Structure of Christian Morality & Utilitarian Ethics

(Originally written February 9, 2006 in Book 21)

Class notes

The Structure of Christian Morality

The Hierarchy:

The Glory of God (The social weight that God carries) ->
The image of God in Humanity ->
The principle of the common Good (love your neighbor/do unto others) ->
Moral principles (justice, mercy, etc.) ->
Specific commands

The higher up in the hierarchy the more absolute it becomes. The lower in the hierarchy the more subjective possibilities arise.

Since there is a hierarchy of morality are there levels of evil?

Yes, Moses had different punishments in his law.

Jesus speaks of the "weightier matters" in Matthew 23:27

Some contest this view based on the fact that God is infinitely holy and all sin offends him equally.

Topic 3

I. Plato (early 4th century B.C.)

Virtue = performing 'function' well
A. Internally a virtuous person is one whose internal parts are working well (harmoniously). Reason controlling physical and emotional desires
B. Externally: one's role (function) in society

II. Aristotle (late 4th century BC)
-Student of Plato
-teacher of Alexander the Great

III. Augustine (late 4th/early 5th century AD)

IV. Thomas Aquinas (13th century)

V. Thomas Hobbes (17th century)

VI. David Hume (18th century)

VII. Immanuel Kant (18th century)

VIII. John Stuart Mill (19th century)

S&P Ethics

Can non-consequentialists satisfactorily handle conflicting rights and principles

1) Deliverances of moral common sense still have to be examined critically
2) Non-consequentialists shouldn't rest contently until they figure out the differences in their prima facie principles

Utilitarianism Once More

Act Utilitarianism - only moral obligation is the maximization action of happiness for everyone concerned and every action is judged by how well it lives up to the standard

Rule Utilitarianism - utilitarian code should be applied to moral codes as a whole but not to an individual's actions

The optimal moral code must take into account what rules can reasonably be taught and obeyed, as well as the costs of calculating those rules in people

What will the optimal code look like?

Pluralistic, prima facie

Criticism of rule Utilitarianism

1) Act utilitarians maintain that a utilitarian who cares about happiness should be willing to violate rules in order to maximize happiness

2) Non-consequentialists still balk at seeing morality determined by their consequences