In this unit, weve looked at three possible ways that God or the divine can serve as the basis or foundation of morality. One view argues that Gods commands are the basis for morality, another asserts that morality is independent of Gods commands while upholding a belief in God. The final view removes God or the divine from the picture altogether, arguing that we evolved to possess morality.
Which view makes the most sense to you? What are the philosophical reasons that lead you to favor that approach? Write an approximately 4-5 page essay explaining the divine command theory, natural law theory and evolutionary ethics. You must accurately describe each view and in particular address the Euthyphro Dilemma and the Cruel God Objection, showing how those arguments relate to these three theories. You need to demonstrate a strong understanding of each perspective, so carefully explain the key ideas behind each theory.
Then, explain whether you agree or disagree with each theory. What about each theory do you find persuasive, and what do you find problematic? Which view makes the most sense to you, and why? Feel free to argue for any theory, but be sure to explain each view in detail and accurately. Imagine that the person reading your paper has never heard of any of these theories before, so strive to explain them as completely and as clearly as possible.
You may only use course materials–the reading assignments, PowerPoint presentations, and lectures. Papers must be in 12-point font and double-spaced. No title page is needed–just put your name in the top left corner of the first page–and you also do not need a reference or works cited page. Refer to each author by last name, to make it clear that you are discussing their ideas (cite PowerPoint for any general points in a PowerPoint that arent specific to one philosopher). Alternatively, you can use any citation format you prefer (APA, MLA, Chicago).
Dont get caught up in the page limits–this is a suggested page range. I dont think you can adequately cover the topics in less than 5 pages but I also dont want you to have to write a novel. That being said, a well-written and thorough shorter paper will earn a higher grade than a poorly-written longer paper.
Your grade will be based on the following factors: (1) Did you correctly explain the main tenets of divine command theory, natural law theory, and evolutionary ethics; (2) Did you accurately describe the Euthyphro Dilemma and the Cruel God Objection and the impact of these arguments upon the evaluation of the three theories ; (3) Did you address strengths and weaknesses of each theory; and (4) Did you provide strong reasons in support of your own views regarding the approach that you find most persuasive. I use holistic grading, so I assess the paper as a whole, rather than assigning points to specific elements. However, my primary focus is on how well you demonstrate an understanding of the key philosophical concepts behind divine command ethics, natural law theory, and evolutionary ethics. A paper taking a clear position towards one theory without fully explaining the underlying ideas will receive a lower grade than a paper that demonstrates a clear understanding of the three theories but which fails to explain or justify why one theory is more persuasive.
Feel free to take any position regarding the usefulness or validity of any of these ideas. What I am interested in is not the result you reach, but how you get there–can you offer some good reasons for your position. A good reason is one that requires a response by someone who disagrees with you but is not rejecting your ideas out of hand–it makes them say, Thats a good point, but
Again, remember to imagine that your reader has never heard of these ideas before, so strive to give an explanation of the theories that will teach someone how to understand the competing ideas. If you do that, you will have shown me that you understand these concepts. An A paper will demonstrate a full and correct understanding of the ideas, a B paper will not go into as much detail and may have some minor mistakes, and a C paper will just talk about the theories without explaining how they function while also making significant errors
