ETHICS

ETHICS

1. Euthyphro Dilemma

   • Descartes
     • Divine Command Theorist
     • God is the supreme being; nothing is above him
       • Therefore it's 'impious' to suggest something above God could have created morals
   • Brian Davies
     • Divine Command Theory
     • God is good by nature so wills things to be good
       • Argues against morality being arbitrary- God can both be naturally good and will things to be good simultaneously
   • Leibniz
     • Independence of Ethics
     • God is perfect so can't help but do good- this is not a conscience choice of will
       • Divine Command Theory suggests morality is arbitrary which takes away from God's omniscience
         • Also suggests that everything God creates is good which isn't true
   • Aquinas
     • In the middle
       • Good is in God's nature so everything He does is good (DCT)
       • Sometimes goodness is linked to achieveng your purpose (IoE)
   • Is God Good?
     • Created life which surely is the greatest act of good and love possible
       • All of God's seemingly genocidal acts had a purpose- he was cleansing the human race and when killing children He has not given them enough time to sin so they will be greatly rewarded in heaven
         • Used Moses to lead the Israelites to freedom {but he viciously killed the Egyptians who pursued them}
           • When Jesus comes to earth he preaches forgiveness and is in general a more savoury character than the Old Testament God. And God makes the ultimate sacrifice- his son- for humanity
     • Old Testament God was genocidal, infanticidal etc according to Dawkins- example is in Noah's Ark where He kills everyone except the so called righteous
       • God admits to creating evil suggesting he isn't omnibenevolent
         • God forces Abraham to kill his only son to prove his faith (Isaac is saved at the last minute where many others weren't)

2. Absolutism vs Relativism

   • J.L. Mackie
     • Argument from Queerness- the idea that some things must be pursued is strange
     • Argument from Relativity- your morals come from your group/environment
     • Humans want absolute morals to enforce laws to protect them
   • James Rachels
     • Different cultures use different customs to achieve the same moral aims
       • e.g. Callatians eat the dead, Greeks cremate them
   • Pope Benedict XVI
     • Recognises that different cultures have different morals but says it is wrong as God's morals are absolute
   • Sam Harris/Daniel Dennet/Richard Dawkins
     • Some people think it's offensive to question the customs of other cultures
       • However it is not- you must put the welfare of the people before your own reputation
   • Definitions
     • Deontology- morality is linked to doing your duty
     • Teleology/Consequential- the outcome of your actions determine whether it was good or bad
     • Objectivism- morals are absolute but not without exception
   • C.S.Lewis
     • Morals are the 'Laws of Human Nature'
       • When we argue we appeal to common moral principles
         • Train seat example- we all wish to be an exception to the rules until the situation is reversed