‘Euthyphro Dilemma’
- Written by Plato: argument between Socrates and Euthyphro
- argument is whether 1. God decides what is good or 2. if it is good in
itself (regardless of what God says)
- Euthyphro believed 1 and Socrates believed 2, couldn’t reach a
conclusion
- Is it right because God says it is or is it just right?
Autonomy
- literally means ‘ a law unto yourself’
- Moral values which are independent of religion
- Human reason guides moral decision making
Heteronomy
- based on long tradition of faith
- moral values are grounded in religion, authority and tradition passed
down from Jesus’ teachings and the meanings of them are still
followed
Absolute Morality
- definitely right or wrong
- eg. Christianity / 10 Commandments
- eg. Rule Utilitarianism
- if something is wrong no matter the situation eg. Killing
Relative Morality
- Personal opinion
- Act Utilitarianism
- Whether something is right or wrong is dependent on each individual
situation
- Depends on the situation
- What makes a person feel good
The Golden Rule
- Rules that are followed by all religions
- ‘treat others the way you would wish to be treated’
- Do not do to others what you would not want wish to be done to you
- Universalisable rule
Consequentialism
- eg Utilitarianism
o Bentham
o Mill
o Hedonic Calculus
o Higher / Lower pleasures
o Act / Rule
- Looks at the consequences of an action to decide moral value
- Normative Ethics
Duty
- Using duty to distinguish between right and wrong
- An act can only be good if you feel it is your duty to do so and not just
if it makes you feel good
- Immanuel Kant / Kantian Ethics
o Duty
o Categorical imperative
o Hypothetical imperative
o Universalisable maxims
Human Excellence or Virtue Ethics
- Good moral practise
- Aristotle
Reason
- Your own justification for doing something that you believe to be right
or wrong
Sacred Scriptures
- Bible, Torah, Qu’ran
- Interpretation