Thus. Jan. 14, 2002 Notes Sheryl Lundgren SherylLundgren slundgren@nu-world.com

<title>Thus. Jan. 14, 2002 Notes Sheryl Lundgren SherylLundgren slundgren@nu-world.com</title>
Divine Command Theory<br>
  Layman-only religion gives people a reason to be moral all the time (even when no one is looking)<br>
  Classic DCM(Divine Command Morality): God is re3quired as a metaphysical foundation for morality. An act is right if and only if its in accord with God's commands. Classic theory is called by Dustoevsky "If God does not exist, then everything is permitted."<br>
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Criticisms<br>
1) How do we know what Gods commands are, which revelations if any, to believe Tanakh (Old Testament) New Testament, Quvan, vedastupanishads....<br>
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2) How do you know there is a God?<br>
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3) Religion has a history of inspiring evil as well as good.<br>
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4) Cynical - Substantial criticism to Layman's view.<br>
Hidden Assumption - the only reason to be moral is because it's in your self-interest.<br>
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5) Is forgiveness a license for immorality?<br>
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Layman and Arthur offers an explanation of moral behavior but not a rational justification.<br>
  -explains why people do what they do.<br>
  -doesn't give good reasons for why you should be moral.<br>
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Arthur<br>
  Euthyphro Problem<br>
  (Yoo-thuh-froh)<br>
 -does God command things because they're right or are things right simply because God commands them?<br>
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 -God commands against promiscuous sex because of STD's, unwanted pregnancies, emotional problems, etc. - human welfare and happiness.<br>
 -what makes promiscuity wrong isn't negative consequences, but just the fact God said don't do it.<br>
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1st View - If God has reasons those reasons make up morality and its irrelevant whether they're Gods or not.<br>
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2nd View - Arbitrary - what if God commanded stealing, lying, torturing babies for fun would that make it right?<br>
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Criticism of Arthur<br>
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 -maybe morality and conscience isn't so "social" self-image plays a large role.<br>
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Utilitarianism   utility=pleasure and the absence of pain=happiness<br>
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The Greatest Happiness Principal: The greatest happiness for the greatest number (maximize happiness)<br>
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Two parts to the theory of Utilitarianism<br>
1) The theory of Value - Hedonism - only pleasure is of intrinsic value.<br>
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2) The theory of action - maximize value.<br>
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ex: intrinsic - pleasure<br>
instrumental/extrinsic value - money value because it gets you something else.<br>
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**On Tues Feb. 19, 2002 at 11:30am-1:00pm there will be a Care Ethics, Care Labor and The Body discussion in the Boardroom, Admin Bldg.<br>
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