Midterm Exam

Question 1

An action’s morality to be based on whether the action itself is right or wrong, not on the consequences.

Answer 1

Deontology

Question 2

An action’s morality is based on the consequences, not on the action itself. It is mainly motivated by self-interest.

Answer 2

Teleology

Question 3

A sociological or anthropological discipline that attempts to describe the morals of a particular society

Answer 3

Descriptive Ethics

Question 4

This refers to the discipline that produces moral norms or rules.

Answer 4

Normative Ethics

Question 5

An area of ethics that investigates the meaning of moral language or the epistemology of ethics and considers the justification of ethical theories and judgments.

Answer 5

Metaethics

Question 6

Emphasizes the full LIBERTY of the individual to decide for YOURSELF what is right or wrong.

Answer 6

Libertine

Question 7

A principle of right action that is binding on groups and group members, which guides and regulates appropriate behavior. It is narrower in focus than values but broader than rules. Semi-specific definitions for behavior but still some vagueness. Christian Example: (revalue of modesty): Ladies should not wear blouses/shirts with a deep vee (i.e. revealing) or short skirts; men should not wear pants too tight.

Answer 7

Norms

Question 8

A ______________ is a case where one has two moral “oughts” in conflict with no way to satisfy both–one must sin or sin. A ____________ is a specialized form of dilemma where one will be in conflict and suffering IF one does the “Right Thing.”

Answer 8

Moral Dilemma vs Moral Conflict

Question 9

Is something right or wrong? Is an act good or bad because God commands it?

Answer 9

Euthyphro Dilemma

Question 10

The doctrine of Two Wills

Answer 10

Competing moral demands and the choice to have control of our own actions. We cannot be forced to sin against our own will.

Question 11

Another, higher power, deciding what’s right

Answer 11

Paternalistic

Question 12

There are moral absolutes that never change and don’t conflict causing any moral dilemma. When moral issues do arise, the answer is to trust in God.

Answer 12

Common Characteristics between Conflicting and Graded Absolutism

Question 13

Recognizes our human limits may leave us unclear as to what the absolute morally acceptable option is.

Answer 13

Biblical Absolutism

Question 14

Tends to impose a black/white absolute without honestly wrestling with and acknowledging the unclearness of the known options.

Answer 14

Non-Conflicting Absolutism

Question 15

Tends to recognize a simple, small range of moral absolutes. This leaves more room open for discussion.
The narrow base of Absolutes.

Answer 15

Biblical Absolutism

Question 16

Tends to include more items in the list of what is absolute. May ascribe divine authority to human additions to God’s absolutes.
A broad base of Absolutes

Answer 16

Nonconflicting Absolutism

Question 17

Oriented to a moral character as a basis of choices and behavior, build character to produce morality.

Answer 17

Biblical Absolutism

Question 18

Oriented to Rule-Compliance, with character as the result of the rule.

Answer 18

Nonconflicting Absolutism:

Question 19

Strengths Biblical Absolutism

Answer 19

1. They are God’s absolutes to define and to share
2. Removing all human definitions and rely on a new covenant and new birth.
3. The moral results are the result of character, not by self-imposed morals.

Question 20

Strengths of Non-Conflicting Absolutism

Answer 20

the strengths are:

1. That it shows there are solid absolutes that are unchanging and formed by an unchanging God.
2. The weaknesses are that it is legalistic in nature, relying on a man to determine God’s “absolutes”.
3. Depend on a rule-compliance oriented system that requires human willpower to uphold.

Question 21

Common Characteristics of Conflicting and Graded Absolutism

Answer 21

There are moral absolutes that never change but sometimes conflict and within a moral dilemma, we are trapped between a sin and a sin and must decide which absolutes carry greater importance than others.

Question 22

Situation Ethics

Answer 22

No action is moral or immoral until in a specific situation.
All actions are morally neutral until they are in a specific situation.
Moral right and wrong are determined in a specific situation.

Question 23

What is the pithy phrase/concept often used to diagnose something as SE,
and what does it mean?

Answer 23

“Whats the loving thing to do to the neighbor” we want beneficial results from a
“Ends justify the means of achieving the goal”
Loving the neighbor is the goal, so any method/means to get to the goal is justified.

Question 24

How does SE view itself against “legalism” and “relativism?”

Answer 24

Legalism: policy over people hurts people.
Antinominalism: no universal standard or law hurts people.
Situation ethics is the answer to that imbalance.
Not relativist because there is an absolutes.

Question 25

What is the one “absolute” in SE? How is it defined (what it is and what
is it not).

Answer 25

ONE ABSOLUTE is to love thy neighbor. The only commandment. Love wills the neighbors good.
All moral laws are relative to love. If we must break a commandment in order to love your neighbor than it is okay

Question 26

How did Fletcher use Scripture to support his position and how did we
critique that?

Answer 26

God is love.

Question 27

What are the 3 characteristics of a moral system and how Beckwith sees Moral Relativism comparing to those?

Answer 27

Morality is a supremely authoritative guide to action, trumping considerations of preference, taste, custom, self-interest, or individual custom
Morality includes a prescriptive code of conduct that actions, attitudes, and motives ought to follow.
Morality is universal. They are public and equal for any situation and person.
Moral Relativism rejects these characteristics because it is a subjective morality without absolutes. They can change and morph according to culture (1), are run by personal conviction and choice of action alone, not by any absolute standard or code of conduct (2), and finally, moral relativism states that there can be no universal morality; “what’s right for you isn’t always going to be right for me”.

Question 28

What did Beckwith argue about Moral Relativism and Tolerance? What is needed for true tolerance? Is Moral Relativism truly tolerant?

Answer 28

is subjective and relative, and tolerance is only logical if aligned with moral truth, which is objective and absolute. Therefore, true tolerance and relativism cannot align. In order for there to be true tolerance, there must be moral absolutes and disagreement, if there are neither it is not tolerance.

Question 29

Voluntarily emptying of one’s self and personal rights for a sacrificial/redemptive purpose. This model is in the DNA of the Gospel and the 10 comm. In this model, we have agency and choice. We are following a God who made himself an example, and an example that we can choose to follow. They are the ethics of how to use your personal power in a God-like way.

Answer 29

Kenotic Model

Question 30

The 10 comm. are rules to be followed simply by not “breaking” them. Do your best because God will forgive the rest, as a result, we are good because of all the bad things we “don’t” do.

Answer 30

Rule-Compliance Model

Question 31

For Sexual Ethics, organize and identify concepts attached to Biblical book/chapter (and secondarily the name attached to it as Jesus or Paul)

Answer 31

Leviticus 18 and 20 focus on biblical law and sexual ethics.
Deuteronomy 22: Protecting virginity
Proverbs 15-2: Sex is the basis for building a sense of exclusivity in a relationship.

Question 32

Conflicting Absolutism

Answer 32

_______________ Focus on MINIMIZING EVIL, and therefore is morally obligated to do the lesser evil (violating the least weighty absolute). You are held culpable for violating a moral absolute- There are no exemptions from moral duty. One must ask God’s forgiveness as they sinned.

Question 33

Graded Absolutism

Answer 33

_____________Focus on MAXIMIZING GOOD, and keep the moral focus on doing the GREATER GOOD by performing the weightier of the absolutes and leave the other undone. You are not held culpable for failing to perform the lesser good and the agent is exempted from the lesser duty.