In this blog post, I will take a deep look at whether adultery is a sin or should be respected as an individual’s freedom in modern society.
In ‘Homo Deus Part 2 Chapter 7 The Humanist Revolution,’ there is a section that deals with extramarital affairs and adultery. As I read this section, the most interesting discussion in humanistic ethics is about which side is more important in situations where human emotions, such as infidelity, conflict. This topic, which is about human emotions and ethical dilemmas, is a point of constant conflict between individual freedom and social morality, and can be discussed from various perspectives. Through this section, I decided to think deeply about whether adultery is a sin or not.
I came to the conclusion that adultery is not a sin based on the content of Homo Deus. Before discussing the reasons, I first looked at the dictionary definition of sin. The dictionary definition of sin is divided into two main categories. First, sin is defined as an act that deviates from conscience or principles. Second, sin is defined as an illegal act that violates the law and cannot be exempted from punishment.
First, let’s take the case of the abolition of adultery in South Korea on February 26, 2015. Article 241 of the Criminal Code was repealed 110 years after its creation, and the reason was that adultery excessively restricts sexual self-determination and the right to privacy and freedom, and has a destructive impact on the maintenance and protection of the family community. As a result, the second definition of sin no longer holds true in modern society.
This leaves us with only the first definition of sin, which is to clarify the definition of conscience and morality. Conscience is a moral consciousness that distinguishes the value of things and judges right and wrong and good and evil in one’s actions. This concept of conscience tends to be judged flexibly according to humanistic values rather than according to absolute standards. Humanism is a philosophical perspective that respects the feelings and rights of each individual human being, and this can change social norms.
Of course, from a humanistic perspective, consideration for others is essential to the establishment of social norms. However, as mentioned earlier, adultery is no longer illegal under the law, so I decided to focus more on the “good” and “bad” aspects of humanistic judgment.
To determine this, I decided to define “good” and “bad.” The dictionary definition of “good” is that the nature or content of an object is above average and satisfactory, and the dictionary definition of “bad” means not good or not right. The key to “bad” here is that it is not good, so we can judge it by the dictionary definition of “good.” If a person who commits adultery feels satisfaction from the act and judges it as good, it is affirmed according to humanistic values, and as a result, it becomes an act that does not violate the conscience. Therefore, it becomes not a sin.
In the content of ‘Homo Deus,’ it is stated that a person who commits adultery does so because they want to do it. And if they think the act is bad, they will stop it on their own. Therefore, if a person who commits adultery approves of it based on their own judgment, this is a valid logic.
The remaining issue is the question of acts that are not in accordance with the principles of morality. “Dori” refers to the right way that a person should act in a certain situation. The problem here is that the right way that a person should act can vary depending on the times and culture. Since ‘dori’ is formed by social and cultural backgrounds, it is not fixed and can change. Also, the law has the greatest influence on setting the standards for ”dori.” This is because people base their laws on the idea of right and wrong. However, as I mentioned earlier, adultery is no longer an illegal act.
Ultimately, I have come to the conclusion that adultery is not a sin based on these points. With social and legal changes and the influence of humanistic values, the concept of sin can be fluid. Discussions like this will continue to develop in various forms in relation to ethical dilemmas.
