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PHIL 201 Lesson 20 Introduction To
Ethics
Philosophy and Contemporary Ideas (Liberty
University)
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STUDY GUIDE: LESSON 20
Introduction to Ethics
Lesson Overview:
With this lesson, we begin our final unit on ethics. Each of us wonders about
right and wrong and how we determine what the morally right action is. We do
this on a personal level, but we also ask questions about larger social issues such
as capital punishment, war, or abortion.
Since this is a survey course in philosophy, we will talk about ethics mostly on a
theoretical level and will not be dealing with specific ethical issues. In this first
lesson, we want to begin with some introductory issues. In the presentation, we will
address the question <Why Be Moral?= and we will see that how we answer that
question will set up the rest of our study in ethics. In the reading, we will address
the relationship between the Bible and ethics.
Tasks:
View and take notes on the presentation, <Why Be Moral?=
1. What is the question really asking?
a. To distinguish between motive and justification. (Justification: why is
being moral the right way to live?)
b. To distinguish between specific actions and the moral point of view.
c. Why are you adopting the moral point of view?
2. What is the difference between motive and justification? a. Motive: Why I
am doing something. b. Justification: Why it is the right thing to do.
3. Explain the 4 elements of the moral point of view.
a. To subscribe to normative judgements about actions, principles, and
motives. (is a judgment of right or wrong)
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b. To universalize judgements concerning morally relevant similar
situations. (universalize: When I say something is right or wrong, I’m
not saying its only right or wrong or me; I’m saying it’s right or wrong
for everybody in this particular situation)
c. To formulate ethical views in a free, impartial and enlightened way.
(that we have an obligation to make sure our ethical view that we hold
is freely formed – that we are not forced to take this view)
a. Best view for everyone involved
d. To follow the Synderesis Rule: to promote the good and to avoid evil
4. What are the 3 general answers to the question?
a. Consequentialist answer: we should be moral because it achieves
the best results
i. Egoism: best results for me
ii. Utilitarianism: best results for everyone
b. Deontological Ethics: we should be moral because it is right in and of
itself.
i. Divine Command Theory: come from divine commands of God
ii. Natural Law Theory: human nature will tell us what is right
and what is wrong.
iii.Kantian Duty-based Theory: reason is how we arrive at
our moral rules. We use reason, and that which is irrational
or unreasonable is something that is wrong to do.
c. Aretaic Ethics: we should be moral because it is the kind of person
we want to be.
i. Virtue-based: what is the right kind of person to be. If we are
the right kind of person, then what we do, and the results will all
flow out of who we are.
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5. What are the 3 elements to every moral event?
a. Person – Virtue Ethics
b. Action – Deontology
c. Result – Consequentialism
6. What question are the ethical theories attempting to answer?
a. Where is the good in the event?
Read Chapter 1 of Ethics: Approaching Moral Decisions, <The
Moral Revolution.= As you do, consider the following questions and
points:
7. How have modern times made ethical decision-making difficult?
a. It has changed accepted sexual morality, took individualism to
narcissistic extremes, and placed in jeopardy existing ideals for
marriage and family, work and government.
b. Polarize us morally and politically over issues like human
rights, criminal punishment and legislating morality as well as
sex and war.
8. According to Holmes, what is the main difference between ethics and other
disciplines like sociology and anthropology?
a. Sociology and Anthropology focus on the causes of particular
problems and on the social consequences.
b. Ethics is more interested in what people ought to do and what their
values ought to be.
9. What are 3 ways the study of ethics can contribute to biblical morality?
a. The Bible gives a vast repertoire of ethical material in different
literary forms and form different historical and cultural contexts.
b. The Bible is silent about many things, including many moral problems
today.
c. Love and Liberty are not enough.
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Love our neighbor and love
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God and go ahead and do whatever you want from there…
10. What are the 6 ways the Bible contributes to the study of ethics?
a. It gives a theological basis for our moral obligation, in terms of our
obligation to do the will of God, the Creator and Lawgiver.
b. It gives an account of the relation of morality to God’s purposes in
creation, our perversion of those purposes through sin and our
restoration to righteous living by the grace of God.
c. It teaches us the principles of justice and love which describe God’s
character and should also characterize us.
d. It reveals the moral law of God, declaring duties in many areas of
human life.
This is summarized in the Ten Commandments and spelled out by
Precept and example throughout Scripture.
e. It demonstrates that from love for God and gratitude for his
mercies come the motivation and dynamic for moral living.
f. It depicts the ideals and promise of the kingdom of God that Christ
came to establish, first in our hearts and lives and eventually
throughout the entire world
