4.2 The relationship between religion and morality Flashcards
what is moral independence?
the belief that morality exists independently of religion and can be determined through reason + human experience
theonomous ethics
- god is the creator of moral goodness
- god is the source of moral knowledge, and must use reason/moral intuition to discover what is moral (Aquinas)
- god is our motivation for being and doing the good; acting morally and following god’s commands
what is divine command theory?
a meta-ethical theory stating than an action is morally right if god commands it OR wrong if he forbids it
what does autonomous ethics argue?
moral decisions are decided by the moral agent ourselves - independently of religion
what does heteronomous ethics argue?
morality is defined by an external force, such as laws, a religious denomination or cultural flaws
eg) Christian follow moral teachings from church rather than own ethical principles
what are criticisms of divine command theory?
- divine command theory: is something good just cus god commands it?
- atheists: wont follow gods commands, so no moral accountability
- arbitariness problem: god could declare evil actions as morally good
how does the euthyphro dilemma challenge divine command theory?
the dilema, posed by plato, questions whether morality is arbitrary (declared by god whims) or independent (suggests morality exits without god)
religious responses to the euthyphro dilema
- some argue gods nature is inherently good, so god will only command good actions
- others claim morality is rooted in god’s character, rather than his will
why is the westboro baptist christ controversial in religious morality?
the group promotes extreme fundamentalist christian views, preaching hate against LGBTQ+ individuals
criticism of westboro baptist church
many argue extreme religious morality causes harm, contradicting ethical teachings of love and compassion within christianity
how does religious extremist relate to morality?
some religious terrorist groups justify violent acts, by backing with religious texts to claim divine approval
what is the quiverfull movement, why is it ethically debated?
it’s a christian fundamentalist movement encouraging large families as a divine duty, emphasizing patriarchy with traditional gender roles
what is dawkins argument about morality?
dawkins argues that morality is shaped by evolution, not a divine command
what does r.a sharpe argue about religion and morality
claims that moral progress often occurs despite religion, not because of it
eg) slavery once justified using religious texts
dawkins: religion is opposed to morality
- 2006 doc ‘the root of evil?’, dawkins argues that religion would be better off without religion
- represents religious positions represent a form of indoctrination
- children who doubt/reject those beliefs are scared with visions of hellfire and eternal damnation
dawkins on terrorism
- dawkins believes that religious beliefs can cause terrorism
- religious terrorism has overtaken national separatism to become the main driver of terrorist attacks around the world, violent extremists interpret religion in a way which justifies violence rather than peaceful messages of religion
criticisms of dawkins arguments on terroism
- ignores role of religion as a force for good
- assumes religious morality is not evolving, stuck in the past
- ignores the fact many religious believers are obdeidnet to god
