1. Chapter Ten: Religion and Ethics

• Religion has profoundly affected human conscious life and moral behavior for over two thousand years.

For Western Civilization, Morality has been identified with adherence to religion.

2. For Western Civilization:

To act immorally is essentially to disobey God.

Religion has dominated the moral landscape to appear to be indistinguishable from morality.

Most people identify morality with religion.

3. Exceptions:

Confucianism:Essentially a secular system of ethics

Non-theist Buddhism:Also, a secular system of ethics.

Greek Philosophers:Contemplated morality independently of religion

4. Divine Command Theory

Ethical principles are simply the commands of God.

They derive their validity from God commanding them.

Without God there would be no universally valid morality.

5. Autonomy Thesis

Opposed to the Divine Command Theory

Denies the thesis of the Divine Command Theory

Claims that morality does not originate with God

Rightness and Wrongness are not dependent on Gods Will

There are independent ways to act

6. Religious and Secular Ethics

Kant claimed that both humans and God must obey the same rational principles

Being moral is our duty to God

We ought to be moral, which means we can be moral and therefore, we are able to reach moral perfection, but being imperfect beings, it will not occur in this lifetime.

7. Religion and Secular Ethics

Some claim that morality based in religion is an inferior brand of morality and prevents true moral development.

Some say that morality based in religion is not deeply rooted and is superficial.

Some say that morality based in religion requires that a person give up his or her rational autonomy.

8. Does Religion Enhance Moral Life?

If there is a God, good will win out over evil.

If God exists, then cosmic justice reigns in the universe.

If Theism is true, moral reasons always override nonmoral reasons.

9. Does Religion Enhance Moral Life?

If there is a God who created us in his image, all persons are of equal worth.

If God exists, we have a compelling solution to the posterity problem.

However, Religions have done harm to humanity throughout history and doubt still exists about theories of God.