Chapter 1: Thinking About Ethics
Summary
The text discusses the goals of studying ethics. It will explore how to think carefully, critically, and
effectively, along with how to avoid errors in thinking. Some people believe that ethics is not based on
reasoning, but is built upon emotions, feelings, and intuitions. Other people believe there are no
objectively true ethical principles. The chapter explores the arguments for and against theological
voluntarism—the principle that ethical principles depend on what God wills. A number of ethicists
believe there are no fixed facts in ethics and that any attempt to reach basic objective ethical principles is
doomed to failure. Religion also influences ethical inquiry. If a person rejects religious voluntarism, it
does not mean that religions considerations are also rejected. The text considers what ethics might be
based on if they are not based on God’s will.
Studying Ethics
1.1. Summarize the goals of studying ethics.
Ethics is the discipline that explores how we should live and how we should act. Ethical inquiry takes
into account the findings of psychology and sociology, but it is distinct from them. It is not the intention
of this book to make you a better person. This book will help you explore a wide range of different, and
often conflicting, accounts of ethics. You can then decide where your own views fit. This book is
designed to give you an opportunity to think carefully about some major issues in metaethics (the study
of the nature of ethics) and some specific ethical questions. It is possible throughout this course, that
your views on certain issues may change.
The Nature of Ethical Principles
There are many good places to start an examination of ethics, but one of the most disputed questions is:
What kinds of truths are ethical truths? Are they eternal, absolute, and universal, known only by some
special power; or are they more common ordinary facts that are part of our world that can be known by
ordinary means? Philosophers have taken various stands with regard to moral truths. Plato believed that
moral principles are eternal truths that are known only through pure reason—reason that sees through the
senses and discovers the fixed, immutable truth. Aristotle regarded moral principles as basic guides to
living a good life. Moses found truth on a mountaintop, in the presence of God. Descartes believed that
God implants moral principles in our minds as innate ideas. Kant discovered the basic governing
principle of morality through rigorous reasoning. Thomas Hobbes believed that morality is a collection
of self-interested agreements that contributed to a more peaceful society. Bentham asserted that the basic
moral principle is to maximize pleasure and minimize suffering. Hume insisted that morality is rooted in
the affection that humans feel for one another.
Knowing Ethical Principles
Those who believe in absolute moral principles believe they must exist. They are universal, eternal,
moral principles that are unconditionally true whether one recognizes them or not. Some claim that the
truths are dictated by God; others believe that each of us has a conscience or moral sense that implants in
us basic moral truths.
Natural Morality versus Transcendent Morality
Is morality something that rises above the natural world? Is morality something that transcends the
natural world? Is morality a more natural process, based on our emotions or on rules we draw up for
promoting social harmony? People have strong opinions about these questions. Those who oppose
absolute ethics have little patience with the transcendent absolutism favored by Halverson and others.
They believe denying transcendent absolutes does not lead to moral anarchy and that the benefits of
cooperation and honesty require neither divine sanction nor special insight.
1
Copyright #br© #br2020 #brPearson #brEducation, #brInc. #brAll #brRights #brReserved.
SCHOLARVAULT
,God’s #brCommandments #brand #brEthics
1.2. Analyze #brthe #brarguments #brfor #brand #bragainst #brtheological #brvoluntarism.
One #brof #brthe #brmost #brcommon #brviews #brof #brethical #brprinciples #bris #brthat #brthey #brare #brtied #brto #brthe
#brcommands #brof #bra #brdivine #br being. #brThis #brview #bris #brreferred #brto #bras #brtheological #brvolunteerism #bror
#brthe #brDivine #brCommand #brtheory #brof #brethics. #brTheological #brvolunteerism #brholds #brthat #bra #brlaw #bror
#brprinciple #bris #brright #brif #brand #bronly #brif #brit #bris #brwilled #br(commanded) #brby #brGod. #brSomething #bris #brgood
#brbecause #brGod #brwills #brit #brto #brbe #brso, #brnot #brbecause #brGod #brrecognizes #brit #brto #brbe #brgood. #brFor
#brexample, #brGod #brdoes #brnot #brcondemn #brmurder #brbecause #brit #bris #brwrong. #brMurder #bris #br wrong #brbecause
#brGod #brsays #brit #bris #brwrong. #brMany #brpeople #brturn #brto #brreligion #brfor #brethical #brguidance. #brThere #brare
#brsome #brwho #brinsist #brthat #brtheir #brpersonal #brreligious #brbeliefs #brprovide #brthe #bronly #bracceptable #brethical
#brstandards. #brThere #brare #brcontradictions #brin #brreligious #brtexts #brabout #brmany #brquestions #br of #brright #brand
#brwrong.
Ethical #brPrinciples #bras #brDivine #brCommandments
Theological #brvolunteerism #brraises #brserious #brquestions #brabout #brthe #brrelationship #brbetween #brethics #brand
#brreligion. #brIf #brethics #bris #brbased #bron #brGod's #brcommands, #brthere #brare #brtwo #brquestions #br we #brmight #brask
#brabout #brthe #brnature #brof #brthese #brcommand: #br(1) #brIs #brsomething #brmoral/ethical/right #brbecause #brGod
#brcommands #brit, #bror #br(2) #brdoes #brGod #brcommand #brsomething #brbecause #brit #bris #brmoral? #brThese #brquestions
#brexpose #bra #brtension #brbetween #brthe #brreligious #brviews #brof #brancient #brGreek #brphilosophy, #brparticularly
#brAristotle, #brand #brthe #brreligion #brof #brthe #brancient #brHebrews. #brAristotle’s #brGod #bris #brperfect, #brcompletely
#brself-sufficient, #brand #brunchanging. #brThe #brGod #brof #brAbraham #brchanges #brHis #brmind #broften, #brand #brHe
#brrewards #brand #brpunishes #brpeople.
Problems #brwith #brTheological #brVoluntarism
Theological #brvoluntarists #brbelieve #brthat #brGod #bris #brthe #brsole #brarbiter #brof #brethics #brthat #brthe #brethical
#brprinciples #bror #brcommandments #brlaid #brdown #brby #brGod #brare #brabsolute, #bruniversal, #brand #breternal. #brThey
#brare #brnot #brsubject #brto #brcritical #brexamination #bror #brquestioning. #brCritically #brexamining #brethical #brprinciples
#brrequires #brinvolving #brstandards #brof #brethical #brjudgment #brindependent #brof #brGod’s #brcommands. #brMany
#brreligious #brpeople #brhave #bra #brgreat #brrespect #brfor #brreason #brand #bruse #brit #brto #brunderstand #brtheir #brreligion.
#brFor #brtheological #brvoluntarists, #brreason #bris #brmore #brlikely #brto #brbe #bran #brenemy #brrather #brthan #bran #brally.
#brSome #brargue #brwhether #brsuch #brtotal #brunthinking #brdevotion #brwould #brqualify #bras #brethical #brbehavior #brat
#brall.
Rachels #brargues #brthat #bronly #brthose #brwho #brexercise #brfree #brwill #brare #brcapable #brof #bracting #brethically.
God’s #brLaw #brand #brPunishment
The #brintersection #brof #brreligion #brand #brethics #brraises #branother #brfundamental #brdistinction #brin #brethics,
#brnamely, #brthe #brdifference #brbetween #brmoral #brmotivation #brand #brmoral #brjustification. #brIt #bris #brpossible #brthat
#brthe #brperson #brof #brfaith #brendorses #brtheological #brvolunteerism #brbecause #brof #brthe #brpossibility #brof #brdivine
#brpunishment. #brWhile #brthis #brmay #brprovide #brone #brwith #bra #brmotive #brfor #brobeying #brGod’s #brcommands, #brit
#brdoes #brnot #brjustify #brthe #brcommands #brthemselves. #brOne #brmay #brbe #brmotivated #brto #bract #brin #braccordance
#brwith #brcertain #brrules, #brwithout #brreflecting #bron #brwhether #brthe #brrules #brare #brones #brthat #br ought #brto #brbe
#brfollowed.
Religion #brand #brEthics
1.3. Outline #brthe #brinfluence #brof #brreligion #bron #brethical #brinquiry.
If #brwe #brreject #brtheological #brvoluntarism, #brit #brdoes #brnot #brimply #brthe #brrejection #brof #brreligious
#brconsiderations #brin #brterms #br of #brour #brinquiry #brinto #brethics. #brMartin #brLuther #brKing’s #br civil #brrights
#brcampaign #brdrew #brheavily #br on #brreligious #brsymbolism. #brReligious #brparables #brand #brtraditions #brhave #broften
#brstimulated #brreform #brmovements #brand #brhave #brencouraged #brus #brto #brlook #brmore #brclosely #brat #brour #brlives,
#brhabits, #brand #brassumptions. #brSo, #brif #brethics #bris #brnot #brbased #bron #brGod’s #brwill #bror #brGod’s #brpunishments,
#brwhat #bris #brthe #brbasis #brof #brethics?
SCHOLARVAULT
, 2
Copyright #br© #br2020 #brPearson #brEducation, #brInc. #brAll #brRights #brReserved.
SCHOLARVAULT
, Discussion
1. Several #brfilms #brhave #brexplored #brexplicitly #bror #brimplicitly #brthe #brproblems #brwith #braccepting
#brtheological #brvolunteerism #bror #brdivine #brcommand #brtheory. #brIn #brThe #brName #brof #brthe #brRose #brthe
#brinquisitor #brBernardo #brGui #brjustifies #brthe #brtorture #brand #brkilling #brof #brsupposed #brheretics #bron
#brtheological #brgrounds. #brHow #brcan #brwe #brknow #brwhich #brcommands #brare #brgenuinely #brfrom #brGod? #brShow
#brpart #bror #brall #brof #brthe #brfilm #brand #brexamine #brthe #brimplications #brand #brproblems #brwith #brtheological
#brvolunteerism. #brConsider #bra #brpresent-day #brethical #brquestion, #brsuch #bras: #brIs #brdrug #braddiction #bra #brbrain
#brdisease #bror #bra #brmoral #brfailing? #brDiscuss #brhow #brquestions #brof #brethics #brmight #brdetermine #brhow
#brpeople #brare #brtreated #brfor #br addiction.
Activities
1. The #brU.S. #brSupreme #brCourt #brlegalized #brsame #brsex #brmarriage #brnationwide #brin #br2015. #brShould #brthe
#brgovernment #brbe #brable #brto #br decide #brwho #brmarries #brwhom? #brPeople #bron #brall #brsides #brof #brthis #brquestion
#broften #bruse #brreligious #bror #br moral #brarguments #brto #brsupport #brtheir #brviews. #brHave #brstudents #brresearch
#brsame #brsex #brmarriage #brin #brthe #brUnited #brStates. #brHave #breach #brstudent #brtake #bra #brposition #bron #brthe
#brquestion. #brFacilitate #bra #brroundtable #brdiscussion #brwhere #brstudents #bruse #brtheir #brresearch #brto #brsupport
#brtheir #bropinions.
2. Although #brmany #brchurches #brare #brChristian, #brnot #brall #brChristian #brchurches #brshare #brthe #brsame
#broutlook #bron #brindividual #brmoral #brissues. #brAsk #brthe #brstudents #brto #brcreate #bra #brchart #brcomparing #brthe
#brmoral #brpositions #brof #brseveral #brdifferent #brdenominations #bron #bra #brtopic #brsuch #bras #brabortion, #brcapital
#brpunishment, #brhomosexuality, #bror #brmarriage.
3
SCHOLARVAULT
Summary
The text discusses the goals of studying ethics. It will explore how to think carefully, critically, and
effectively, along with how to avoid errors in thinking. Some people believe that ethics is not based on
reasoning, but is built upon emotions, feelings, and intuitions. Other people believe there are no
objectively true ethical principles. The chapter explores the arguments for and against theological
voluntarism—the principle that ethical principles depend on what God wills. A number of ethicists
believe there are no fixed facts in ethics and that any attempt to reach basic objective ethical principles is
doomed to failure. Religion also influences ethical inquiry. If a person rejects religious voluntarism, it
does not mean that religions considerations are also rejected. The text considers what ethics might be
based on if they are not based on God’s will.
Studying Ethics
1.1. Summarize the goals of studying ethics.
Ethics is the discipline that explores how we should live and how we should act. Ethical inquiry takes
into account the findings of psychology and sociology, but it is distinct from them. It is not the intention
of this book to make you a better person. This book will help you explore a wide range of different, and
often conflicting, accounts of ethics. You can then decide where your own views fit. This book is
designed to give you an opportunity to think carefully about some major issues in metaethics (the study
of the nature of ethics) and some specific ethical questions. It is possible throughout this course, that
your views on certain issues may change.
The Nature of Ethical Principles
There are many good places to start an examination of ethics, but one of the most disputed questions is:
What kinds of truths are ethical truths? Are they eternal, absolute, and universal, known only by some
special power; or are they more common ordinary facts that are part of our world that can be known by
ordinary means? Philosophers have taken various stands with regard to moral truths. Plato believed that
moral principles are eternal truths that are known only through pure reason—reason that sees through the
senses and discovers the fixed, immutable truth. Aristotle regarded moral principles as basic guides to
living a good life. Moses found truth on a mountaintop, in the presence of God. Descartes believed that
God implants moral principles in our minds as innate ideas. Kant discovered the basic governing
principle of morality through rigorous reasoning. Thomas Hobbes believed that morality is a collection
of self-interested agreements that contributed to a more peaceful society. Bentham asserted that the basic
moral principle is to maximize pleasure and minimize suffering. Hume insisted that morality is rooted in
the affection that humans feel for one another.
Knowing Ethical Principles
Those who believe in absolute moral principles believe they must exist. They are universal, eternal,
moral principles that are unconditionally true whether one recognizes them or not. Some claim that the
truths are dictated by God; others believe that each of us has a conscience or moral sense that implants in
us basic moral truths.
Natural Morality versus Transcendent Morality
Is morality something that rises above the natural world? Is morality something that transcends the
natural world? Is morality a more natural process, based on our emotions or on rules we draw up for
promoting social harmony? People have strong opinions about these questions. Those who oppose
absolute ethics have little patience with the transcendent absolutism favored by Halverson and others.
They believe denying transcendent absolutes does not lead to moral anarchy and that the benefits of
cooperation and honesty require neither divine sanction nor special insight.
1
Copyright #br© #br2020 #brPearson #brEducation, #brInc. #brAll #brRights #brReserved.
SCHOLARVAULT
,God’s #brCommandments #brand #brEthics
1.2. Analyze #brthe #brarguments #brfor #brand #bragainst #brtheological #brvoluntarism.
One #brof #brthe #brmost #brcommon #brviews #brof #brethical #brprinciples #bris #brthat #brthey #brare #brtied #brto #brthe
#brcommands #brof #bra #brdivine #br being. #brThis #brview #bris #brreferred #brto #bras #brtheological #brvolunteerism #bror
#brthe #brDivine #brCommand #brtheory #brof #brethics. #brTheological #brvolunteerism #brholds #brthat #bra #brlaw #bror
#brprinciple #bris #brright #brif #brand #bronly #brif #brit #bris #brwilled #br(commanded) #brby #brGod. #brSomething #bris #brgood
#brbecause #brGod #brwills #brit #brto #brbe #brso, #brnot #brbecause #brGod #brrecognizes #brit #brto #brbe #brgood. #brFor
#brexample, #brGod #brdoes #brnot #brcondemn #brmurder #brbecause #brit #bris #brwrong. #brMurder #bris #br wrong #brbecause
#brGod #brsays #brit #bris #brwrong. #brMany #brpeople #brturn #brto #brreligion #brfor #brethical #brguidance. #brThere #brare
#brsome #brwho #brinsist #brthat #brtheir #brpersonal #brreligious #brbeliefs #brprovide #brthe #bronly #bracceptable #brethical
#brstandards. #brThere #brare #brcontradictions #brin #brreligious #brtexts #brabout #brmany #brquestions #br of #brright #brand
#brwrong.
Ethical #brPrinciples #bras #brDivine #brCommandments
Theological #brvolunteerism #brraises #brserious #brquestions #brabout #brthe #brrelationship #brbetween #brethics #brand
#brreligion. #brIf #brethics #bris #brbased #bron #brGod's #brcommands, #brthere #brare #brtwo #brquestions #br we #brmight #brask
#brabout #brthe #brnature #brof #brthese #brcommand: #br(1) #brIs #brsomething #brmoral/ethical/right #brbecause #brGod
#brcommands #brit, #bror #br(2) #brdoes #brGod #brcommand #brsomething #brbecause #brit #bris #brmoral? #brThese #brquestions
#brexpose #bra #brtension #brbetween #brthe #brreligious #brviews #brof #brancient #brGreek #brphilosophy, #brparticularly
#brAristotle, #brand #brthe #brreligion #brof #brthe #brancient #brHebrews. #brAristotle’s #brGod #bris #brperfect, #brcompletely
#brself-sufficient, #brand #brunchanging. #brThe #brGod #brof #brAbraham #brchanges #brHis #brmind #broften, #brand #brHe
#brrewards #brand #brpunishes #brpeople.
Problems #brwith #brTheological #brVoluntarism
Theological #brvoluntarists #brbelieve #brthat #brGod #bris #brthe #brsole #brarbiter #brof #brethics #brthat #brthe #brethical
#brprinciples #bror #brcommandments #brlaid #brdown #brby #brGod #brare #brabsolute, #bruniversal, #brand #breternal. #brThey
#brare #brnot #brsubject #brto #brcritical #brexamination #bror #brquestioning. #brCritically #brexamining #brethical #brprinciples
#brrequires #brinvolving #brstandards #brof #brethical #brjudgment #brindependent #brof #brGod’s #brcommands. #brMany
#brreligious #brpeople #brhave #bra #brgreat #brrespect #brfor #brreason #brand #bruse #brit #brto #brunderstand #brtheir #brreligion.
#brFor #brtheological #brvoluntarists, #brreason #bris #brmore #brlikely #brto #brbe #bran #brenemy #brrather #brthan #bran #brally.
#brSome #brargue #brwhether #brsuch #brtotal #brunthinking #brdevotion #brwould #brqualify #bras #brethical #brbehavior #brat
#brall.
Rachels #brargues #brthat #bronly #brthose #brwho #brexercise #brfree #brwill #brare #brcapable #brof #bracting #brethically.
God’s #brLaw #brand #brPunishment
The #brintersection #brof #brreligion #brand #brethics #brraises #branother #brfundamental #brdistinction #brin #brethics,
#brnamely, #brthe #brdifference #brbetween #brmoral #brmotivation #brand #brmoral #brjustification. #brIt #bris #brpossible #brthat
#brthe #brperson #brof #brfaith #brendorses #brtheological #brvolunteerism #brbecause #brof #brthe #brpossibility #brof #brdivine
#brpunishment. #brWhile #brthis #brmay #brprovide #brone #brwith #bra #brmotive #brfor #brobeying #brGod’s #brcommands, #brit
#brdoes #brnot #brjustify #brthe #brcommands #brthemselves. #brOne #brmay #brbe #brmotivated #brto #bract #brin #braccordance
#brwith #brcertain #brrules, #brwithout #brreflecting #bron #brwhether #brthe #brrules #brare #brones #brthat #br ought #brto #brbe
#brfollowed.
Religion #brand #brEthics
1.3. Outline #brthe #brinfluence #brof #brreligion #bron #brethical #brinquiry.
If #brwe #brreject #brtheological #brvoluntarism, #brit #brdoes #brnot #brimply #brthe #brrejection #brof #brreligious
#brconsiderations #brin #brterms #br of #brour #brinquiry #brinto #brethics. #brMartin #brLuther #brKing’s #br civil #brrights
#brcampaign #brdrew #brheavily #br on #brreligious #brsymbolism. #brReligious #brparables #brand #brtraditions #brhave #broften
#brstimulated #brreform #brmovements #brand #brhave #brencouraged #brus #brto #brlook #brmore #brclosely #brat #brour #brlives,
#brhabits, #brand #brassumptions. #brSo, #brif #brethics #bris #brnot #brbased #bron #brGod’s #brwill #bror #brGod’s #brpunishments,
#brwhat #bris #brthe #brbasis #brof #brethics?
SCHOLARVAULT
, 2
Copyright #br© #br2020 #brPearson #brEducation, #brInc. #brAll #brRights #brReserved.
SCHOLARVAULT
, Discussion
1. Several #brfilms #brhave #brexplored #brexplicitly #bror #brimplicitly #brthe #brproblems #brwith #braccepting
#brtheological #brvolunteerism #bror #brdivine #brcommand #brtheory. #brIn #brThe #brName #brof #brthe #brRose #brthe
#brinquisitor #brBernardo #brGui #brjustifies #brthe #brtorture #brand #brkilling #brof #brsupposed #brheretics #bron
#brtheological #brgrounds. #brHow #brcan #brwe #brknow #brwhich #brcommands #brare #brgenuinely #brfrom #brGod? #brShow
#brpart #bror #brall #brof #brthe #brfilm #brand #brexamine #brthe #brimplications #brand #brproblems #brwith #brtheological
#brvolunteerism. #brConsider #bra #brpresent-day #brethical #brquestion, #brsuch #bras: #brIs #brdrug #braddiction #bra #brbrain
#brdisease #bror #bra #brmoral #brfailing? #brDiscuss #brhow #brquestions #brof #brethics #brmight #brdetermine #brhow
#brpeople #brare #brtreated #brfor #br addiction.
Activities
1. The #brU.S. #brSupreme #brCourt #brlegalized #brsame #brsex #brmarriage #brnationwide #brin #br2015. #brShould #brthe
#brgovernment #brbe #brable #brto #br decide #brwho #brmarries #brwhom? #brPeople #bron #brall #brsides #brof #brthis #brquestion
#broften #bruse #brreligious #bror #br moral #brarguments #brto #brsupport #brtheir #brviews. #brHave #brstudents #brresearch
#brsame #brsex #brmarriage #brin #brthe #brUnited #brStates. #brHave #breach #brstudent #brtake #bra #brposition #bron #brthe
#brquestion. #brFacilitate #bra #brroundtable #brdiscussion #brwhere #brstudents #bruse #brtheir #brresearch #brto #brsupport
#brtheir #bropinions.
2. Although #brmany #brchurches #brare #brChristian, #brnot #brall #brChristian #brchurches #brshare #brthe #brsame
#broutlook #bron #brindividual #brmoral #brissues. #brAsk #brthe #brstudents #brto #brcreate #bra #brchart #brcomparing #brthe
#brmoral #brpositions #brof #brseveral #brdifferent #brdenominations #bron #bra #brtopic #brsuch #bras #brabortion, #brcapital
#brpunishment, #brhomosexuality, #bror #brmarriage.
3
SCHOLARVAULT
