1
The unexamined life is not worth
living.Socrates
2
MORALITY IN THE MODERN WORLD

• Area 1 The Relationship between Religion and
  Moral Values
• Introduction (pp. 1-7)
• The Euthyphro Dilemma Are actions good simply
  because the gods command them or do the gods
  command certain actions because they are good?
• Religious Morality (pp. 8-21)
• Moral values are grounded in religious belief
• The interpretation of sacred writings guided by
  faith, tradition and/or reason
• Utilitarian Ethics (pp. 29-33)
• Act and Rule utilitarianism
• Principle of the greatest good
• Kantian Ethics (pp. 34-37)
• Categorical imperative
• Universal maxim
• Respect of persons

3
Introduction

• Welcome to Higher RMPS, lets get started!
• Today youll be taking your first steps in the
  Morality in the Modern World unit.
• We expect you to take your own notes as youre
  led through the PowerPoint. You can nearly find
  the PowerPoint on the school website.
• If you see this symbol it means the slide
  contains key notes (stuff you really need to pay
  attention to).

4
The Relationship between Religion and Moral Values

• Introduction

5
Introduction

• The Euthyphro Dilemma
• Are actions good simply because the gods
  command them or do the gods command certain
  actions because they are good?

6
Socrates a biography

• Born 469BCE in Athens, Greece.
• No recorded works yet one of historys most
  influential philosophers.
• We know of Socrates through the writings of his
  student Plato.
• Often described as rotund and ugly, he was known
  for talking to anyone and engaging them in
  philosophical debate.
• His commitment to philosophy meant that personal
  hygiene came second place- he was often barefoot
  and dirty and had very few possessions.

7
Socrates a biography

• Socrates aim was not to tell others the truth
  he often claimed to be ignorant of it himself
  but rather to help them discover it for
  themselves as best they could.

8
Socrates and Euthyphro

• We are going to be learning about a very famous
  argument in moral thinking between Socrates and
  Euthyphro. We know about it from Platos writing
  in The Last Days of Socrates.
• It all kicked off when Socrates asked Euthyphro
  what he thought was right (or holy which was
  one way of describing it in those days).

9
Why Euthyphro?

• Euthyphro was taking his father to court for the
  mistreatment of a slave (so he must have been a
  moral dude).
• Socrates was on trial for the crime of stirring
  up trouble in the citys youth he could face
  the death penalty for this.
• Socrates was going to be executed for doing
  something wrong so wanted to find out what
  wrong actually meant.

10
The Euthyphro Dilemma

• During the debate Euthyphro suggests that what is
  right is what the gods would be pleased with.
• Socrates ends the argument by asking Euthyphro if
  the gods command what is right because it is
  right or if it is right only because the gods
  command it.

11
The Dilemma (or horns)

• Should religious people do things their god(s)
  commands them to do even if they otherwise think
  what theyre being asked to do is wrong?
• Or, should they doubt that the command has come
  from their god(s) if they believe that the
  command is wrong?

12
Euthyphros Problem

• Suppose Euthyphro was hanging about and hears a
  godlike voice telling him to kill the next person
  who passes him. He is convince he has heard the
  voice of god(s) and he has been brought up always
  to obey the commands of god(s), because they only
  command whats right. Should he kill?
• Even if he thinks it is wrong (which he does)
  surely god(s) wouldnt command it if it was
  wrong?

13
Discussion

• If there was such a thing as god(s) do you think
  he/she/it/they would command you to do something
  which was wrong?

14
Morality and Killing

• Is killing right or wrong?
• Would god(s) command it?
• This depends on who you ask
• Some people say that no killing is an absolute
  rule it never wavers and always applies.
• Other people say that no killing depends on
  lots of things and so it is a relative rule it
  depends on the situation.

15
Time Out Think, Pair and Share

• Is there anything which you think is always wrong
  no matter what?
• Or, is whats right and wrong related to the
  situation?

16
Some possible responses!

• It is wrong in theory to kill, but sometimes the
  situation demands it.
• It is wrong in theory to kill and so it is wrong
  to do it no matter what the situation.
• It is theoretically right to kill in certain
  situations and so right to actually do so.
• It is theoretically right to kill in certain
  situations but is actually wrong to do so.
• NB this also applies to those who have
  viewpoints independent from religious beliefs.

17
Discussion

• Is it more important to do the right thing if you
  believe in an afterlife?

18
Divine Command Theory

• Divine Command Theory you should follow all
  commands you are given from god(s) without
  question.
• Euthyphros dilemma raised the issue of how
  god(s) are linked to right and wrong.

Most religions today think their god(s) are
perfectly good meaning that they always do what
is good and expect the same from followers (often
with use of the carrot and stick).
19
So how do religious people hear from their
god(s)?

• Directly as a voice/vision or a sense of
  presence.
• Indirectly through the interpretation of
  something that happened.
• An answer to a prayer.
• The study of sacred texts.
• The teachings of a member of the faith group.
• Historical teachings.
• And can these ways be trusted?

20
No easy answer

• For religious people finding out whats right
  and wrong is a complex matter. Some choose to
  cross-check a few features of their faith
  together to find answers.
• What religious people do with what they think
  god(s) is telling them is related to two further
  key ideas in moral-decision making well be
  learning about Autonomy and Heteronomy.

21
Time Out Think, Pair and Share

• What makes something good?
• Outcome?
• Intention?
• Something else?

22
The Last Days of Socrates

• Socrates never found a solution to the Euthyphro
  dilemma and what makes something right or
  wrong.
• The Athens court could not explain what right
  or wrong were either, but nevertheless Socrates
  was sentenced to death.

23
Socrates a biography

• The trial and execution of Socrates, dramatized
  by Plato, has inspired many thinkers and artists
  through the centuries.
• Considered to be a dangerous and subversive
  influence, he was eventually arrested and charged
  with refusing to acknowledge the gods of the
  state, introducing new ones and corrupting the
  young.

24
Socrates a biography

• Socrates was condemned to death by drinking
  hemlock, he refused a chance to escape and,
  surrounded by his friends, embraced death with
  great dignity.
• Socrates died in 399BCE, Athens.

25
The Death of Socrates, by Jacques-Louis David
(1787).
26
Plato

• Following the execution of Socrates Plato left
  Athens in disgust. He travelled in Italy, Sicily
  and Egypt before returning to Athens to found
  his Academy in 377BCE.
• The Academy was the Westerns worlds first
  university. Many great intellectuals were
  schooled there, including Aristotle.

27
Check Your Notes

• Heres that reggae tune I was telling you about
  and the PowerPoint again.
• Check your notes and make sure they are accurate.
• Take a note of any questions you want to ask me.

28
Introduction

• The Euthyphro Dilemma
• Are actions good simply because the gods
  command them or do the gods command certain
  actions because they are good?

29
Socrates a biography

• Born 469BCE in Athens, Greece.
• No recorded works yet one of historys most
  influential philosophers.
• We know of Socrates through the writings of his
  student Plato.
• Often described as rotund and ugly, he was known
  for talking to anyone and engaging them in
  philosophical debate.
• His commitment to philosophy meant that personal
  hygiene came second place- he was often barefoot
  and dirty and had very few possessions.

30
Socrates a biography

• Socrates aim was not to tell others the truth
  he often claimed to be ignorant of it himself
  but rather to help them discover it for
  themselves as best they could.

31
Socrates and Euthyphro

• We are going to be learning about a very famous
  argument in moral thinking between Socrates and
  Euthyphro. We know about it from Platos writing
  in The Last Days of Socrates.
• It all kicked off when Socrates asked Euthyphro
  what he thought was right (or holy which was
  one way of describing it in those days).

32
Why Euthyphro?

• Euthyphro was taking his father to court for the
  mistreatment of a slave (so he must have been a
  moral dude).
• Socrates was on trial for the crime of stirring
  up trouble in the citys youth he could face
  the death penalty for this.
• Socrates was going to be executed for doing
  something wrong so wanted to find out what
  wrong actually meant.

33
The Euthyphro Dilemma

• During the debate Euthyphro suggests that what is
  right is what the gods would be pleased with.
• Socrates ends the argument by asking Euthyphro if
  the gods command what is right because it is
  right or if it is right only because the gods
  command it.

34
The Dilemma (or horns)

• Should religious people do things their god(s)
  commands them to do even if they otherwise think
  what theyre being asked to do is wrong?
• Or, should they doubt that the command has come
  from their god(s) if they believe that the
  command is wrong?

35
Euthyphros Problem

• Suppose Euthyphro was hanging about and hears a
  godlike voice telling him to kill the next person
  who passes him. He is convince he has heard the
  voice of god(s) and he has been brought up always
  to obey the commands of god(s), because they only
  command whats right. Should he kill?
• Even if he thinks it is wrong (which he does)
  surely god(s) wouldnt command it if it was
  wrong?

36
Morality and Killing

• Is killing right or wrong?
• Would god(s) command it?
• This depends on who you ask
• Some people say that no killing is an absolute
  rule it never wavers and always applies.
• Other people say that no killing depends on
  lots of things and so it is a relative rule it
  depends on the situation.

37
Some possible responses!

• It is wrong in theory to kill, but sometimes the
  situation demands it.
• It is wrong in theory to kill and so it is wrong
  to do it no matter what the situation.
• It is theoretically right to kill in certain
  situations and so right to actually do so.
• It is theoretically right to kill in certain
  situations but is actually wrong to do so.
• NB this also applies to those who have
  viewpoints independent from religious beliefs.

38
Divine Command Theory

• Divine Command Theory you should follow all
  commands you are given from god(s) without
  question.
• Euthyphros dilemma raised the issue of how
  god(s) are linked to right and wrong.

Most religions today think their god(s) are
perfectly good meaning that they always do what
is good and expect the same from followers (often
with use of the carrot and stick).
39
So how do religious people hear from their
god(s)?

• Directly as a voice/vision or a sense of
  presence.
• Indirectly through the interpretation of
  something that happened.
• An answer to a prayer.
• The study of sacred texts.
• The teachings of a member of the faith group.
• Historical teachings.
• And can these ways be trusted?

40
No easy answer

• For religious people finding out whats right
  and wrong is a complex matter. Some choose to
  cross-check a few features of their faith
  together to find answers.
• What religious people do with what they think
  god(s) is telling them is related to two further
  key ideas in moral-decision making well be
  learning about Autonomy and Heteronomy.

41
The Last Days of Socrates

• Socrates never found a solution to the Euthyphro
  dilemma and what makes something right or
  wrong.
• The Athens court could not explain what right
  or wrong were either, but nevertheless Socrates
  was sentenced to death.

42
Socrates a biography

• The trial and execution of Socrates, dramatized
  by Plato, has inspired many thinkers and artists
  through the centuries.
• Considered to be a dangerous and subversive
  influence, he was eventually arrested and charged
  with refusing to acknowledge the gods of the
  state, introducing new ones and corrupting the
  young.

43
Socrates a biography

• Socrates was condemned to death by drinking
  hemlock, he refused a chance to escape and,
  surrounded by his friends, embraced death with
  great dignity.
• Socrates died in 399BCE, Athens.

44
The Death of Socrates, by Jacques-Louis David
(1787).
45
Plato

• Following the execution of Socrates Plato left
  Athens in disgust. He travelled in Italy, Sicily
  and Egypt before returning to Athens to found
  his Academy in 377BCE.
• The Academy was the Westerns worlds first
  university. Many great intellectuals were
  schooled there, including Aristotle.

46
The unexamined life is not worth
living.Socrates
47
MORALITY IN THE MODERN WORLD

• Area 1 The Relationship between Religion and
  Moral Values
• Introduction (pp. 1-7)
• The Euthyphro Dilemma Are actions good simply
  because the gods command them or do the gods
  command certain actions because they are good?
• Religious Morality (pp. 8-21)
• Moral values are grounded in religious belief
• The interpretation of sacred writings guided by
  faith, tradition and/or reason
• Utilitarian Ethics (pp. 29-33)
• Act and Rule utilitarianism
• Principle of the greatest good
• Kantian Ethics (pp. 34-37)
• Categorical imperative
• Universal maxim
• Respect of persons