issues of good and evil Flashcards
what is relative morality?
the idea that what makes an act wrong changes with the time and situation
what is absolute morality?
the idea that morals are universal and never change
what makes an act wrong?
- breaks society rules/laws
- does not be big about greatest happiness for the greatest number
- not the most loving thing to do in a situation
- doesn’t follow virtues but follows vices (sin, greed, envy …)
definition of morality
principles and standards determining which actions are right and wrong
definition of sin
a deliberate act against gods will
definition of punishment
penalty given to someone for a crime committed
definition of justice
fairness - equal provisions provided for everyone
definition of moral evil
humans choose evil
definition of natural evil
earthquakes etc
what are causes of crime?
- poor parenting
- poor education
- poverty
- drug addiction
- alcohol addiction
- peer pressure
- unemployment
- poor mental health
what is the aim of vindication?
to uphold the law
what is the aim of justice?
to ensure fairness
what is the aim of retribution?
to ensure revenge equal to the crime committed
what is the aim of reformation?
to change the criminal for better
what is the aim of deterrence?
to stop the perpetrators of crime and others from doing it again
evangelical christian views on death penalty and forgiveness
- “blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness”
- “thou shall not kill”-should kill if someone has killed another
- “an eye for an eye..”
- “let justice roll down like a river”
- “whoever sheds the blood of man by man shall his blood be shed”
liberal christian views on death penalty and forgiveness
- “god created them in his own image”
- “god breathed into adam the breath of life”
- “god saw all he had made and called it good”
- “love thy neighbour”
- “treat others as you wish to be treated”
- “forgive 70 times 7”
- “forgive them father for they know not what they do”
buddhists views on death penalty and forgiveness
- law of karma
- pratityasamutpada
- change the conditions of perpetrator to reform
- show metta and karuna
- “ we are not punished by our anger we are punished for our anger”
- “if a man speaks or acts with and impure mind, suffering will follow”
what are prison chaplains?
vicars, rabbis, counsel inmates who help rehabilitate inmates. pray and read the bible with them, carry out acts of worship, prepare them for death row, go to death cell with inmate and care for their family
what are prison reformers?
Elizabeth Fry - taught inmates how to read and write, read the bible and sew
John Howard - clean water, separation of genders, more officers and doctors
where does good and evil come from?
something morally right/ beneficial. good is the absence of evil
christian’s - good comes from god who is good and created everything good. evil is something wicked and wrong, the fall
buddhists - good is Nirvana when the 3 poisons are blown out metta and karuna. evil/ unskillful acts come from tanha and 3 poisons
what is the inconsistent triad?
a theory developed by Epicurus and extended by Hick is asks: how can god be all powerful (can stop evil), all loving (wants to stop evil) and it still exists. therefore god can’t stop evil, does not want to stop evil or he doesn’t exist.
what is Augustine’s theodicy?
it is a catholic theodicy, maintains that good is omnibenevolent and omnipotent and evil comes from human free will not god. god created everything perfectly and evil is an absence of good. the fall caused natural and moral evil as a result of their free will. inherited sin
what is Irenaus’/ Hick’s theodicy?
humans want to develop into gods likeness. humans have to be free to do this, some people abuse this freedom so moral evil arises. god creates natural evil for humans to develop human virtues e.g. helping people after a natural disaster. Hick developed this with the process of soul making and epistemic distance. god stands at a distance so humans are free, he can’t intervene too much.
