. ..would you be surprised?

A believer told you that God had instructed them to give 10,000 pesos to charity.. .

This mother said that God

told her to send her son on a suicide

bombing mission.. .

. ..what would you say?

Then you have encountered

DIVINE COMMAND THEORY

“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of

sins.”-1 Peter 4:8

The Divine Command Theory is the view on morality that what is

right is whatever God commands.

THIS GIVES ANSWERS TO OUR QUESTIONS: 1. Are there such things as moral

truths?

Yes, God’s Law

2. How do we know them and what is their content?

We know them through religion, and their content are whatever our

religion says it is.

Euthyphro’s

Dilemma

Euthyphro’s Dilemma

Are morally good acts willed by God because they are

morally good?

Or

Are they morally good because they are willed by

God?

The Divine Command Theory:Two interpretations

Interpretation 2

Commanded by God because it

is right

Problem

Need for another foundation

Interpretation 1

Right because God

commands it

Problem

Arbitrariness of moral truths

At the heart of Euthyphro’s dilemma is the question of whether ethics should be tied to religion or should stand

independent of it.

Christian Ethics

Christian Ethics

The Five Ways of Proving the Existence of God

St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)

proffers the Quinquae Viae or the Five Ways of proving the

existence of God

Argument from Motion

The Five Ways of Providing theExistence of God

Nothing moves by itself. Anything that moves is moved

by another which is also moved by another. The chain of the moved and the mover

cannot go on infinitely. There must be the first or prime

mover which is unmoved. This unmoved mover is God.

Argument from Causation of Existence

Nothing exist by itself. Anything that exists is

caused by another which also caused by another. The chain of cause and effect cannot go on infinitely.

There must be the first cause which is uncaused. This uncaused cause is God.

The Five Ways of Providing theExistence of God

Argument from Necessary and Contingent Beings

Beings are contingent, that is, caused beings, or

necessary, that is, the cause of contingent beings. The

existence of contingent beings necessitates the existence of a necessary

being. And this necessary being is God.The Five Ways of Providing the

Existence of God

Argument from Degrees of Perfection

Goodness, beauty, and nknowlegde are qualities that exist in things. But these qualities exist in

varying degrees. There must be a perfect standard to measure the degrees of these qualities. And this

perfect standard is contained in God.

The Five Ways of Providing theExistence of God

Argument from Intelligent Design

The universe is governed by laws and manifests order and design. The manner by which the

universe works, points to an intelligent designer.

And this is God.The Five Ways of Providing the

Existence of God

THE NATURAL LAW

• THOMAS AQUINAS(1225-1274)• A MORALITY THAT IS SEPARATE FROM AND

INDEPENDENT OF RELIGION• ETHICS THAT SHOULD BE BASED ON HUMAN

NATURE• ANCHORS ON GOD’S ETERNAL LAW• LAW DEFINED, “Ordinance of reason,

promulgate for the common good by the one who has charge of society.”

Four Kinds os Laws by Thomas Aquinas

• Eternal Law – refers to God’s over-all eternal plans and providence for the universe. It encompasses all laws.

• Divine Laws – refer to the Divine commands God has revealed to humankind(Beattitudes and The Ten Commandments).

Four Kinds os Laws by Thomas Aquinas

• Human Laws – refers to those promulgated by a commpetent authority for the establishment of peace and harmony in the society.

– Church Laws

– Civ i l Laws

Four Kinds os Laws by Thomas Aquinas

• Natural Law – refers to the humans’ natural tendency to att ain their proper end through the use of reason and free wil l .

– is refl ected in human reason and free wil l and is , therefor manifest, objecti ve and universal

“Do good and avoid evi l .”

Christian Ethics

The 10 Commandments

Why do you think God gave us the Ten Commandments?

As a way to get to Heaven?

As a mirror to look at?

As a way to get to Heaven.

As a mirror to look at.

If you chose “A” you’re wrong.

As a mirror to look at.

In the same way, we don't realize what a bad state we are in

until we look into the "mirror" of the Ten Commandments.

1. “You shall have no other gods before Me”

(God should always be Number One)

2. “You shall not make for yourself any idols”

(Don’t bow to anything but God)

3. “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain”

(Don’t use your lips to dishonor God)

4. “Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy”

(Don’t neglect the things of God)

5. “Honor your Father and your Mother

(It’s a “5” shaped like a Dad and Mom)

6. “You shall not murder”

(It’s a bomb shaped like a “6”)

7. “You shall not commit adultery”

(Adultery leaves a heart broken)

8. “You shall not steal”

(The thief’s mask looks like an “8”)

9. “You shall not lie”

(This number “9” is “lying” down)

10. “You shall not covet”

(The door and ring together look like a “10”)

• Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind, and with thy whole strength

• Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

Christian Ethics

Sermon on the Mount

– EIGHT BEATTITUDES

– THE LORD’S PRAYER

– GOLDEN RULE

Christian Ethics

Sermon on the Mount

Eight Beattitudes

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.

Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Our Father who art in heaven, ha l lowed be

thy name. Thy k ingdom come, thy wi l l be done, on earth, as

i t i s in heaven.Give us th is day our

dai ly bread; and forg ive us our debts ,

as we a lso have forg iven our debtors; and lead us not into

temptat ion, but del iver us f rom evi l .

The Lord’s PrayerSermon on the Mount

Confucius, the Negative“Do not do unto others what you don’t want

others do unto you.“

Jesus, the Positive “So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do

so to them; for this the law and the prophets.”

Sermon on the Mount

Cardinal Virtues

are a set of four virtues recognized in the writings of Classical Antiquity and, along with the theological

virtues, also in Christian tradition.

Cardinal Virtues

• Prudence – an intellectual virtue of practical wisdom or as St. Thomas Aquinas puts it “right reason in action.” It dispose a person to do what is right and employ the right means in all circumstances.

Cardinal Virtues

• Justice – a moral virtue which denotes constant willing and resolve to give others their due.

Cardinal Virtues

• Temperance – a moral virtue that controls, moderates, and restrains inordinate

Cardinal Virtues

• Fortitude – a moral virtue that sustains firmness of the will and spirit in the face of difficulties, adversity and fear.

Hindu Ethics

• Maintains that the ultimate purpose of human life is liberation from suffering called moksha.

• According to the Hindu tradition, desire is the root of all human sufferings and of the bondage to the cycle of births and deaths.

• In Bhagavad-Gita we read that the instability of the human mind is the chief cause of suffering.

Hindu Ethics

• Karma – the sum total of good or bad actions• Atman – means soul or individual soul

denotes the essence of living beings –people, animals, plants

• Samsara – rebirth• Brahman – means world soul or cosmic soul

and is the eternal essence of the ultimate divine reality

Hindu Ethics• Four Goals of life

– Kama(pleasures or enjoyment)

– Artha(success or prosperity in worldly endeavors)

– Dharma(virtue and performance of duty)

– Moksha(enlightenment or liberation from rebirth)

Hindu Ethics• Four types of Yoga(disciplines)

– Karma Yoga(working for the supreme)

– Jnana Yoga(realizing the supreme)

– Raja Yoga(meditating on the supreme)

– Bhakti Yoga(serving the supreme loving)

Buddhist Ethics

• Buddhists’ ultimate goal in life is to end suffering.

• Buddhists believe that all things in the world are impermanent.

• Suffering is caused by attachment in the impermanent things.

• One should seek detachment to these things.

Buddhist Ethics

• Buddhists puts end to suffering and the cycle of rebirth by:

– The Four Noble Truths

– Following the Eight Fold Path

Buddhist Ethics

• The Four Noble Truths

1. All of human life is suffering.2. The origin of suffering is attachment to

impermanent things.3. Suffering can be stopped by renunciation of

desires.4. The way that leads to the end of suffering is the

Eight Fold Path.

Buddhist Ethics• The Eight Fold Path

1. Right Understanding of the Nature of suffering in the world

2. Right Intention to practice Buddhism3. Right Speech which includes refraining from lies and

slander4. Right Action5. Right Livelihood6. Right Moral Effort7. Right Mindfulness8. Right Concentration

Fin