Performing a commandment at God's command is against practical rationality?
Hello.
In the first lesson on faith and its meaning, you said that the question of why one should keep the commandments after believing in God and in the status of Mount Sinai is irrelevant, because God is the one who obligates, and therefore it is right to do His commandments.
I agree with you that performing a mitzvah in this sense is correct, but I don't think it solves the problem.
Even if I believed in God, and that He gave commandments, but you told me that doing them would harm the environment and me (utilitarian) in this world and the next, I would not do the commandments, even though it is true. Because doing it will only lead to bad results, and it is not wise, and it is not beautiful (from the perspective of others), and what do I care if it is true, if it causes evil?
You are mixing two different levels. The very divine command is binding. If the content of the command is evil, then you are in conflict between the obligation to obey and the prohibition of doing evil. The obligation to obey is self-evident, but there is another obligation in opposition to it.
Thank you. I understand, but I would like you to explain why I would act on duty. I understand why seeking practical benefit – it would simply do me good. I don’t do it because someone is forcing me to do good, but because I prefer that the environment and I be well. But what is the reason for obeying duty? Practically, it might be so that we feel at peace with ourselves. I assume you meant a reason that is not practical utilitarian, simply to do the right thing, but I still don’t understand why it would affect me in the practical world.
There is nothing to understand here. When you ask for an explanation, you are actually expecting reasoning based on results, but the entire claim is that these actions are not done for the sake of results but to act correctly for the sake of truth. See column 120 (and a little bit of 122).
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