Christian Ethics

Concerned with: How to go about life. / What it meant to live well in world and to be just or fair in ones personal and professional life. A science of morality of human acts Science - a systematic body of knowledge meant to guide men in the pursuit of good and happy life Morality - quality of goodness and badness of human acts - foundation of every human society - indispensable knowledge

ETHICSMORAL THEOLOGYDETERMINE MORALITY THROUGH THE USE OF REASON AIDED BY GODS REVELATIONCONSIDERS DIVINELY REVEALED TRUTHSDIVINE LAWSMORAL PHILOSOPHYMORALITY BASED ON REASON ALONE*HEDONISMUTILITARIANISMSUBJECTIVISMPROPORTIONALISM ETC.

Moral theologyThe study of rightness and wrongness of human actsPart of theology which guided by revelation studies human acts as the road to mans supernatural endPart of theology that searches for the norms of free human conduct in the light of revelation (F. Bockle)

Science of what man ought to be by reason of what he is(modern U)1. morality is a science2. morality is concerned with what man ought to be3. morality judges

St. Thomas on MTStudy of mans journey to God as He is the image of God

Hedonism

Utilitarianism

ETHICSETHOSCustoms ChangingUnchanging (concern of Ethics)- principles in determining morality of human acts does not change

Ethical systems

Happy lifeMeaningful lifeGood lifeA. Pre Christian EraB. Christian EraC. Period of enlightenment

Pre Christian Era

1. Socratesknow thyself2. Plato Idealist3. AristotleRealist

Christian Era (Theounomous)1. St. AugustineSupreme Good- to be with God2. St. ThomasMan is capable of knowing and understanding human and supernatural values.

Period of EnlightenmentHas placed Christian ethics in crisisJ.S. MillI. KantF. NietzscheK. MarxJ.P. Sartre

JOHN STUART MILLUTILITARIANISM form of consequentialism: The permissibility of actions is determined by examining their outcomes and comparing those outcomes with what would have happened if some other action had been performed. An action is permissible if and only if there is no other action available to the agent that would have had better consequences.

HEDONISMEveryones happiness is taken into account, and given equal weight. There is no time limit on consequences. All the happiness and unhappiness that result from an action must be taken into account, no matter how long it takes for these consequences to arise. Mill also says that it is better for happiness to be distributed among many people. The moral goal of our actions, he says, is to create the greatest happiness for the greatest number.

I. kANTOPPONENT OF UTILITARIANISMDEONTOLOGICALCATEGORICAL IMPERATIVESHYPOTHETICAL IMPERATVECATEGORICAL IMPERATIVE

F. NIETZSCHENietzsches ethical principle of the will to power makes a claim to the egoistic nature of humanity. The doctrine asserts that all humans strive to forcibly impose their will upon others as a primal drive in their nature compels them to do so. Man will relentlessly exercise his will over others as an example of his determination, spirit, and strength of character.

Darwinian Ethics

JP SARTREIndividuality, Freedom, and Ethics.MAN IS CONDEMNED TO BE FREE

Freedom

CHRISTIAN ETHICSGODS REVELATIONSHUMAN PERSONFAITH DIVINE LAWSVIRTUESCONSCIENCEEND (SUPERNATURAL END)

HUMAN PERSONJ. Locke- Human nature is like a tabularazaK. Marx- Man is a product of historyChristian thought- Man is created in the image and likeness of God.

HUMAN PERSONGen. 1, 27- imago DeiEssential dignity of manOriginMeaningDestinyMan as body and soulChurch teaches that every spiritual soul is created immediately by God.

Ethics Kinds 1. General Ethics - pertains to the nature of the human acts and their relation to morality

2. Special Ethics - pertains to the application of general principles of morality to the particular actions of man as an individual and as member of the society. Ethics serves as guidepost in our private and professional life.

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