authority, not only Catholics. A lot of different Protestant groups as well are stepping forward to say: Here is our agenda, it is a moral agenda, ergo it must be enacted into law. I think that the distinction between natural law and more ultimate kinds of doctrine is being lost.”

Thinking Kind Different Natural Religious Forget Moral Authority Ultimate Catholic Unfortunate Natural Law

Author:Bruce Babbitt

“I think it is important that religious leaders of all kinds consciously attempt to distinguish between issues of natural law on which there is consensus among Catholic, Protestant, and Jew and those issues on which there must be a greater degree of tolerance of other peoples' opinions and of the diversity that is characteristic of American society.”

Thinking Kind Important Natural Religious Leader Opinion Diversity Catholic Jew Tolerance All Kinds Consensus Natural Law

Author:Bruce Babbitt

“Broadly speaking, it is my conclusion that a pretty good guide to most issues of natural law is to look at those areas where you find a consensus in the Judeo-Christian tradition. I think that is roughly, not unerringly, the outline of what I would call natural law.There must be some moral values underlying any civilization; that's my guide.”

Thinking Values Natural Moral Tradition Conclusion Consensus Natural Law Moral Values

Author:Bruce Babbitt