Do the ends justify the means?
The answer to this question depends on what the ends or goals are and what means are being used to achieve them. If the goals are good and noble, and the means we use to achieve them are also good and noble, then yes, the ends do justify the means. But that’s not what most…
What is the problem of good?
Answer In October 2010, atheist Sam Harris’s book The Moral Landscape was released. In his book, Harris argues against grounding morality in God and says that science is the only vehicle that humanity can use in determining the concepts of good and evil. Unlike other naturalistic philosophers and atheists (e.g., Nietzsche, Sartre, and Russell), who…
What is virtue ethics?
Virtue ethics is one of the main categories of normative ethics. It teaches that moral behavior is directly linked to a virtuous life. An act cannot be ethical if it is performed by a corrupt character, and a virtuous person will naturally perform virtuous acts. Unlike other secular schools of thought, virtue ethics explains exactly…
What is bioethics? How can the Bible inform bioethics?
Bioethics, sometimes referred to as “biomedical ethics,” applies theories of morality and law to topics related to health and medicine. These include reproductive concerns, resource allocation, genetics, experimentation, research, patient rights, ecology, and so forth. As one’s basic worldview strongly influences assessment of these issues, there is no such thing as religiously or spiritually neutral…
What is skeptical theism?
Skeptical theism claims that human beings lack omniscience and that their limitation must be considered when attempting to judge the decisions made by God. The target of this skepticism is human beings themselves, suggesting we ought to be wary of objections to God’s actions or existence. This makes skeptical theism one of many responses to…
What is the categorical imperative?
The term categorical imperative is closely associated with philosopher Immanuel Kant. He sought to create a basis for morality that was both universal and unconditional. Further, Kant wanted his moral foundation to be entirely based in reason and resistant to selfishness. The main formulation of his “categorical imperative” was “Act only in accordance with that…
Does the Bible teach situational ethics?
Situational ethics is a particular view of moral ethics that holds that the morality of an act is determined by its context. Situational ethics states that if there is a right and wrong, it is merely determined by the desired outcome of the situation. Situational ethics is different from moral relativism in that moral relativism…
Why should the Bible be our source for morality?
If the Bible isn’t the Christian’s source for morality, then the question needs to be asked, “What should be?” The Christian worldview is based on two foundational axioms: 1) God exists, and 2) God has spoken to us in the Bible. If these two presuppositions aren’t the starting point in a Christian worldview, then we’re…
What is social ethics?
Social ethics is the collection of values and behaviors of a given culture or people group. Social ethics vary greatly from culture to culture, but most often the social ethics of civilized societies reflect the moral standards given in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1–17). For example, most civilized cultures recognize that murder, theft, and taking…
What does the Bible say about good versus evil?
Among the most universal beliefs across all humanity is the concept of “good versus evil.” Every culture in every era has held to some version of this struggle. The definitions of the terms good and evil vary wildly, as do opinions on how they interact. Still, belief in some difference between that which is “good”…