Nel nome del Padre, e del Figlio, e dello Spirito

Santo. Amen.
Padre nostro che sei nei cieli, Ethics
sia santificato il tuo Nome,
venga il tuo Regno, Science (social) – behavioral
sia fatta la tua Volontà
– observable
come in cielo così in terra.
Dacci oggi il nostro pane quotidiano,
e rimetti a noi i nostri debiti
Philosophy – “knowledge”
come noi li rimettiamo ai nostri debitori,
e non ci indurre in tentazione,
Cultural connections
ma liberaci dal Male. Amen

Ethics Theories of the good

Concerns: •Theistic ( based upon the
•the nature of the right assumption of a God)
[deontology] •Philosophical/anthropological
•the nature of the good (based upon reason)
[utility]

Monotheistic religion Animistic religion

• one God • many spirits
• in control of earthly events • in control of earthly events
• always right and good under their care
• in the form of commands • make friends with the spirits

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 Monotheistic religion Hindu religion
• certain acts, thoughts and • Vedas (“knowledge”)
failures to act are always wrong
• Absolutes are contained in • humans have no special
books believed to have been value
transmitted from God.

Religion Philosophy
Buddhist religion • Founded upon • Founded upon reason
revelation • Concerned with ethics
•There were lights • Concerned with – Ethics are relative.
morals – Are person-to-person
•but these lights were not moral – Morals are absolute. • Not concerned with
– Have to do with nature, but with
lights but rather the illumination person- to-God “metanature” (science
• Concerned with
of the mind or understanding “supranature”
concerned with
nature)
•Deny the self • Goal is to find God • Goal is to find truth

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Custance, Arthur A., 2014. Noah’s Three Sons, p. 29.

Historical stages
Historical stages
Source: Schneewind, J. B. ?year “Modern moral
philosophy,” ch. 12 in A Companion to Ethics, Peter
Singer, ed. ISBN: 0631187855 •Second stage: humans
are responsible only to
•First stage: shift of moral humans
authority from above
humans (the divine), to •Rise of nihilism and
humans relativism

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 Historical stages Basic ideas about ethics
•Third stage: shift from • humans are basically good, and can
individual to public ethics be more ethical
• Reason is a sufficient basis for
•Applied ethics
developing ethics (simple lens)
•Virtue ethics • Humans are accountable to other
humans

Assumptions about ethics Amoral action

Source: Henry, Carl F. H., 1957. Christian Personal Ethics

 nature is the ultimate reality • one performed by someone

 Humans are essentially animals
who is not morally aware
 truth and right are intrinsically • doesn’t have any concepts
time-bound and changing or understanding of right
and wrong.

Non-moral Action Moral action

1. free to make choices
•doesn’t involve the 2. Rationality (able to look at the pros
consideration of and cons)
principles and values 3. self-aware and conscious
4. The act must be intentional
5. The act has an effect on others