The Puritans And The Humanists: Reward

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Reward
Just as today the colonial days of America were dominated primarily by two polarizing philosophies, The Puritans and The Humanists. The Puritans were a methodical group of wholesome Christians most distinguished for their founding of the Plymouth colony and their early domination of colonial Massachusetts as well as stanch views of hard work, predestination and most of all that mankind is inheritably wicked, thus all good deeds are merely deeds seeking rewards. While The Humanists however were a highbrow intellectual group, who the most famous members were that of founding fathers, focused on the power of what man can do for man and thus man is solely benevolent at heart. In Fact all men seek reward for their own good deeds whether the reward be spiritual or personal, but is this selfish nature necessarily a bad thing. …show more content…
Not to discredit the morals of these individuals, but everyone who grows up spiritual, despite your religion, is applied to a promise of something for good deeds, whether it’s an Abrahamic heaven or a Buddhist’s nirvana. Religion is the ultimate source of morals for society. Without religion people would be stuck forming their own morals, and some would say we would just be a roaming band of sociopaths. An influential mildly puritan sermon called Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God focuses upon the power of fear to terrorize a largely spiritual audience even going as far as to claim that “The bow of God’s wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string, and the justice bends the arrow at your heart….” (Edwards 47). Such appeal to fear is petrifying to a spiritual audience, almost forcing their hand to do more good. Even the most moral individual would question the validity of his actions with this fear of hell and punishment lurking

Humanist Philosophy Of Punishment

The believed Golden Rule of the humanists consists of "[Treating] other people in a way you would like to be treated yourself" (“Thinking about ethics”). The philosophy of Humanists “believed that the universe and, therefore, people, were basically good and that doing good for others was the best way to worship a loving God” (Lawson). However, Puritans believe that “the world was fallen and that people were sinners who feared hell and desired heaven but could be redeemed only through the grace of…

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Altruism In William Bradford's Of Plymouth Plantation

for the well-being of others. However, in today’s society, performing good deeds seems to be questionable. Do people really do good deeds, and do they sincerely execute their actions? Puritan philosophy, which appeared in the early 1600s, people only executed good deeds because they feared not being rewarded. Humanist philosophy, which emerged in the early 1700s, insisted that people perform good deeds because they want to make the world a better place. In many occasions, people seemingly perform good…

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Mary Rowlandson Research Paper

At the dawn of America, the question of why people did virtuous deeds was a known fact, as simple as flipping a coin. Either someone was a Puritan and believed that God expected him or her to live a holy life full of virtuous works and kindness, or he or she was a humanist whose views of life geared toward the potential of man and living in the present. Today’s America, though, is a divergent place. Some may argue that people of the 21st century remain driven to treat people with kindness simply…

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American Puritans Vs Humanists

Why is it that in today’s society people do good? Is it because they fear that an angry God may smite them, or reward them based on their behaviors? Is it because they feel the need to make the world a better place by helping their neighbor? These are two philosophies thought by the early American Puritans and the American Humanists. Both philosophies can be argued as to why Americans today do good, however it may be a mixture of both philosophies that make Americans behave as they do. Americans…

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Gordon B Hickley Quotes

world so that the world will become a better place which is characteristic of a humanist’s point of view on the issue of why people do good. The Puritans lived in America between the early 1600’s and the 1750’s and believed that salvation was only attainable through God’s grace. God’s grace can only be maintained if In order to maintain God’s grace the Puritans believed that one must complete good works and have…

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Are People Naturally Congenial Or Evil

Are people naturally congenial or evil? Do people learn to behave properly or are people born with their behavior? These age old questions caused Humanists, common during the Age of Reason of Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, to argue the humans are altruistic; in contrast, Puritans, who established the settlement of Plymouth, consider humans as egotistical and only charitable due to fearing God’s wrath (Kizer; Paine). Humans today primarily share prosperity because people evolved to become psychological…

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Puritan Philosophy

Psychology asks if the longing to make the world a better place motivates humans (intrinsic motivation), or external reward motivates people (extrinsic motivation). The arduous answer depends largely on the individual. Puritan Philosophy, originating in the early 1600s, declares that if one does not uphold an upright moral behavior, they will be condemned in the afterlife or experience other undesirable penalties in this life and the next. The Age of Reason and Humanism emerged in the…

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Motives Vs Consequential Fear Essay

Pure Motives vs. Consequential Fear Are humans motivated by self-interest or fear? The idea of perfection and being put together is captivating. The Puritans believed humans sought rewards to ease the apprehension of future consequences. However, like the humanists, people desire altruism and seek to make the world a better place, yet mainly to escape the past by renewing the present. Today people hold selfish ambitions, doing good to perfect their identity and benefit themselves with the rewarding…

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Age Of Reason Humanism

being. The Puritan belief system was established in the early 1600s; this belief states that if one does not withhold the moral correctness of the church, they will be condemned to spend eternity in Hell and possibly experience Hell on Earth as well. The Age of Reason, originating in the early 1700s, brought a new line of thought called Humanism. Humanism is the belief that humans have the moral obligation to attempt to make the world a better place. In most circumstances, Humanistic…

Words 876 - Pages 4

Motives Vs Consequential Fear Research Paper

Pure Motives vs. Consequential Fear Are humans motivated by self-interest or fear? The idea of perfection and being put together is captivating. The Puritans believed humans sought rewards to ease the apprehension of future consequences. However, like the humanists, people desire altruism and seek to make the world a better place, yet mainly to escape the past by renewing the present. Today people hold selfish ambitions, doing good to perfect their identity and benefit themselves with the rewarding…

Words 504 - Pages 3