Religion and Morality
Uploaded by adeelsalman on Mar 29, 2012
Religion & Morality
Identify the arguments for and against the view that morality is dependent on religion (21)
The debate surrounding whether or not morality is dependent on religion, arguably emanates from Plato’s Euthyphro Dilemma. If it is dependent on religion, it is good because God commands it. However if it is independent of religion, then the God only commands it because it is intrinsically good.
The argument for morality being dependant on religion relies heavily on Divine Command Theory, which suggests that morals are only true by the virtue of being commanded by God. Often those who to hold this view ask ‘Without religion, what is the reason for being good?’. Religion appears to reinforce morality, and provide people with reason to be moral. Dostoyevsky explores this notion in The Brothers Karamazov where the character Ivan says ‘without religion everything is permitted’. This suggests that the very fact religion provides moral absolutes and guidelines, morality is preserved. As quoted by Owen, ‘if morals are commands by definition, there must be a commander’. This commander could be said to be God, without whom we would not need to justify acting morally at all. Society is an ideal example of where authority is a necessity, as without it there be chaos, and no coherence. Similarly, without God as an authoritative power controlling morality, the whole concept of it will be in disarray. Without religion, and this authority it posses, moral actions would be meaningless and nugatory. Such arguments will also encompass the idea of conscience. This conscience would be said to be a direct result of God and religion providing the human race with the ability to feel guilt and responsibility. Newman also agrees that such feelings, so often associated with religion point to God, therefore morality and religion should be interdependent. In addition to this, there have been numerous examples of morality ensuing from religion, largely due to its moral absolutes. The abolition of slavery in the UK for an example was largely due to pressure from Christian groups, who had strong moral convictions, and fought for what they believed was moral. Countries where religion has been removed, such as Nazi Germany and Stalin’s Russia, demonstrate how morality is dependent on religion, by the horrendous injustices and evils caused by such a removal.
The argument against morality being dependant on religion, immediately refutes the notion that it is principally God and Religion which...