Student Information Sheet: Chronology of Significant Events

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This information is to accompany Unit Two of the Curriculum Guide.

Student Information Sheet: Critical Attributes of the Concepts of Tradition and Utility

Tradition is based upon the belief that:

• The basic underpinning of life is religious because it is accepted that religion is the source of the eternal truths about the meaning and purpose of life.
• The source of eternal truths are the unwritten religious laws and doctrines received from the prophets and/or God.
• Handing down beliefs, customs and stories from parents to children is the way that these truths are passed from one generation to another.
• Tradition provides the individual with a way of behaving and a way of doing things that are rooted in history.

Utility is based upon the belief that:

• The basic underpinning of life is reason, because it is accepted that the source of eternal truths is knowledge.
• The truth and value of knowledge depends upon whether the knowledge is workable and/or useful (empiricism).
• The overriding value is the greatest good for the greatest number of people.
• The purpose of life is the satisfaction of needs.

Application of the Concepts of Tradition and Utility to Actual Life Situations

People from the traditional, ceremonial, religious perspective look at the meaning and purpose of life as the process of living through joy and tragedy. This "poetic" perspective would say that without the paradox of joy and tragedy, life loses its flavour and becomes bland and purposeless so that:

• work on an assembly line becomes mind numbing in its boringness;
• an educational system that removes the conflict and excitement from learning becomes meaningless; and,
• rationally analyzing the mysteries of religion.

reduces them to trivial superstitions.

People from the utilitarian perspective argue that life need not be tragic, because reason can save us from the kind of errors that give rise to tragedy. They would argue:

• that Robert Scott of the Antarctic was more foolish than tragic;
• that dying heroically of tuberculosis is a waste of a life; and,
• that the ceremony and heroics of war are a perversion.