Transcript Morality_and_Religion

Morality and Religion
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Outline
Introduction: To what extent is religion a basis for morality?
The Divine Command Theory
The Natural Law Theory
Conclusion: Religion and Morality
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Outline
Introduction: To what extent is religion a basis for morality?
The Divine Command Theory
The Natural Law Theory
Conclusion: Religion and Morality
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Introduction
Religion as a foundation of morality
Our problem: Moral truths
1. Are there such things as moral truths?
2. How do we know them and what is their content?
One answer: Religion
1. Yes: God’s law
- As God’s creation, the world is in order – God’s law.
- Human beings and their acts are part of such order.
- Humans beings ought to follow the moral law in their
actions.
2. We must find out God’s law.
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Introduction
Morality and Religion
The problem:
- Not all religious people act morally – religion not
sufficient for moral behavior
- Not all non-religious people act immorally – religion not
necessary
 The relationships between morality and religion
are more complex than expected
 Our question: to what extent can religion be a
foundation for morality?
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Outline
Introduction
The Divine Command Theory
The Natural Law Theory
Conclusion: Religion and Morality
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The Divine Command Theory
The Divine Command Theory (DCT):
The Divine Command Theory is the view on morality that
what is right is whatever God commands.
This gives answers to our questions:
1. Are there such things as moral truths?
Yes, God’s law
2. How do we know them and what is their content?
We know them through religion, and their content are
whatever our religion says it is.
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The Problem with the DCT:
Socrates’ question
Socrates’ question about the definition of “what is holy”:
Euthyphro: what is holy is whatever is loved by the gods
Socrates: is it holy because it is loved by the gods or is it
loved by the gods because it is holy?
Socrates’ answer: it is loved by the gods because it is
holy – not the other way.
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The Problem with the DCT:
Understanding Socrates’ question
Socrates’ question about the definition of “what is a great
hike”:
Euthyphro: what is a great hike is whatever is loved by the
Montanans.
Socrates: is it a great hike because it is loved by the
Montanans or is it loved by the Montanans because it
is a great hike?
Socrates’ answer: it is loved by the Montanans because
it is a great hike– not the other way around.
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The Problem with the DCT:
Socrates’ question applied to the DCT
Socrates’ question about the definition of “what is right”:
Euthyphro: what is right is whatever is whatever God
commands
Socrates: is it right because God commands it or does God
command it because it is right?
Socrates’ answer: it is commanded by God because it is
right – not the other way around.
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The Problem with the DCT:
One last example
Socrates’ question about the definition of “what is good
for your education”:
Euthyphro: what is good for your education is whatever is
whatever your parents command
Socrates: is it good for your education because your
parents command it or do your parents command it
because it is good for your education ?
Socrates’ answer: it is commanded by your parents
because it is good for your education – not the
other way around.
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The Divine Command Theory:
Two interpretations
Interpretation 1:
Something is right because
God commands it
Interpretation 2:
God commands something
because it is right
Interpretation 1:
Good for your education
because your parents
command it
Interpretation 2:
Commanded by your parents
because good for your
education
Mere Authority
Knowledgeable guide
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The Divine Command Theory:
Interpretation 1 – Pros and Cons
Interpretation 1:
Something is right because God commands it
PROS:
- There are moral truths
- These truths are easy to find: Follow the Scriptures
as an absolute authority
CONS:
- Moral truths are arbitrary
- How to understand the Scriptures when ambiguous
or outdated?
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The Divine Command Theory:
Interpretation 2 – Pros and Cons
Interpretation 2:
God commands something because it is right
PROS:
- There are moral truths
- These truths are not arbitrary
CONS:
Moral truths exist independently of religion / God
We need another foundation!
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The Divine Command Theory
Conclusion
The Divine Command Theory:
The Divine Command Theory is the view on morality
that what is right is whatever God commands.
Socrates’ question:
Is it right because God’s commands it or does God
command it because it is right
Two interpretations:
1. Right because God commands it
Problem: Arbitrariness of moral truths
2. Commanded by God because it is right
Problem: need for another foundation
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Outline
Introduction
The Divine Command Theory
The Natural Law Theory
Conclusion: Religion and Morality
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The Natural Law Theory
The Natural Law and the Cosmos
The idea of the cosmos:
Cosmos: the world in rational order – natural law
Humans: gifted with reason to understand the law
Morality: understand and follow the natural law
The Natural Law Theory
The Natural Law Theory is the view that what is right is
governed by the natural law, which reflects the
rational order of the world.
Aquinas: Reason = “the imprint of divine light” on us
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The Natural Law Theory
Morality and Us
Humans vs. Animals
- Only humans can follow the law voluntarily – will
- Only humans can understand the law – reason
Believers vs Non-believers
All humans can understand and follow the law, believers or
not, because all humans possess reason and will
To what extend is religion a foundation of moral truths?
- The rational order is the ultimate foundation
- But Religion gives us the assurance that the world is in a
rational order
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The Natural Law Theory
Moral Truths
How can we understand the law?
Same as mathematics (Euclid)
Rational intuition + logical reasoning
What does the law provide us?
General guiding principles for our motives/intentions
NOT specific acts for particular circumstances
Ex: “good entrusted to another should be restored to
their owner”
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The Natural Law Theory
Conclusion
The Natural Law Theory: what is right is governed by the
natural law, which reflects the rational order of the world.
Common aspects between the NLT and the DCT
- There are moral truths
- We can know them
Difference between the NLT and the DCT:
- Use of reason necessary
- All humans
- Only guidelines – not particular cases
The NLT: what does religion give us? Rational order of
the world
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Outline
Introduction: Is religion a necessary basis for morality?
The Divine Command Theory: 2 interpretations
The Natural Law Theory
Conclusion: Religion and Morality
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Morality and Religion
Our problem: Moral truths
1. Are there such things as moral truths?
2. How do we know them and what is their content?
An answer: Religion But how?
1. Divine Command Theory:
- Socrates’ question: two interpretations
- Interpretation 1: moral truths arbitrary
- Interpretation 2: need for another foundation
2. Natural Law Theory
- Reason as the ultimate foundation of moral truths
- Religion as the guarantee of the rational order of the
world
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