Divine Command Theory

Divine Command Theory (DCT) is a non-naturalist ethical theory that grounds morality in God's commands. This approach is particularly relevant for students studying divine command theory aqa meta ethics.

Key points of Divine Command Theory:

1. Morality is based on God's commands, not natural properties
2. What God commands is inherently good and should be obeyed
3. Grounded in the belief that God is the creator and humans are made in God's image (imago dei)
4. Supported by theologians like Calvin and Barth

Definition: Divine Command Theory asserts that moral actions are those that align with God's will and commands.

Strengths of Divine Command Theory:

• Provides a foundation for moral behavior based on religious teachings
• Offers a universal standard for ethics
• Presents God as a fair judge of moral actions

Weaknesses of Divine Command Theory:

• Raises questions about the source and interpretation of God's commands
• Faces the Euthyphro dilemma: Is something good because God commands it, or does God command it because it's good?
• May limit human autonomy and free will

Example: The Bible's commands against stealing could be seen as a divine moral imperative under DCT.

Ethical Naturalism and Utilitarianism

Ethical Naturalism is a realist approach that grounds moral values in natural properties. Utilitarianism, a form of ethical naturalism, is particularly important for students studying ethical naturalism and utilitarianism aqa rs.

Key aspects of Ethical Naturalism and Utilitarianism:

1. Moral values can be described using natural properties
2. Ethics are grounded in facts about nature and human nature
3. Utilitarian theories focus on maximizing happiness and minimizing pain

Bentham's Utilitarianism:

• Pain and pleasure are the "sovereign masters" of humanity
• Introduces the Hedonic calculus to measure pleasure and pain
• Consequentialist approach to ethics

Mill's Utilitarianism:

• Distinguishes between higher (cultural) and lower (physical) pleasures
• Emphasizes quality of life over quantity of pleasure
• Considers the benefits of general moral rules developed over time

Vocabulary: Consequentialism is an ethical theory that judges the morality of actions based on their outcomes or consequences.

Strengths of Ethical Naturalism and Utilitarianism:

• Provides a factual basis for morality
• Grounded in observable human nature
• Offers a practical approach to ethical decision-making

Weaknesses:

• Faces the naturalistic fallacy (deriving "ought" from "is")
• May ignore minority interests in favor of majority happiness
• Difficulty in measuring and comparing different types of pleasure or pain

Quote: "It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied." - John Stuart Mill

Intuitionism and Non-Naturalism

Intuitionism is a non-naturalist ethical theory that relies on moral intuitions to determine right and wrong. This approach is significant for students exploring moral non naturalism in their studies.

Key aspects of Intuitionism:

1. Developed by G.E. Moore to avoid the naturalistic fallacy
2. Moral facts are simple and unanalyzable, like the color yellow
3. Knowledge of right and wrong comes from fundamental moral intuitions
4. Moral intuitions are self-evident and don't need justification

Definition: Intuitionism asserts that moral truths are known through intuition rather than reason or empirical observation.

W.D. Ross's contribution:

• Introduced the concept of prima facie duties
• Moral intuition helps resolve conflicts between duties

Strengths of Intuitionism:

• Acknowledges that everyone has moral intuitions
• Solves the problem of conflicting definitions of good
• Maintains a form of moral realism

Weaknesses:

• Doesn't satisfactorily explain the origin of moral intuitions
• May lead to moral relativism if intuitions vary between individuals or cultures

Example: The Trolley Problem is often used to illustrate how people intuitively choose between conflicting moral duties.

Comparison of Ethical Theories:

1. Cognitive/Factual Theories:

   • Ethical Naturalism (e.g., Utilitarianism)
   • Ethical Non-Naturalism (e.g., Intuitionism, Divine Command Theory)

2. Non-Cognitive Theories:

   • Emotivism
   • Prescriptivism

Highlight: Understanding these different meta-ethical approaches is crucial for developing a comprehensive view of morality and ethical reasoning in meta ethics a level religious studies.

Meta-Ethics Overview

Meta-ethics is a branch of ethics that examines the nature and purpose of moral language, concepts, and reasoning. It explores fundamental questions about the meaning of ethical terms and the foundations of moral judgments. This field is crucial for students studying meta ethics aqa a level religious studies.

Key aspects of meta-ethics include:

1. Types of ethics:

   • Descriptive ethics: Compares ethical norms across societies and cultures
   • Normative ethics: Determines how we ought to behave and what ethical norms to follow
   • Applied ethics: Applies normative principles to specific areas like medical or legal ethics
   • Meta-ethics: Considers questions about the nature of morality and ethical concepts

2. Major ethical theories:

   • Ethical Naturalism: Morality is factual and objective, based on natural properties
   • Ethical Non-Naturalism: Morality is factual but not definable in natural terms
   • Non-Cognitivism: Moral statements are not factual but expressions of emotions or preferences

3. Divine Command Theory: A non-naturalist approach grounding morality in God's commands

4. Utilitarianism: A naturalist theory focusing on maximizing happiness and minimizing pain

5. Intuitionism: A non-naturalist theory based on moral intuitions and self-evident truths

Highlight: Meta-ethics is essential for developing a deeper understanding of moral reasoning and the foundations of ethical judgments.