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Transcript of Objectives: SWBAT Debate the role of religion in morality Identify the strong and weak forms of...
Objectives: SWBAT
Debate the role of religion in morality Identify the strong and weak forms of
Divine Command Theory Critique DCT
RELIGION AND MORALITY
8.3 Forensics December 6, 2013
Introduction
What is the connection between religion and morality? Many ethical terms have religious
connotations Religious institutions often endorse
certain ethical positions or doctrines
Philosophers disagree over the connection
Introduction
Relates to philosophical questions Is there a true religion? (Which one?) Does God exist? Is there an afterlife?
Suppose God DOES exist What is the relationship between God
and morality?
Divine Command Theory
God is supposed to be superbly good. “good” is the key word
If the connection is very close Divine Command Theory
Normative ethical theory with two two parts
DCT1 – Something is morally good if and only if God approves of it (Axiology)
DCT2 – An act-token X performed by person P at time T is morally right if and only if X is what God commands or desires P to do at T (normative ethics of behavior)
Divine Command Theory
Was this the right thing to do? If god wished me to do it at
this time, then it was. If God did not wish me to do
that at that time, then it wasn’t Something like this suggested
by Old Testament New Testament Koran
Meta-ethical critiques of DCT 1) People who agree
with DCT can disagree about what makes it true:
THE STRONG FORM:God’s approving of it is
what makes the thing good or the action right
Morality is nothing more nor less than God’s pronouncements, commands and wishes
Two Meta-ethical critiques of DCT The Weak form
Things are good or actions are right on independent grounds from God’s commandments
It is not God that makes the action right
It is right because God approves of it
An analogy
An organism is a chordate if and only if it has a heart
An organism is a chordate if and only if it has a kidney
Both these sentences are true, but for different reasons
Euthryphro’s Dilemma
Plato (427 – 347 BCE)
Plato was an Athenian
philosopher and student of Socrates
In this dilemma Plato recounts the debate between Socrates and Euthryphro They are debating the nature of “piety”
(goodness)
RELIGION AND MORALITY
8.3 Forensics December 7, 2013
Objectives: SWBAT
Debate the role of religion in morality Identify the strong and weak forms of
Divine Command Theory Critique DCT
Euthyphro’s dilemma
Is good loved by the gods because it is good, or is it good because it is loved by the gods?
Euthryphro believes that the gods love things because they are good
Socrates concludes that goodness must be something different from being loved by the gods.
Criticism of DCT
God’s commands and attitudes themselves are completely arbitrary Whatever God commands or approves of
is right It doesn’t matter what the consequences
are
Criticisms of DCT
What do we mean by “God is good”? Does it mean that God approves of God?
I call something “schmood” only if Mr. Headley approves of it
Obviously Headley himself is “schmood”
If good is like “schmood,” why should I care about “good” things more than “schmood” things?
Criticisms of WEAK DCT
Something else besides God makes things good/ right Doesn’t mean that DCT is false However, it seems that as an ethical
theory, it feels like a cop out and it is missing a fundamental question of right and wrong
Criticisms of WEAK DCT
Does not give us concrete answers on what to do in real situations
We need to know what God commands (DCT 1) Can we actually communicate with God? We can consult scripture
Which one? Which translation? Often take the form of stories and parables not
“Do this, not this”
The 10 Commandments
The 10 commandments give the following criterion for acting morally: (10C) An act-token X performed by person
P ant time T is morally right if and only if (X,P,T) does not violate any of the 10 commandments
Are there acts that violate the 10C that are morally right?
Are there acts that DON’T violate the 10C that are morally wrong?
The big question….
What if God, does not exist?
The existence of God
The question sheds light on the connection of morality and religion in society
Can morality exist without God?
What if God doesn’t exist?
The purpose of human existence? If God does not exist , then there is no God-
given purpose to existence If there is no God-given purpose to
existence, then there is no one right way for a person to live his/her life
If there is no one right way to live one’s life, then there can be no morality
Therefore, if God does not exist, there can be no morality.
What if God doesn’t exist?
The supernatural punishment argument If God does not exist, then here is no
heaven or hell (or karma etc) If there is no heaven, hell, etc. then there is
no motivation for people to act rightly instead of wrongly
If there is no motivation to act rightly instead of wrongly, then there can be no morality
Therefore, if God does not exist there can be no morality