Madam, – In making the case for religious values, Pope Benedict appears to suggest that the only source of “the ethical foundations of civil discourse” lies in the “moral principles underpinning the democratic process”, principles which “are themselves determined by nothing more solid than social consensus” (Editorial, September 20th). However, the pope is overlooking the whole tradition of philosophical ethics which lies behind democratic values and principles. This tradition includes Enlightenment thinkers such as Kant and Rousseau, and in the British tradition the Utilitarian philosophers JS Mill and Jeremy Bentham whose ideas influenced setting up the welfare state.
While the understanding of ethics provided in philosophy is, of course, open to question and discussion (that’s a core feature), it nevertheless can be considered to provide the authority of rational arguments, independently of religious faith, for explaining why personal and social behaviour should comply with values and principles, such as well-being, respect and human rights, and for informing the resolution of moral dilemmas. – Yours, etc,