Thread: Now that you have learned about competing ethical theories, write a 500-600 word thread that
compares and contrasts a Christian ethical theory with a competing ethical theory.
Since we have already looked at ethical relativism in DB 1, you should choose from any theory in the
Moral Reasoning textbook except ethical relativism. That means you can choose from Virtue Ethics,
Natural Law, Ethical Egoism, Utilitarianism, Duty Ethics, Social Contract Theory, and Moral Realism (or
any combination of these) in contrast to a Christian ethical theory such as Divine Command, Divine
Nature, or Christian Revelational Ethics (or a combination of these).
How does each system define “the good?” How does each claim to know “the good?”
What, if anything, do these systems have in common? What, if anything, are their key differences?
Which theory do you think is the stronger ethical theory? Defend your answer. This final question should
take up the majority of your thread.
Be sure to carefully define your terms. You are encouraged to support your position with rational
arguments, fitting examples, and expert sources. Any quotes or information used from sources other
than yourself must be cited using footnotes in current Turabian format and will not count towards the
total word count.
OUTLINE
DIVINE NATURE THEORY VERSUS UTILITARIANISM- THE STRONGER
ETHICAL THEORY?
Thesis statement: The weakness of the divine nature theory is the fact that moral standards based
on religion are subject to change since they are a direct function of the socio-cultural dynamics
prevalent and interpretations of religious texts. Christian teachings were the sole motivation for
genocides, territorial conquest (such as the Crusades) and even slavery
1
. This makes it difficult to
maintain a continuum of upholding moral standards based on the divine nature theory. However,
utilitarianism offers a personalized approach to evaluating what is good, which changes according
to the specifics of the ethical dilemma upheld.
I. Introduction- Ethical Relativism
II. How the Two Theories Define What is Good
III. The Key Differences Between the Two Theories
IV. Conclusion- Why Utilitarianism is the Stronger Ethical Theory
1
Ronald W. Duty, “Doing Christian Ethics on the Ground Polycentrically: Cross-Cultural Moral Deliberation on
Ethical and Social Issues,” Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics 34, no. 1 (2014): 41–63,
https://doi.org/10.1353/sce.2014.0009.
DIVINE NATURE THEORY VERSUS UTILITARIANISM- THE STRONGER ETHICAL
THEORY?
Name:
Course:
Date:
2
Introduction- Ethical Relativism
The fundamental guiding principle of ethical relativism is the relativity of what is
considered moral and just to the culture and norms of an individual’s culture. These cultural
precepts may be based on religion, as seen in Christian ethics
1
. The congruence and resonance of
religious belief with the accepted notions of morality prompts further inquiry into the role of
personal responsibility and personal reflection on what is considered morally right or just. As
such, it is important to draw comparisons between Christian ethics and other internalized
precepts of morality. This essay will compare the differences between an example from each
distinct spectrum- Divine Nature Theory for Christian ethics and Utilitarianism for an individual
approach to ethics.
How the Two Theories Define What is Good
According to the Divine Nature Theory, the concept of morality is in itself a feature of
the nature of God. The theory argues that God is the source of all morality since morality is a
function of the character of God. As such, morality cannot be exclusive to God- God remains the
supreme metaphysical and moral guide
2
. It rejects the projected external precepts of morality that
are contained in other ethical theories.
On the other hand, utilitarianism is an ethical theory that distinguishes what is right and
wrong by focusing on the outcomes of actions
3
as opposed to drawing moral guidance to God. A
1
Ronald W. Duty, “Doing Christian Ethics on the Ground Polycentrically: Cross-Cultural Moral Deliberation on
Ethical and Social Issues,” Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics 34, no. 1 (2014): 41–63,
https://doi.org/10.1353/sce.2014.0009.
2
Kirk MacGreggor, “A Divine-Nature Theory of Ethical Duties | Request PDF,” ResearchGate, April 2009,
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/319128171_A_Divine-Nature_Theory_of_Ethical_Duties.
3
Frank Arntzenius, “UTILITARIANISM, DECISION THEORY AND ETERNITY,” Philosophical Perspectives 28, no. 1
(December 2014): 31–58, https://doi.org/10.1111/phpe.12036.
3
form of consequentialism, the most morally upright a decision an individual can make, when
faced with a moral dilemma is the action/decision that results in the greatest good for everyone
affected by the decision.
The Key Differences Between the Two Theories
The two ethical theories contradict each other by virtue of definition and construct.
Utilitarianism is an ethical theory deviant of social and cultural influence, instead based on the
premise of giving every member of the universe the responsibility to lend a helping hand and
make the society a better place through reducing harm. No act is exclusively right or wrong, an
act is only as right as the good that comes out of it
4
. For example, it would be acceptable
according to utilitarianism to torture a terrorist suspect into surrendering vital information that
would save numerous lives from an impending attack. However, the divine nature theory appears
to contradict the utilitarianism through its emphasis on what is right based on God’s character
and Christian teachings of what is right. An action can be explicitly defined as wrong or right
based on God’s command on the subject. As such, according to this precedence, it would not be
morally upright to torture such a terror suspect since hurting and possibly killing him would go
against God’s command.
Conclusion- Why Utilitarianism is the Stronger Ethical Theory
The weakness of the divine nature theory is the fact that moral standards based on
religion are subject to change since they are a direct function of the socio-cultural dynamics
prevalent and interpretations of religious texts. Christian teachings were the sole motivation for
4
Frank Arntzenius, “UTILITARIANISM, DECISION THEORY AND ETERNITY,” Philosophical Perspectives 28, no. 1
(December 2014): 31–58, https://doi.org/10.1111/phpe.12036.
4
genocides, territorial conquest (such as the Crusades) and even slavery
5
. This makes it difficult to
maintain a continuum of upholding moral standards based on the divine nature theory. However,
utilitarianism offers a personalized approach to evaluating what is good, which changes
according to the specifics of the ethical dilemma upheld.
5
Ronald W. Duty, “Doing Christian Ethics on the Ground Polycentrically: Cross-Cultural Moral Deliberation on
Ethical and Social Issues,” Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics 34, no. 1 (2014): 41–63,
https://doi.org/10.1353/sce.2014.0009.
5
Bibliography
Arntzenius, Frank. “UTILITARIANISM, DECISION THEORY AND ETERNITY.” Philosophical
Perspectives 28, no. 1 (December 2014): 31–58. https://doi.org/10.1111/phpe.12036.
Duty, Ronald W. “Doing Christian Ethics on the Ground Polycentrically: Cross-Cultural Moral
Deliberation on Ethical and Social Issues.” Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics 34, no. 1
(2014): 41–63. https://doi.org/10.1353/sce.2014.0009.
MacGreggor, Kirk. “A Divine-Nature Theory of Ethical Duties | Request PDF.” ResearchGate, April
2009. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/319128171_A_Divine-
Nature_Theory_of_Ethical_Duties.
Hey this is for a Christian ethical class, remember I said " please make sure to use Divine Nature, or
Christian Revelational Ethics as the stronger ethical theory"
The paper says the opposite, the professor wants to see the Christian theory as the better therory
DIVINE NATURE THEORY VERSUS UTILITARIANISM- THE STRONGER ETHICAL
THEORY?
Name:
Course:
Date:
2
Introduction- Ethical Relativism
The major argument against Christian ethics is the influence of culture. These cultural
precepts may be based on religion, as seen in Christian ethics
1
. The congruence and resonance of
religious belief with the accepted notions of morality prompts further inquiry into the role of
personal responsibility and personal reflection on what is considered morally right or just. As
such, it is important to draw comparisons between Christian ethics and other internalized
precepts of morality. This essay will compare the differences between an example from each
distinct spectrum- Divine Nature Theory for Christian ethics and Utilitarianism for an individual
approach to ethics. Although utilitarianism in itself explains how to be of morally upright
character, it fails to explain why people need to uphold high moral character.
How the Two Theories Define What is Good
According to the Divine Nature Theory, the concept of morality is in itself a feature of
the nature of God. The theory argues that God is the source of all morality since morality is a
function of the character of God. As such, morality cannot be exclusive to God- God remains the
supreme metaphysical and moral guide
2
. It rejects the projected external precepts of morality that
are contained in other ethical theories.
On the other hand, utilitarianism is an ethical theory that distinguishes what is right and
wrong by focusing on the outcomes of actions
3
as opposed to drawing moral guidance to God. A
1
Ronald W. Duty, “Doing Christian Ethics on the Ground Polycentrically: Cross-Cultural Moral Deliberation on
Ethical and Social Issues,” Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics 34, no. 1 (2014): 41–63,
https://doi.org/10.1353/sce.2014.0009.
2
Kirk MacGreggor, “A Divine-Nature Theory of Ethical Duties | Request PDF,” ResearchGate, April 2009,
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/319128171_A_Divine-Nature_Theory_of_Ethical_Duties.
3
Frank Arntzenius, “UTILITARIANISM, DECISION THEORY AND ETERNITY,” Philosophical Perspectives 28, no. 1
(December 2014): 31–58, https://doi.org/10.1111/phpe.12036.
3
form of consequentialism, the most morally upright a decision an individual can make, when
faced with a moral dilemma is the action/decision that results in the greatest good for everyone
affected by the decision.
The Key Differences Between the Two Theories
The two ethical theories contradict each other by definition and construct. Utilitarianism
is an ethical theory deviant of social and cultural influence, instead of based on giving every
member of the universe the responsibility to lend a helping hand and make the society a better
place through reducing harm. No act is exclusively right or wrong. An act is only as right as the
good that comes out of it
4
. For example, it would be acceptable, according to utilitarianism, to
torture a terrorist suspect into surrendering vital information that would save numerous lives
from an impending attack. However, the divine nature theory contradicts utilitarianism through
its emphasis on what is right based on God’s character and Christian teachings of what is right.
An action can be explicitly defined as wrong or right based on God’s command on the subject.
As such, according to this precedence, it would not be morally upright to torture such a terror
suspect since hurting and possibly killing him would go against God’s command. Therefore,
mimicking God’s character and fulfilling his commands for our lives through upholding high
moral character is superior to utilitarianism because of the sense of duty, the natural disposition
of humanity as a being inferior to a higher power- a speck in the universe.
Divine-Nature Theory- the Stronger Ethical Theory
4
Frank Arntzenius, “UTILITARIANISM, DECISION THEORY AND ETERNITY,” Philosophical Perspectives 28, no. 1
(December 2014): 31–58, https://doi.org/10.1111/phpe.12036.
4
Therefore, the most distinguishing feature of the divine nature theory, the aspect that
makes it superior to utilitarianism, is it adds identity and meaning
5
to being of moral character
acceptable to God. Christian ethics, in many ways, seek to align God’s desires for our lives with
our actions. Upholding high moral character, according to God’s commands and example, helps
believers identify with their religion. An individual is able to gain a greater sense of fulfillment
from following the precepts of Christian ethics as compared to utilitarianism.
5
Ronald W. Duty, “Doing Christian Ethics on the Ground Polycentrically: Cross-Cultural Moral Deliberation on
Ethical and Social Issues,” Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics 34, no. 1 (2014): 41–63,
https://doi.org/10.1353/sce.2014.0009.
5
Bibliography
Arntzenius, Frank. “UTILITARIANISM, DECISION THEORY AND ETERNITY.” Philosophical
Perspectives 28, no. 1 (December 2014): 31–58. https://doi.org/10.1111/phpe.12036.
Duty, Ronald W. “Doing Christian Ethics on the Ground Polycentrically: Cross-Cultural Moral
Deliberation on Ethical and Social Issues.” Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics 34, no. 1
(2014): 41–63. https://doi.org/10.1353/sce.2014.0009.
MacGreggor, Kirk. “A Divine-Nature Theory of Ethical Duties | Request PDF.” ResearchGate, April
2009. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/319128171_A_Divine-
Nature_Theory_of_Ethical_Duties.
OUTLINE
DIVINE NATURE THEORY VERSUS UTILITARIANISM- THE STRONGER
ETHICAL THEORY?
Thesis statement: The weakness of the divine nature theory is the fact that moral standards based
on religion are subject to change since they are a direct function of the socio-cultural dynamics
prevalent and interpretations of religious texts. Christian teachings were the sole motivation for
genocides, territorial conquest (such as the Crusades) and even slavery
1
. This makes it difficult to
maintain a continuum of upholding moral standards based on the divine nature theory. However,
utilitarianism offers a personalized approach to evaluating what is good, which changes according
to the specifics of the ethical dilemma upheld.
I. Introduction- Ethical Relativism
II. How the Two Theories Define What is Good
III. The Key Differences Between the Two Theories
IV. Conclusion- Why Utilitarianism is the Stronger Ethical Theory
1
Ronald W. Duty, “Doing Christian Ethics on the Ground Polycentrically: Cross-Cultural Moral Deliberation on
Ethical and Social Issues,” Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics 34, no. 1 (2014): 41–63,
https://doi.org/10.1353/sce.2014.0009.
