Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
Week 2: Book I, Chapter 1 — The Law of Human Nature
Read Book I, Chapter 1 of Mere Christianity ('The Law of Human Nature')
Previewing Week 2 of Mere Christianity
Read 3 of 6 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 29-week guide when you’re ready.
Lewis opens his entire case not with the Bible or the church, but with something everyone already knows: the strange fact that human beings quarrel.
Discussion Questions
6 questions1.Lewis begins with the observation that when people quarrel, they appeal to a standard they both assume the other person knows — 'That's not fair,' 'You promised.' What is he trying to show with this simple, everyday observation?
2.He distinguishes between the Law of Nature (how things like trees and gravity *do* behave) and the Law of Human Nature (how humans *ought* to behave but often don't). Why is this distinction crucial to his argument?
3.Lewis acknowledges the objection that morality is just social conditioning — that we learned 'fair play' from our upbringing. How does he respond to this? Do you find his response convincing?
a.Can you think of a moral conviction you hold that *cannot* be explained by your upbringing alone?
b.What would it mean if morality really were just social conditioning — what would be lost?