Ethics

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Ethics

• processes of determining right from wrong

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Morals

• actions of right/wrong

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Source of Authority

• Human
• Transcendent
• Bible Word of God

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Revelation

• General
• 1 Declares Gods Glory
• Psalm 19 The heavens declare the glory of God
• Romans 1
• 2 Given and intended for all
• 3 Sufficient for Condemnation
• Specific
• 1 Declares Gods attributes/grace
• Romans 118-20
• 2 Given to few intended for all
• 3 Salvation

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Categories

• Descriptive Ethics
• Normative Ethics
• Metaethics language of morals

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• Post modernism
• subjective, not absolute, unknowable, relative to
  the situation
• Modernism
• God reveals truth (objective truth absolute,
  fixed, knowable)

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Systems

• Deontological
• Actions are right/wrong . . . as determined by
  God
• Teleological
• Actions are right/wrong . . . as determined by
  the end result
• Utilitarianism
• greatest good for the greatest number of people
• ethical egoism
• self interest
• Relativism (Rae page 91)
• make choices for yourself

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Model for Making Moral Decisions(Rae page 104)

• Gather the Facts
• Determine the Ethical Issues
• What Principles Have a bearing on the Case
• List the Alternatives
• Compare the Alternatives with the Principles
• Consider the Consequences
• Make a Decision

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Test of TruthJosh McDowell - Right from Wrong

• How does it compare to the original?

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Precept/Law Principle Person
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• Deuteronomy 6 1 Now this is the commandment,
  and these are the statutes and judgments which
  the LORD your God has commanded to teach you,
  that you may observe them in the land which you
  are crossing over to possess, 2 that you may fear
  the LORD your God, to keep all His statutes and
  His commandments which I command you, you and
  your son and your grandson, all the days of your
  life, and that your days may be prolonged. 3
  Therefore hear, O Israel, and be careful to
  observe it, that it may be well with you, and
  that you may multiply greatly as the LORD God of
  your fathers has promised youa land flowing
  with milk and honey. . . . 25 And if we are
  careful to obey all this law before the LORD our
  God, as he has commanded us, that will be our
  righteousness."

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Precept/Law Principle Person
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(No Transcript)
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Evidence of Truth

• How does it correspond to reality?
• 24 The LORD commanded us to obey all these
  decrees and to fear the LORD our God, so that we
  might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the
  case today.
• Commandments either
• Provide Protect
• security, happiness, peace STD, Ridicule,
  Poverty, unhappiness, wrath, insecurity, guilt

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• Values what people consider important
• Etiquette concerns amoral matters
• Hedonism pleasure is the greatest good