PROBLEMS FOR THE PERSONAL THEIST:  . The late philosopher at West Point, Louis Pojman, thought he had the Hebrew or Christian Divine Command Theorist in a corner with the “morality is arbitrary” problem that adherents of the DCT (Divine Command Theory) have.  Pojman thinks that there is no way around the moral instability that would result if the DCT is true.  Many problems surface.  For instance, Pojman thinks that the Divine Command Theorist is left with the epistemic problem of figuring out if the Judeo-Christian Scriptures (i.e. the Bible) are true.  Also, if morality is arbitrary then moral commands from God might be the same as moral commands from the devil (depending upon the day).  Finally, a God of love seems inconsistent with the ability to make it right to rape, torture, and kill people.  (Pojman, Discovering Right and Wrong, p. 196) . How might a Personal Theist respond to Pojman’s analysis?

Christian philosopher George Mavrodes leveled three arguments against the atheist Bertrand Russell and others who think it is possible to establish a secular ethics (without God).  . These arguments are popular arguments theists use against atheistic ethical theories.  Which of the following is not one of the arguments a theist like Mavrodes would use against an atheist like Russell?

John Hick tells the story of an ant who wakes up to find himself understanding truths of socio-biology (evolutionary theory) and finding himself possessed of free will . . . Hick says, “Suppose him to be called upon to immolate himself for the sake of the ant-hill. He feels the powerful pressure of instinct pushing him towards this self-destruction. But he asks himself why he should voluntarily . . . carry out the suicidal programme to which instinct prompts him? Why should he regard the future existence of a million million other ants as more important to him than his own continued existence? . . . Since all that he is and has or ever can have is his own present existence, surely in so far as he is free from the domination of the blind force of instinct he will opt for life–his own life.” . What is the point that theistic philosopher, John Hick, is trying to make?

PERSONAL THEISM & DIVINE COMMAND THEORY:  A popular reason why theists like the late West Point philosopher, Louis Pojman, gave for theists to adopt the DCT (Divine Command Theory) is that it best fits with intuitions about “the omnipotence or sovereignty of God.” (Pojman, 195)   . Many Christians would add that Christians believe what Paul wrote to the church at Colosse is true and it shows up in the early creeds of the church:  “. . . creator of the seen and unseen. . .”  (Colossians, 1:16)  This might include non-physical entities like moral properties.   

Problems for the Personal Theist:  The Eutyphro Dilemma /. The second problem with Divine Command Theory is that it seems to make morality into something arbitrary, since God could change his mind tomorrow and make torture, rape, and incest good and right acts.  This is one of the horns of the Euthyphro Dilemma.    

Varieties of Theism:  Personal Theism, Impersonal Theism, Polytheism (finite theism), etc.  . Most Finite theists (e.g. those who hold the LDS Mormon worldview and who think our God does not have all of the “omni” properties) think logic and mathematics are autonomous from God (like morality according to the autonomy thesis).  Many Christian theologians (like Saint Augustine, William Lane Craig, J.P. Moreland, etc.) think that the best explanation of the existence of immaterial entities (abstract objects) like moral properties, mathematical entities, and the laws of logic is to locate them in the mind of God.  A similar debate is between the Neo-Platonists and Christian Theists when we ask if these non-physical (immaterial) universals exist on their own or if they are located in the mind of a person–God.  

What happens when the muscles in the throat become tense?

PROBLEMS WITH THE AUTONOMY THESIS:  Do our moral intuitions show us that God is necessary in ethics?  Immanuel Kant thought that the idea of God serves as a completion of our ordinary ideas of ethics.  The ideas being an afterlife where we can continue working towards moral perfection AND the idea that there is moral accountability in the afterlife–50% of murderers in the USA get away with it. 

What goals were the clinician and Leo working on during the session?

Identify at least six workplace hazards from the simulated environment.For each hazard, record:Location of the hazard.Description of the hazard.Why the condition is unsafe.Who could be affected.Whether the hazard appears immediate, routine, or potential.You may identify hazards from warehouse, shop, storage, office, or general workplace areas.Copy and paste this chart into the answer box below:Workplace Hazard Recognition ChecklistHazardWork AreaHazard DescriptionUnsafe Act / Unsafe ConditionWho could be affected?Why this hazard is a concern?