1. Absolutism

2. deontological ethics judges the morality of an action based on rules.
One has moral obligation to follow the rules.

3. Definition
Absolutism -

4. Definition
Absolutism – Ethical view that certain actions are absolutely right or wrong, regardless of other contexts such as their consequences.

5. Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) Recognized as a great philosopher
Taught at a University in East Prussia
Significant original contributions to:
Jurisprudence
Philosophy of religion
Ethics
Epistemology

6. Kant’s philosophy on God
"If one cannot prove that a thing is, he may try to prove that it is not. And if he succeeds in doing neither (as often occurs), he may still ask whether it is in his interest to accept one or the other of the alternatives hypothetically, from the theoretical or the practical point of view.”
The presupposition of God, soul, and freedom is a practical concern. “Reason compels us to admit (the existence of) [a wise author and ruler], together with life in such a world, which we must consider as future life, or else all moral laws are to be considered as idle dreams... .“
In other words, we cannot prove that God exists or does not exist, but it is in our best interest to assume he exists for morality’s sake.

7. Immanuel Kant
His basic logic is this
People have desires

8. Immanuel Kant His basic logic is this People have desires
People have the ability to will (choose between desires)

9. Immanuel Kant His basic logic is this People have desires
People have the ability to will (choose between desires)
People have the ability to discern right from wrong

10. Immanuel Kant His basic logic is this People have desires
People have the ability to will (choose between desires)
People have the ability to discern right from wrong
People of moral worth choose to do right
This is opposed to “determinism.”

11. Immanuel Kant People of moral worth are more highly valued than
People of intelligence
People of humor
People of strength
People of talent

12. People who are moral because it pleases them are not intrinsically moral, because if it pleased them to be evil, they would do bad things also. To act morally is to act from no other motive than the motive of doing what is right.
That is, the person of real moral worth is the person who is moral on principle.
That is that they recognize an obligation to act morally.

13. Kant, pg 81
Read article by tomorrow.

14. Imagine a possible world in which everyone in a similar position in the real world followed a possible maxim (no exception for oneself).
Decide whether any contradictions or irrationalities arise in the possible world as a result of following the maxim.
If a contradiction or irrationality arises, acting on that maxim is not allowed in the real world.
If there is no contradiction, then acting on that maxim is permissible, and in some instances required.

15. Kant

16. Kant
Talents, character, gifts of fortune, happiness are not good in themselves.
In fact if an evil person is happy, there is a sense of injustice

17. Kant
Talents, character, gifts of fortune, happiness are not good in themselves.
In fact if an evil person is happy, there is a sense of injustice
Moderation (lack of passion) is even not good (calculating killer) without a good will.

18. Kant
Talents, character, gifts of fortune, happiness are not good in themselves.
In fact if an evil person is happy, there is a sense of injustice
Moderation (lack of passion) is even not good (calculating killer) without a good will.
A good will is the only good thing

19. Kant
Talents, character, gifts of fortune, happiness are not good in themselves.
In fact if an evil person is happy, there is a sense of injustice
Moderation (lack of passion) is even not good (calculating killer) without a good will.
A good will is the only good thing
It is good in itself, not because of what it tries to do; its usefulness is not the issue.
Happiness can be brought about by many means so that a good will is not needed.

20. How should one Act?????
With good intentions to follow rational law.

21. What is ‘moral’? 1st Categorical imperative:
"Always act according to that maxim whose universality as a law you can at the same time will“
Maxim - an action paired with its motivation.

22. What is ‘moral’? 1st Categorical imperative:
"Always act according to that maxim whose universality as a law you can at the same time will“
Maxim - an action paired with its motivation.
Take for example the declaration "I will lie for personal benefit." Lying is the action; the motivation is to fulfill some sort of desire. Paired together, they form the maxim.

24. 4 examples where he puts his universalizing principle to the test
1 – Suicide
2 – Lying
3 - Failure to develop talents
4 – Failure to be generous

25. What is ‘moral’? 2nd Categorical imperative:
"Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, always at the same time as an end and never merely as a means to an end."

26. Kingdom of ends (kingdom of rational beings)
Moral responsibility living in Kingdom.

27. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_uUEae qFog
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28. Divine Command Theory
"Ethical system that determines the morality of an action based solely on God's will".

29. Divine Command Theory
"Ethical system that determines the morality of an action based solely on God's will".
That is, if God wills it, then it is moral, if it is not, then it is immoral.

30. Divine Command Theory

31. Divine Command Theory
"Ethical system that determines the morality of an action based solely on God's will".
That is, if God wills it, then it is moral, if it is not, then it is immoral.
The challenge here is to determine what is God's will. For if I can not apply the principle of the ethical system to my moral issues, what good is it?

32. Divine Command Theory

33. What does it mean to Obey?
Define Obedience.

34. What does it mean to Obey?
Define Obedience.
How important is it in Christianity?

35. What does it mean to Obey?
Define Obedience.
How important is it in Christianity?

36. Many Christians will take the Bible as a revelation of God's will…

37. And while…
…most of you have been taught this, Christians often act from Utilitarian reasons…

38. Compromises on honoring government authorities
Examples:
Compromises on honoring government authorities
4th of July?

39. Examples:
Compromises on honoring government authorities
Bible smuggling (lying)

40. Compromises on honoring government authorities Bible smuggling War
Examples:
Compromises on honoring government authorities
Bible smuggling
War
Utilitarian reasoning, not because God wills it.

42. Is the divine command theory Biblical
Is the divine command theory Biblical? If so, do you believe that as a Christian you have any choice in ethical systems?

44. Critique of

45. Divine Command Theory
"Ethical system that determines the morality of an action based solely on God's will".

46. Euthyrphro’s Dilemma

47. Euthyrphro’s Dilemma
"Is what is morally good commanded by God because it is morally good, or is it morally good because it is commanded by God?"

48. As a group, discuss problems of each horn (write on paper to turn in)
What is morally good is commanded by God because it is morally good or
What is morally good is so because it is commanded by God

49. Euthyrphro’s Dilemma The first horn
(what is morally good is commanded by God because it is morally good)
Expressly the view is that there are independent moral standards: some actions are right or wrong in themselves

50. Euthyrphro’s Dilemma First horn Criticisms:
Sovereignty -If there are moral standards independent of God's will, then "[t]here is something over which God is not sovereign. God is bound by the laws of morality instead of being their establisher.”

51. Euthyrphro’s Dilemma First horn Criticisms:
Sovereignty -If there are moral standards independent of God's will, then "[t]here is something over which God is not sovereign. God is bound by the laws of morality instead of being their establisher.”
Omnipotence - These moral standards would limit God's power

52. Euthyrphro’s Dilemma First horn Criticisms:
Sovereignty -If there are moral standards independent of God's will, then "[t]here is something over which God is not sovereign. God is bound by the laws of morality instead of being their establisher.”
Omnipotence - These moral standards would limit God's power.
Morality without God - If there are moral standards independent of God, then morality would retain its authority even if God did not exist.

53. Euthyrphro’s Dilemma
"Is what is morally good commanded by God because it is morally good, or is it morally good because it is commanded by God?"

54. Euthyrphro’s Dilemma Second Horn –
(an action is morally good because it is commanded by God)
Expressly the view that there are no moral standards other than God's will: without God's commands, nothing would be right or wrong

55. Euthyrphro’s Dilemma Second Horn – Criticisms
No reasons for morality: If there is no moral standard other than God’s Will, then the correctness of God's commands could be arbitrary (i.e., based on pure whimsy or caprice).

56. Euthyrphro’s Dilemma Second Horn – Criticisms
No reasons for morality: If there is no moral standard other than God’s Will, then the correctness of God's commands could be arbitrary (i.e., based on pure whimsy or caprice).
This arbitrariness would also mean that anything could become good, and anything could become bad, merely upon God's command

57. Euthyrphro’s Dilemma Second Horn – Criticisms
No reasons for morality: If there is no moral standard other than God’s Will, then the correctness of God's commands could be arbitrary (i.e., based on pure whimsy or caprice).
This arbitrariness would also mean that anything could become good, and anything could become bad, merely upon God's command.
No action has its moral status necessarily: any right action could have easily been wrong, if God had so decided, and an action which is right today could easily become wrong tomorrow.

58. Euthyrphro’s Dilemma Second Horn – Criticisms
No reasons for morality: If there is no moral standard other than God’s Will, then the correctness of God's commands could be arbitrary (i.e., based on pure whimsy or caprice).
This arbitrariness would also mean that anything could become good, and anything could become bad, merely upon God's command.
No action has its moral status necessarily: any right action could have easily been wrong, if God had so decided, and an action which is right today could easily become wrong tomorrow.
“if good is to be defined as what God commands, then the goodness of God Himself is emptied of meaning and the commands of an omnipotent fiend would have the same claim on us as those of the 'righteous Lord.‘” – CS Lewis

59. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBX162o wQf0
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60. Trolley problem
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