Ethics and Philosophy

Ethics and Philosophy

1. Relationships

   • - Chastity means not having sex before marriage, a faithfully married couple are an example of this.  - Commitment is a sense of dedication towards someone or something; for example, marriage is a commitment. - Conflict is the stresses and strains in every human relationship; for example arguments between a couple.- Love is a powerful human emotion that brings people together; for example, the love between partners.  - Reconciliation is the apologies and restoration of a friendship after disagreements; for example, reconciliation after a couple split up. - Responsibilities are actions that you are expected to carry out; for example, a parent is responsible for looking after, protecting and caring for their child. 
   • Love and Commitment
     • Examples of relationships
       • Pre-marital
         • A sexual relationship with someone before marriage. Considered immoral until late 20th century. 
       • Cohabitation
         • Living together before marriage. A good way to see if a couple is compatible.
       • Adultery
         • Considered wrong by almost all because it involves a married person being unfaithful. Commitment, trust and loyalty in the marriage are broken.
       • Casual
         • Sex without any commitment. People who have many "One night stands" are considered promiscuous. Many people think they are wrong because it can cause unwanted pregnancies or STIs. They would also argue that sex should be reserved for relationships with commitment.
     • Love
       • Eros - physically love between two people Storge - love for things and animalsPhilia - love for friends and familyAgape - Unconditional love for everything and everyone
       • The Good Samaritan
         • An example of agape love because it demonstrates unconditional love for a stranger. 
     • Divorce
       • Muslim Views
         • - Adultery is dishonourable.  - Adultery is forbidden by the Qur'an and Shariah law.  - Divorce is only allowed by the Qur'an as a last resort - Remarriage is encouraged.  - "The most detestable act that Allah has permitted is divorce." (The Hadith)
       • Christian Views
         • - Divorce is not allowed by the Roman Catholic Church.  - "till death do us part." - However, Jesus taught that love and forgiveness are more important than any rules. 
   • Marriage
     • Is sex outside marriage ever right?
       • No
         • - Unwanted pregnancies would cause children to be brought in non-family environments - Sex should be kep exclusively for marriage because it makes the relationship special
       • Yes
         • - Marriage is expensive - Marriage is religious and society is becoming more secular- Commitment can also be shown by things other than marriage such as cohabitation
     • Is marriage out of date?
       • Yes
         • - Marriages are decreasing - Society is becoming more secular and marriage is religious - Many people cohabit because marriage is too expensive
       • No
         • - Christians believe marriage is a sacrament - Christians believe marriage is the perfect basis on which to start a family - Muslims believe marriage is essential for a family
   • Religious Views
     • Muslim
       • Chastity
         • - Muslims believe is complete chastity and that sex outside marriage is wrong.  - Islam sees no value in a life without sex, all Muslims are encouraged to marry and, if their partner dies, remarry. 
       • Sex outside marriage and cohabitation
         • - Sex outside marriage is wrong because marriage is vital for building a family - Cohabitation is wrong because it encourages pre-marital sex. - Promiscuity is wrong.
       • Adultery
         • - Adultery is wrong.  - A husband and wife must be faithful - Adultery breaks commitment and families - The Qur'an says, "When a husband and wife share intimacy it is rewarded, just as they would be punished if they had engaged in illicit sex".
     • Christian
       • Chastity
         • - Roman Catholics, Methodists and Evangelical Protestants believe in complete chastity.  - Roman Catholic priests and monks do not marry, living lives of permanent chastity so that they can devote all of their energy to God.
       • Pre-marital sex
         • - Nonconformists believe that pre-marital sex is acceptable between a couple who plan to get married. 
       • Cohabitation
         • - The Church of England accept that many people cohabit but also believe marriage is the correct environment for sex and bringing up children. 
       • Promiscuity
         • - Promiscuity is wrong because it doesn't involve commitment and it implies objectification. 
       • Adultery
         • - Adultery is wrong.  - A husband and wife must be faithful.  - Adultery breaks commitment and families.  - The Bible says, "Thou shalt not commit adultery." 

2. Is it fair?

   • - Authority is power over other people; for example, Jesus had authority over his disciples.  - Discrimination is treating one group of people differently to another, sexism for example.  - Equality is the idea of everyone being treated equally; for example, the civil rights movement fought for equality.  - Identity is a sense of personality and uniqueness, for example  - Injustice is a lack of fairness in society, for example wage inequality.  - Prejudice is judging someone based on something other than their personality or actions, generalisation and stereotypes are examples of this. 
   • Equality
     • Homosexuality
       • Islam
       • Christianity
         • - "... homosexual perverts... none of these will possess God's kingdom" St Paul - Gay people cannot get married in Church. - "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." St Paul
     • Racism
       • Christianity
         • "Created in the image of God" - The Bible
       • Islam
         • "All people are equal... as the teeth of a comb." - The Qur'an
       • Why
         • - Bad experiences - Feel superior (stupid) - Upbringing - Lack of knowledge (and intelligence)
     • Media
       • - "It is wrong for newspapers to buy stories from criminals" [4] - "The media does nothing but cause trouble in our society" [4] - This could also be an [8]
       • Positive
         • - Has encouraged breast cancer checks because of celebs - Informs people
       • Negative
         • - Has enforced stereotypes in the past, ie. sexism and ageism - Can cause children to become violent - Has enforced unnecessary dieting
       • Social
         • - Cyberbullying - Anxiety
   • Wealth and responsibility
     • Wants and needs
       • Needs
         • - Necessary for healthy life - If you don't have these, you are in poverty
       • Wants
         • - Not necessary for healthy life
       • Money
         • - We need a small amount of money to live healthily - Too much money involves greed and wants
     • Wealth
       • Christianity
         • - The Widow's Mite - "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God" - Jesus
       • Islam
         • "Riches are sweet, and a source of blessing for him who acquires them by the way" The Hadith
   • Injustice and prejudice
     • Characters
       • Archbishop Oscar Romero
         • - Spoke out about injustices against the poor in Latin America - Assassinated by government at 62
       • Malcolm X
         • - Son of a Baptist minister - Converted to Islam - Fought against injustice against black people in America - Assassinated in 1965
       • Archbishop Desmond Tutu
         • - Campaigned against racial injustice in South Africa
       • Mother Teresa
         • - A nun who saved children - Dedicated her life for good cause
       • Martin Luther King Jr
         • - "I have a dream [of equality]  - Pacifist, arrested, bus boycotting - Fought against segragation

3. Looking for Meaning

   • Death and afterlife
   • God
     • Response
       • People respond to God by: - Belonging to a community - Worshipping and praying - Doing good deeds - Serving other - Going on pilgrimage - Reading holy books
     • Experience
       • People experience God by: - Revelation - Awe - Miracles - Upbringing - Prayer

4. Our World

   • Creation
     • Christian
       • Creationism
         • - Earth was created in 7 x 24 hours - Genesis is exactly correct - Big Bang is just a theory
       • Non-literalists
     • Muslim
   • Sanctity of Life