meta ethics Flashcards
What’s the Eurythphro Dilemma?
Is smth good bc God commands it? OR
Does God command it bc it’s good?
Which theory believes smth is good bc God commands it?
Divine command theory - morality dependant on God
Who were divine command theorists?
John Calvin + Karl Barth
What does Divine command theory believe?
God has been nice enough to command us w scriptures + teachings
Reaffirms Gods love, power etc
What’s an issue w DCT?
It’s meant to be timeless but what about biblical references to homophobia, women, slavery etc
What would God commanding smth bc its good imply?
God merely recognises morality
Limits his omnipotence
Goes against scripture
What did John Calvin believe?
The will of God is the supreme rule of righteousness; everything he wills must be righteous
What does Karl Barth believe?
Christians have scripture + Gods commands to make moral decisions
What are strengths of DCT?
- Moral maxims are universally; apply at all time
- Offers a means of proof concerning what’s right + wrong
- Offers sense of justice; God sees everything
- Offers a motive
- Reaffirms God’s attributes
What are weaknesses of DCT?
- Existence of God isn’t certain
- What is God’s will
- How do we interpret the holy book?
- What about the other horn of the Eurythpro Dilemma
Which theories are ethical naturalism?
Utilitarianism, situation ethics, virtue ethics + natural moral law
Which theories are ethical non-naturalism?
Intuitionism + divine command theory
What is ethical naturalism?
Moral values can be described in terms of natural properties; objective part of the universe
Why are ethical naturalist theories naturalist?
They exist + can be described, so its possible to discover + understand them
What are 2 ethical naturalist theories? Who are the scholars?
Jeremy Bentham’s utilitarianism
Jon Stuart Mill’s utilitarianism
What is Bentham’s utilitarianism focused w?
Observation that human lives focus on maximising pleasure + minimising pain
What does Bentham say human action should be aimed at?
Greatest good for the greatest number