Quick Quiz Religious Ethics

Aquinas Aquinas identifies the end-directedness of nature that Aristotle recognized with The light of nature that illumines morality The love of nature that guides kindness God’s purposes for human beings God’s traits or perfections The theistic concept of ‘entelechies’

Aquinas The word ‘natural’ in Natural Law refers to Human Nature God’s Nature Our sinful nature Our divine nature Nature or God’s creation

Aquinas The word ‘law’ in Natural Law refers to God’s commands Man’s rules Physical regularities Psychic regularities The world system

Aquinas We cannot pursue the good directly, according to Aquinas, because It is unappealing to sinners It is obscured by concern for happiness It is “abundant” or everywhere equally It is “abstract” or not findable in space and time It is God, and no one can see God

The Problem of Evil The problem of evil is … How can God prevent evil? How can God permit us to do evil? How can God exist given that evil exists? How can God do evil? How much evil will God allow?

The Problem of Evil The conclusion of the argument from evil says No God exists No God is good No God is powerful No all-good, all-powerful God exists No all-knowing God exists

The Problem of Evil Why can’t God just restrain evil-doers? Because God is not that powerful Because God cannot look on evil, and so cannot know who does evil Because God promised everyone, including evil people, freedom Because then no one’s actions would be morally significant Because restraining evil-doers is wrong

The Problem of Evil The problem with claiming evil is just a lack of goodness is … Everyone knows evil exists Evil is necessary for moral development Fighting evil is the whole reason for religion ‘Lack of goodness’ works just as well in the argument It is insulting to folks who’ve experienced evil

The Problem of Evil The theistic response to the fact that there are possible worlds where creatures have free will but do right all the time is: That is not a fact Those worlds are boring If creatures don’t sin, why would we need God? God can’t create those worlds, only creatures can Freedom implies disobedience

The Problem of Evil In the argument, unnecessary evils are those evils that … Are consequences of our free choices We can easily do without We call ‘natural evils’, like earthquakes and tornados Arise from mistakes and misunderstandings The devil and his demons produce

The Problem of Evil The trouble with probabilistic arguments from evil is: All probability is subjective We can’t establish any associations between God and evil Probability only results in opinion, not knowledge Probability only works in mathematics, not religion There is no trouble; that is the argument that works

Buddhism and Buddhist Ethics A ‘Buddha’ is someone who … Has escaped the cycle of death and rebirth Anyone over 50% bodyfat Brightens the path of salvation Overcomes contrary desires Leads people to higher incarnations

Buddhism and Buddhist Ethics Tri-Laksana is … Deanna Troi’s mother A name for the three forms of evil A name for the three characteristics of existence A name for the three headed goddess, Vishnu Gautama’s mother

Buddhism and Buddhist Ethics The five aggregates combine to form: The physical world The spiritual world The empirical self The transcendental self Nirvana or ‘blessedness’

Buddhism and Buddhist Ethics Asceticism, strict denial of bodily pleasures, is accepted by the Buddha because … Pleasures arouse desires, and desires cause suffering Pleasures cause reincarnation, which is bad Pleasures cause laziness; salvation requires work It isn’t accepted; the Buddha allows some bodily pleasures to maintain a clear mind It isn’t accepted; bodily pleasures are the best guide to a good rebirth

Buddhism and Buddhist Ethics The Noble 8 fold path is a path to … Eliminate desire Eliminate unhappiness Establish virtue Decrease existence Increase existence

Buddhism and Buddhist Ethics Dukkha is which characteristic of existence? Everyone must be reborn Suffering is universal Everything is unsatisfying Everyone is selfish No one knows what to do

Buddhism and Buddhist Ethics Anatta is which characteristic of existence? Everything is in flux Everyone is suffering No one is real Persons require salvation Everyone can be reborn

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