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WELCOME BACK AS Ethics

WELCOME BACK AS Ethics. Today we will learn more about Aquinas and Natural Law theory. In this lesson we will…. 1] Check everyone understands that Natural Law theory is rooted in Aristotle ideas about causation 2] Learn key facts about Aquinas and Natural Law

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WELCOME BACK AS Ethics

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  1. WELCOME BACK AS Ethics Today we will learn more about Aquinas and Natural Law theory

  2. In this lesson we will… 1] Check everyone understands that Natural Law theory is rooted in Aristotle ideas about causation 2] Learn key facts about Aquinas and Natural Law 3] Work out what is involved in writing an AS essay in ethics

  3. Starter time… I’m Morgan, and I Like the way that Aquinas used the ideas of Aristotle and the stoics. We can use our rational ability to work out what is the natural way to l ive an behave I’m Granny, and I like the idea of there being different types of law. God created us and our world. Things have been designed by him! Aquinas is right about the different types of law I think Aquinas natural law theory sounds incoherent these days. What do you mean by ‘natural’? Also, Aquinas is biased - he things God exists! I’m an atheist and reject what he says about there being a natural law!

  4. Starter time… • What were their names? • What did Mirella think? • How much do you agree with Granny’s view? • How much do you agree with Morgan’s view?

  5. The specification for the AS course says you need to know about Aquinas’ natural law theory • The back ground to Natural Law - Aristotle (and the stoics) • What Aquinas thought about Natural law • Strengths • Weaknesses • How would Natural law be applied to real ethical dilemmas

  6. Getting ready for the exam • You have to be able to answer exam questions about this topic • Here are examples of AS exam questions on Natural Law: • 1 a) Explain the Natural Law theory (25 marks) • B) ‘The Natural Law theory has no serious weaknesses’ Discuss (10 marks) • 1a) Explain the strengths of Natural Law theory (25 marks) • 1b) To what extent could a believer in Natural Law accept embryo research? (10 Marks) • What do you notice about the (a) part? • What do you notice about the (b) part?

  7. AS Essays in Natural Law • What is an AS essay? • How long should it be? • What makes a good AS essay - the level of response • Writing long answers …. Backing up your points… explaining in detail… referring to key thinkers… having some quotes or points from different philosophers • 25 Marks = saying 25 different things • It normally takes at least one sentence to make a point. So absolute minimum - it has to have at least 25 sentences. • This means you will be aiming to write at least a page a half in the exam.

  8. Think about the exam timings: • 90 Minutes to answer: • Two 25 mark questions • Two 10 Mark questions • This gives you 1minute and 17 seconds to get each mark. In that time you ought to be able to write a couple of sentences • For the 25 mark questions you should be writing for about 30 minutes • For the 10 mark question you should be writing for about 10 minutes • An A grade AS exam essay response will be around 3 side long (for the 25 and 10 mark questions)

  9. Essay work • The difference between essay assignments and the actual exam • Your assignment should help you to get the perfect model - using books and the work done in class. • In the exam you will not have the books, but you will have the experience of having done a model answer through the course

  10. How long should you spend on an essay assignment? • You will need to do some reading - of you class work, and of the information in books • It will take a couple of hours to read all this stuff • As you read you should take some notes, and find some quotes (gems) • Make a plan: get the ideas in order, and think carefully about the question you are responding to • Write up the plan, and add in the gems and points you have collected • Re-read your work: is there anything that is missing or should be added?

  11. Minimum timings: • Reading and making notes = 3 hours • Planning time = 30 minutes • Writing time = 100 minutes • Checking, re-reading, and making any corrections = 20 minutes • This comes to about 5 hours! • Reminder: You are a full time student, and you ought to be doing around 45 hours of study over each 7 day week! • At school you have 4 hours of lessons plus one hour of study time (so about 20hours at school for 4 AS courses) • In theory you ought to be doing 5 hours of study for each course! • The ‘a’ in ‘AS’ stands for ‘advanced’ - it is supposed to be hard because it is advanced work!

  12. Keep the essay focus in mind • After half term you will be writing an essay about Natural Law • As we go through this lesson think about this - and make sure you have enough information to be able to write a perfect essay response to: • 1 a) Explain the Natural Law theory (25 marks) • B) ‘The Natural Law theory has no serious weaknesses’ Discuss (10 marks)

  13. What is natural moral law? • Ethical theories that state that there is a natural order to our world - and this should be followed • Some things are natural (= good) and some things are unnatural (= bad) • We have a human nature - and as humans we should follow this • If we want to find deep down happiness/fulfillment (eudamonia) then we should follow our human nature: live as a human should live • If we think (use our reason/intillegence) then we can work out what our purpose (final goal) is and this will help us work out how we should live

  14. The human goal/telos • Humans have an ultimate goal/purpose • This is connected with God (our hearts are restless until they rest in God!) • If we use our intelligence we can work out what our telos is • Once we know our goal then we can act accordingly

  15. Natural law theory is NOT • Just about doing what comes naturally - it is about using our reason • Really a ‘law’ or fixed rule - there is a flexibility (in the way these rules/laws are to be applied)

  16. The origins of Natural Law theory • In Aristotle - causation • In the stoics - very similar to Christian ideas • In Aquinas being very clever! • The purpose of human beings • Eternal law • Divine Law • Natural law Please note the way Aquinas develops Aristotle - The final cause was linked with God

  17. Natural inclinations • Aquinas reckoned that God has instilled in all humans inclinations (desires) to behave in certain ways that lead to the highest good • If we follow these natural inclinations then we can achieve the highest good – the thing which makes us complete (eudiamonia) • We have a basic inclinations - to avoid evil and

  18. So what are the ‘big’ ethical questions about conscience? • Number 1: • What do you mean? What is a conscience? • Number 2: Surely you cannot seriously suggest that conscience is the voice of God inside us? • Number 3: Where does conscience come from? [Obviously it must be from our psychology and social conditioning?] • Number 4: Could conscience be ‘innate’? Could it really be something all humans are born with? • Number 5: How does conscience actually work? Very often we do not follow our conscience… why is this?

  19. What do you know already about Christian ethics? Brainstorm time

  20. Brainstorm Task… • Break into groups of 3 • 1 person is the scribe • 1 person is to present your spider diagram • 1 person will be given a special task in a couple of minutes • You must come up with at least 10 things that you think Christian Ethics is or involves

  21. What do you know already? • Get your traffic lights ready • Green = I know about this already • Yellow = I have heard of it [but I need more information] • Red = I’ve never heard of this [I need to learn about it]

  22. What do you know already about Christian ethics? • Jesus’ main teachings [love of God and love of your neighbour] • The ‘Divine Command Theory’ of Ethics • Church teachings about how Christians should live • The Eyphrothro Dilemma • Biblical Ethics [what the Bible says about ethics] • WWJD (in different situations)

  23. Question Time!!! • What are the answers to these questions? • A] What is a ‘christian’? • B] What are the main features of the Christian religion (suggest 5 key beliefs) • C] What is the connection between Jesus and Christianity? • D] If Jesus was Jewish, why are there Christians? • E] What is the difference between a Catholic and a protestant Christian? • F] How are Christians supposed to live and behave?

  24. The basic issues with the religious ethics of Christianity… • 1] There are different types of Christian, and they have differing opinions about how to live • 2] For example, some Christians are strict Bible based believers who want to live out God’s message. They believe that the Bible is the literal word of God that has to be followed. • 3] Some Christians are very liberal, and come across as ‘situation ethicists’ [love and do what you will] • 4] Some Christians are ‘Calvinists’ and so accept predistinations [so it all comes back to determinism again!]

  25. There is a major problem…. • It all to do with the Bible… • …. The Bible says different things • …. There is a huge difference between the Old and New Testament • ….It is possible to get very different ethical points from the Bible [some parts of the Bible seem to be contradictory] • …. The Bible gives an ‘ambigious’ model: at times God permits many dreadful things to happen

  26. Working out what ethical guidance Jesus gave • Watch the video clips, and as you do complete the statements • When you have watched the last sermon decide what you think the video shows about ‘Christian ethics’ • Be ready to give your view

  27. WWJD • This comes across as a reasonable idea… • However in reality it is much harder to work out what Jesus would do.. • Watch the examples… • … does Jesus contradict himself some times • ….is it to do with the context?

  28. The Divine Command Theory of Ethics • This ethical theory says that ethics comes from God. • What is right [and wrong] has been decided by God. • God has established laws and rules, and these have to be followed if we want to have a happy life. • What ever God commands must be good. • God is good and what God commands just has to be good [it follows].

  29. Classic example • Moses gets the 10 Commandments • If you want to get to heaven you need to live by these commandments • The 10 Commandments were written on stone [permant] and come directly from God

  30. The Divine Command theory of Ethics • Notice the logic being used: • God commands what is good/right • God is good, and this means by definition God establishes good laws • God = the source of all ethics/right behavour. It is the right behavour because it is from God • God and goodness is an analytic: because whatever God commands must be good

  31. What is wrong with the Divine commmand theory of ethics? Can you work out some of the drawbacks in this ethical theory?

  32. What Philosophers and Theologians have said about Conscience Philosophers and theologians throughout history have attempted to clarify the concept of conscience. Perhaps the most famous was St.Thomas Aquinas (1224-1274) who argued that it 'was the mind of man making moral judgments' and described it as containing two essential parts - synderesis and conscientia. • Synderesis entails the repeated use of what he termed 'right' reason (recta ratio) by which a person acquires knowledge of primary moral principles and which acknowledges as a first principle of conduct, that right is to be done and evil avoided.

  33. Assignment: Due for next lesson • Answer these questions in a fully detailed way: • What is the ‘Divine Command Theory of ethics? • Suggest 5 strengths with this ethical theory • Identify 6 major weaknesses with this theory of ethics • Write at least 10 sentences that explain how Christians are supposed to live [Describe what kind of person a Christian is]

  34. Reading Activity • Read the information on pages 15 and 16 of your work pack [OT and NT roots to Christian ethics] • Reading Activity 2: Read the A3 sheet about ‘Biblical Ethics

  35. PLENARY 1] Suggest what ‘Christian’ ethics is 2] Suggest some problems with the divine command theory of ethics 3] What makes this topic very hard to understand? 4] How could your learning have been improved in this lesson [I would have learnt more if………] 5] How would you grade your learning today … using the scale of 1 - 10

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