Area 1: The Relationship between Religion and Moral Values

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Area 1 The Relationship between Religion and
Moral Values

• Morality in the Modern World

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Area 1 Overview

• The Relationship Between Religion and Moral
  Values
• a) Euthyphro Dilemma
• b) Religious Morality
• - Moral autonomy / moral heteronomy
• - Golden Rule
• - Interpretations of Sacred Scripture
• c) Utilitarian and Kantian Ethics
• - Utilitarianism
• - Immanuel Kant

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Area 1 Overview

• The Relationship Between Religion and Moral
  Values
• a) Euthyphro Dilemma
• b) Religious Morality
• - Moral autonomy / moral heteronomy
• - Golden Rule
• - Interpretations of Sacred Scripture
• c) Utilitarian and Kantian Ethics
• - Utilitarianism
• - Immanuel Kant

Sections in red will be completed after the prelim
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• Lesson Aim
• Today we will be learning about moral autonomy
  and moral heteronomy

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Area 1

• Relationship Between Religion and Moral Values
• a) Euthyphro Dilemma
• b) Religious Morality
• - Moral autonomy / moral heteronomy
• - Golden Rule
• - Interpretations of Sacred Scripture
• c) Utilitarian and Kantian Ethics
• - Utilitarianism
• - Immanuel Kant

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• Any idea what moral autonomy might be?

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• The word auto means self
• The word autonomy means to self-govern
• It comes from the Greek autonomia which
  literally translates as independence

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Moral Autonomy

• Moral autonomy is all about using reason to work
  out what is right and wrong and not simply follow
  a set of rules.
• It means doing things your own way.
  Independently.
• It means that your values are not linked to any
  kinds of religious belief or founded on any
  religious principles.

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So how does moral autonomy work?

• Autonomy is based on reason.
• Basically this means thinking things through and
  coming up with a decision.

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Autonomy pros and cons

• Using reason to make a moral decision is seen by
  many as the best way because you take account
  of as many things as possible and make your
  decision based on all the facts while staying
  flexible about the choice you make.
• Others think it is too flexible and reduces right
  and wrong to whims, likes and dislikes.

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Discussion

• Does reason seem to you like a good way to make
  moral decisions?

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Group Work Collect a Worksheet

• Step 1 Select two moral problems, and use your
  reason to decide what you would do.
• Step 2 Discuss what decision you would make by
  following the table
• Step 3 Write a few sentences summarising what
  this tells you about moral decision making

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Discussion Point

• Can we be ever be fully autonomous in our moral
  decision making?
• Do we often make truly independent decisions?

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How Might Christians Feel About Autonomy?
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How Might Christians Feel About Autonomy?

• This totally depends on what kind of Christian
  you are.
• Some Christians feel that autonomy is a problem
  and only God should be our guide for making moral
  decisions.
• Others say that making decisions ourselves is
  exactly what God wants us to do! Christians
  should use the Bible, community and traditions as
  well as reason to make decisions.

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Arguments for Moral Autonomy

• Moral autonomy is based on your own reasoned
  thought and is more likely to produce good moral
  decisions than just blindly following a religion.
• God gave us intelligence and a conscience he
  expects us to use them.

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Religious Morality

• Moral Heteronomy
• Any idea what this might mean???

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Religious Morality

• Moral Heteronomy
• The word hetero comes from Greek and means
  'different'

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Religious Morality

• Moral Heteronomy
• The word hetero comes from Greek and means
  'different'
• Morality is heteronomous if it is dependent upon
  something else
• In this context, it refers to morality that is
  dependent upon religion

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• Moral Heteronomy
• Moral heteronomy is dependent upon religious
  beliefs

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Christianity on Heteronomy

• Christians are comfortable with this. They would
  argue that God directs them towards doing the
  right thing through the scriptures, prayer and
  other traditions.
• Christians are also supported by the Christian
  community to help make decisions. This means
  Christians do not feel isolated and can get
  support.

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Discussion

• How might thinking What would Jesus do? be
  helpful /unhelpful for a Christian when making a
  moral decision?

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Arguments for Moral Heteronomy

• If God has given us guidance we ought to follow
  it.
• Makes use of centuries of wisdom and experience.
• We are less likely to be selfish or arrogant if
  we allow ourselves to be guided by someone else

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• Here are 3 slides for you to take notes from.....

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Copy the following...
independent of religious belief.
grounded in religious belief.
religious belief, and the interpretation of
sacred writings guided by faith, tradition and
reason.
human reason alone.
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Arguments for Moral Autonomy

• Copy the following...
• Moral autonomy is based on your own reasoned
  thought and is more likely to produce good moral
  decisions than just blindly following a religion.
• God gave us intelligence and a conscience he
  expects us to use them.

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Arguments for Moral Heteronomy

• Copy the following...
• If God has given us guidance we ought to follow
  it.
• Makes use of centuries of wisdom and experience.
• We are less likely to be selfish or arrogant if
  we allow ourselves to be guided by someone else

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In Your Jotters...

• Are you morally autonomous or morally
  heteronomous? Or perhaps a bit of both?
• Write a paragraph describing which view best
  describes your own morality.

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Read p74

• Complete the tasks

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Extension Qs

• Can ethics ever be completely separate from
  religion?
• What might people look to for moral authority if
  they are atheist/agnostic?
• What are the sources of moral authority for
  religious ethics?