AS Revision Notes Absolutism

1. AS Revision Notes Absolutism A Quick Guide

2. Absolutism • The view that there are certain types of action that are always wrong, or are always obligatory • There are certain things you always can’t do and there are always certain things you must do

3. For example • You must never kill people • You must always keep your promise • You must never steal • You must always tell the truth

4. Why absolutes? Because they apply to absolutely everyone, everywhere and in every situation WITHOUT EXCEPTION

5. Examples of absolutes • Kantian Ethics • Divine Command Theory • Natural Law

6. Why are they absolute? • Reason and Universalisability (The Categorical Imperative) • God says so! • Nature says so!

7. And the opposite view? • Relativism! • All things are relative to each other – but more of that a little later. . .

8. Back to absolutism Moral absolutism is often identified as a DEONTOLOGICAL approach

9. DEONTOLOGY • The conviction that certain things always oughtto be done and others that alwaysoughtnotto be done.

10. For example • Always tell the truth No matter what the consequences may be for you, your street cred, or the Jews you are hiding from the Nazis

11. For example • Never kill another human being Even if it is in self-defence, they are terminally ill, a foetus or you are a soldier

12. DEONTOLOGY The deontological view is that certain things are right in themselves

13. DEONTOLOGY • In other words They have a value in themselves just because of what they are

14. DEONTOLOGY Absolute statements therefore have an INTRINSIC WORTH The value is found within itself

15. DEONTOLOGY • Things are right – irrespective of the outcome or the consequences of the action

16. DEONTOLOGY HOWEVER

17. DEONTOLOGY While some deontologists hold that it is wrong to kill, there may be CIRCUMSTANCES where killing would be justified (although no less wrong)

18. DEONTOLOGY Such as • War • Self-defence or even • Capital Punishment

19. DEONTOLOGY On the other hand

20. DEONTOLOGY An absolutistwould not be able to make such a compromise

21. DEONTOLOGY For an absolutist, killing is always wrong There are absolutely NO exceptions

22. Religious Ethics For many people, absolutism correspond with traditional religious morality

23. Religious Ethics GOD says = We DO

24. Religious Ethics Religious ethics are ‘guaranteed’ by divine authority

25. Religious Ethics God says something is right or wrong, and so it is We just get on and do it (or not do it!)

26. Religious Ethics Traditional religious ethics have codes of law Such as • the Jewish Torah (Law) • the Decalogue (Ten Commandments) • The Sermon on the Mount

27. Religious Ethics • These codes or laws derive their authority from God • and their authority is unquestionable because of that reason

28. Problems Euthyphro’s Dilemma

29. Euthyphro’s Dilemma Is a thing ‘good’ because the gods command it?

30. Euthyphro’s Dilemma OR

31. Euthyphro’s Dilemma Do the gods command it because it is good?

32. Euthyphro’s Dilemma Is a thing ‘good’ because the gods command it? If God’s laws are absolute why does He not command things that are ‘bad’?

33. Euthyphro’s Dilemma Do the gods command it because it is good? Socrates argued that God commands us to do good because it is good

34. Euthyphro’s Dilemma Do the gods command it because it is good? This assumes that ‘good’ is independent of God

35. Euthyphro’s Dilemma Do the gods command it because it is good? Therefore, God is not the source of standards of morality

36. Euthyphro’s Dilemma Counter arguments: • goodness is something intrinsic to God • He is ‘loving-kindness’ • there is no conflict • God is good

37. Euthyphro’s Dilemma It assumes that God will always issue ‘good’ commands God is good implies that He can only do ‘good’ things

38. Euthyphro’s Dilemma More problems It assumes that we can easily interpret the commands that are contained within the ‘Word of God’ (i.e. the Scriptures).

39. Euthyphro’s Dilemma BUT Who decides what is the true interpretation? What if we get it wrong?

40. Euthyphro’s Dilemma It sets God up in a benign tyranny Is God a good dictator?

41. Euthyphro’s Dilemma Do we have moral responsibility under such a system? What of freedom and freewill?

42. Absolutist problems On a purely practical level, there may be circumstances in which a moral absolute would appear compromised

43. Absolutist problems Such as • Abortion if the mother’s life is at risk • War • Self-defence • Euthanasia

44. Absolutist problems Moral absolutism appears to ignore the practical conditions ‘on the ground’

45. Absolutist problems It’s too abstract for everyday life and situations

46. Absolutist problems It may be that a supposed moral absolute is observed with no regard to the ‘bigger picture’ in which even greater evils may be perpetrated.

47. Absolutist problems In face of modern criticisms or moral absolutism, it has been argued that a more flexible approach is needed, without compromising the absolute values being proposed.

48. And that leads us neatly into • Situation Ethics And • Proportionalism