A note on the structure of the universe

Let’s divide humanity into two classes based on their beliefs about the structure of the universe. Some people believe the universe is a hierarchy. Every being, natural or supernatural, falls within the hierarchy. Beings in the hierarchy have the duty to obey the instructions of those higher in the hierarchy. Beings in the hierarchy have the authority to instruct and coerce those lower in the hierarchy.

The hierarchy changes over time. The divine right of kings has given way to the divine right of property. The hierarchy has been adjusted to take into account this event. Even though the hierarchy changes over time its moral justification is based on metaphysical authority to coerce those lower in the hierarchy. Obedience is the supreme duty. Authority in one’s sphere of influence is the supreme right and freedom.

The other class of people do not see the universe structured as a hierarchy. For them authority is not something with which a person is born. Authority is granted through negotiation and by other means. Governments develop constitutions and laws to regulate both authority and duties.

People in this second category believe there are certain areas in people’s lives where no person has the authority to regulate another person’s life. These are called equal rights. There is debate about these rights. Despite that there is a recognition that it is a matter for debate because no one possesses the natural authority to arbitrarily impose a duty upon another person

The division of humanity into these two distinct kinds is admittedly crude. However, public debates often halt when the disputants fail to identify the category to which they belong. This is not merely a matter of dishonesty or neglect. These two kinds of beliefs exist at an unconscious level of the mind and exert powerful influences on actions. The question of what one ought to do is never independent of one’s view of the universe.