Citation

Davis GS. Religion Compass 2008; 2(6): 1081-1101.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1749-8171.2008.00103.x

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This essay surveys the relations between ethics and religion in a variety of comparative contexts. It suggests replacing the older paradigms of moral theory, for example, deontology/teleology/consequentialism, with a more supple one deploying law, character, and economics. At the same time, it argues for an emphasis on history and ethnography that will ultimately blur both typologies and disciplinary boundaries. This is a good thing if we wish to understand how people actually think about their moral commitments and the worlds they live in.