Question 1

Consider the following question raised by the dialogue: If God loves the good because it is good, then the good exists prior to and apart from God, and God is not the creator of everything (a notion rejected by most monotheists, such as Jews, Christians, and Muslims). Would this make any difference to our moral lives and our duties? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

In one sense, it should not. If our moral duty is to do as God commands, and it is usually the case that God commands us to do good, seek good, then it should not matter whether God created it or not, only that he commands us to do it. It seems reasonable that doing good just is moral, for how could doing good be immoral, excluding obvious cases like "too much of a good thing" or where a good leads to something terrible.
If however, one takes this as a reason not to do what God commands, or to reject the existence of God, then the second argument in the preceding paragraph fails, and there must be another reason for doing good. If there is no such reason, then the basic moral notion of doing good seems to lack grounding. What a grounding for morality may be without God is discussed in the Nielsen and Mavrodes readings.

Question 2

Nielsen argues that abstracted from religion, secular morality collapses into egoism.

Accepted Answer

Nielsen argues that secular morality does not necessarily collapse into egoism, but rather can be grounded in rational principles and human well-being, independent of religious beliefs.

Question 3

Augustine argues that the intellect can discern good from evil.

Accepted Answer

False

Question 4

The New Testament makes the primacy of love, among virtues, clear. Note the claim in 1 John 4:16 that "God is love." Given the idea central to Christian ethics that we are to live like God, do you see the connection between this theological claim and the moral injunction to love?

Accepted Answer

The answer of The New Testament makes the primacy of...

Question 5

Often love is thought of as an emotion, a bond of affection held between persons close to one another. But is there any reason to deny social, economic, political, institutional, and international dimensions and manifestations of love? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Often love is thought of as an...

Question 6

If St. Augustine is right about morality only being possible through God's grace, does this make us feel helpless and risk casting us into moral skepticism, cynicism, or relativism? Explain your answer with specific examples.

Accepted Answer

The answer of If St. Augustine is right about morality...

Question 7

Augustine argues that there are three things one must love, God, himself and The Church.

Accepted Answer

Augustine argues that one must love God, oneself, and one's neighbor. The Church, while important in Augustine's theology, is not singled out in this specific triad of love.

Question 8

What does Nielsen say is an example of something that could give our lives meaning?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What does Nielsen say is an example...

Question 9

If God makes the good good and commands us to follow moral rules of God's creation (the divine command theory), does this mean that only certain (obedient) religious believers can be moral? Or perhaps nonbelievers can be as moral as believers, even if God is the author of ethics. Do you think this is possible? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

The answer of If God makes the good good and...

Question 10

Nielsen argues that without God, life could have no meaning.

Accepted Answer

Nielsen argues that life can have meaning without the necessity of God, suggesting that meaning in life can be derived from secular sources and human experiences.

Question 11

How does Euthyphro ultimately define holiness?

Accepted Answer

Euthyphro struggles to provide a definition of holiness that withstands Socrates' scrutiny, ultimately failing to reach an acceptable definition.

Question 12

St. Augustine writes that God inculcates two things in us: love for God and love for others; he adds that we must love ourselves as well (he sees these three loves as intrinsically connected). Love for St. Augustine is first among the virtues (indeed, for him it is the fountainhead of all virtue). Do you agree? Is there something unrealistic about privileging love in this way?

Accepted Answer

The answer of St. Augustine writes that God inculcates two...

Question 13

If God loves the good because God made it as such (as monotheists believe), how might this affect our moral lives and our duties? Are we then obligated to follow God's commands even if they seem immoral or contradictory? If God is responsible for the good, can we even evaluate it independently of God?

Accepted Answer

The answer of If God loves the good because God...

Question 14

Which of the following best captures the point of Nielsen's essay?

Accepted Answer

Nielsen's essay argues that moral convictions and ethical standards do not necessarily require a foundation in religious beliefs or the existence of a deity. He suggests that it is possible to have a robust moral framework without appealing to God or religious doctrines.

Question 15

Augustine argues that divine foreknowledge is compatible with __________.

Accepted Answer

Augustine argues that divine foreknowledge does not compromise human free will, suggesting that God's foreknowledge of future events does not cause those events to happen, thus maintaining the compatibility between divine foreknowledge and human free will.

Question 16

Socrates' dialogue with Euthyphro calls into question the __________.

Accepted Answer

Socrates' dialogue with Euthyphro primarily questions the relationship between the gods and holiness, specifically whether something is holy because the gods love it or if the gods love it because it is holy.

Question 17

Morality has long been seen by many people as matter of achievement: We become more ethical by overcoming immorality and changing ourselves for the better. But St. Augustine (following St. Paul) observes that we have neither sufficient ability to know what is truly moral, nor the power on our own to achieve it; thus, morality is a result of God's grace. Do you agree with St. Augustine? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Morality has long been seen by many...

Question 18

Augustine argues that our actions are determined by fate, which he understands to be the dictates of God.

Accepted Answer

Augustine argues that while God has foreknowledge of our actions, humans still possess free will, making choices that are not strictly determined by fate or divine intervention.

Question 19

Socrates argues that if the gods love the holy because it is holy, then the holy exists prior to and apart from the gods.

Accepted Answer

Socrates, in Plato's dialogue "Euthyphro," argues that if the gods love what is holy because it is holy, then holiness must be an independent standard existing apart from the gods' love, implying that the holy precedes the gods' recognition of it.

Question 20

Augustine claims that there are only kinds of societies. How does he distinguish between the two?

Accepted Answer

Augustine distinguishes between two kinds of societies based on their ultimate love or orientation: those that are geared toward living according to the flesh (earthly desires) and those that are geared toward living according to the spirit (divine or heavenly aspirations). This distinction is central to his work "The City of God," where he contrasts the Earthly City (the City of Man) and the Heavenly City (the City of God), each defined by its ultimate love or aim.

Quiz 5: Believing