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Does morality depend on God?

Delve into the debate on whether morality hinges on God's existence, Euthyphro dilemma, Sartre's views on ethics sans God, and Kant's moral reasoning. Discover the implications of God's role in shaping moral values and understand differing philosophical perspectives on ethics and responsibility.

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Does morality depend on God?

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  1. Does morality depend on God? Michael Lacewing enquiries@alevelphilosophy.co.uk

  2. From objectivity to God • The idea of objective moral values is very peculiar – unless they are part of our relationship to God. • Moral values feel personal: commands, duties, responsibility, etc. • Moral feelings are personal: guilt, responsibility, regret, etc. • How can people have absolute worth unless this is derived from an absolutely good source?

  3. Against the link: The Euthyphro dilemma • Does God command what is right because it is right? But then moral values exist independently of God – so their peculiar status returns. • Is what is right right because God commands it? This seems to make morality arbitrary. • No - because God is good. • But if God is the standard of goodness, ‘God is good’ is a tautology. • If ‘God is good’ is not a tautology, then good (and so moral value) is independent of God.

  4. God is love • God is love - this provides the standard for saying God is good. • But then, isn’t the foundation of morality love, not God? • No - because the foundation of morality is God’s love.

  5. Sartre on God and ethics • God does not exist. • Therefore, human beings were not made, based on some model. • Therefore, there is no ‘human nature’. • Therefore, responsibility for what we make of ourselves and our lives rests with us.

  6. Sartre on God and ethics • However, because God does not exist, there is no set system of values to help us choose. • We are completely free. We ‘impose’ values. • Realizing this, we realize we ‘can no longer want but one thing, and that is freedom, as the basis of all values… We want freedom for freedom’s sake and in every particular circumstance. And in wanting freedom we discover that it depends entirely on the freedom of others, and that the freedom of others depends on ours.’

  7. Kant’s argument • Morality is based on pure reason, not God. • Our moral duty is to seek the highest good, viz. that moral laws are obeyed and that people receive what they deserve. • In this situation, acting morally would make us happy; acting immorally would make us unhappy.

  8. Kant’s argument • This is not how this world is. But is this situation, the highest good, possible? If it isn’t, our motivation to pursue it will be undermined. • The only way to suppose it is possible is to suppose God - who can bring morality and happiness into alignment - exists. • So, to make complete sense of morality, we must suppose God exists. • Objection: must we suppose the highest good is possible?

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