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EnglandReligious Studies

3.2 Philosophy of religion and ethics: Ethics and religion

6 dot points across 6 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

Should the morality of an action be judged by the happiness it produces or by the duty behind it?

Utilitarianism (Bentham and Mill) and Kantian deontological ethics, including the hedonic calculus, higher and lower pleasures, the categorical imperative and the good will.
An AQA A-Level Religious Studies answer to Bentham, Mill and Kant, covering act and rule utilitarianism, the hedonic calculus, higher and lower pleasures, Kant's good will, duty and the categorical imperative, with strengths and criticisms.
11 min answer →

Is conscience the voice of God, the verdict of reason, or simply the product of our upbringing?

The nature and role of conscience, including the religious views of Aquinas and Newman and the psychological views of Freud, and whether conscience is innate or learned.
An AQA A-Level Religious Studies answer to conscience, covering Aquinas's synderesis and conscientia, Newman's voice of God, Freud's psychological account of the super-ego, and whether conscience is innate or learned.
10 min answer →

When we say something is 'good', are we describing a fact, expressing a feeling, or issuing a command?

Meta-ethics: the meaning of ethical language, including naturalism, intuitionism (Moore's naturalistic fallacy), and non-cognitivist theories of emotivism (Ayer) and prescriptivism (Hare).
An AQA A-Level Religious Studies answer to meta-ethics, covering ethical naturalism, Moore's intuitionism and the naturalistic fallacy, Ayer's emotivism and Hare's prescriptivism, with strengths and weaknesses of each.
10 min answer →

If our choices are determined by causes beyond us, can we really be held morally responsible for what we do?

Free will and moral responsibility, including hard determinism, libertarianism and compatibilism (soft determinism), and the religious idea of predestination.
An AQA A-Level Religious Studies answer to free will and moral responsibility, covering hard determinism, libertarianism, compatibilism (soft determinism) and religious predestination, and their implications for moral responsibility.
10 min answer →

When deciding what is right, should we follow rules, calculate consequences or cultivate good character?

The three main normative ethical theories: natural moral law (Aquinas), situation ethics (Fletcher) and virtue ethics (Aristotle), including their key principles and applications.
An AQA A-Level Religious Studies answer to the three normative ethical theories, covering Aquinas's natural moral law, Fletcher's situation ethics and Aristotle's virtue ethics, with their key principles, strengths and weaknesses.
11 min answer →

How do rival ethical theories actually decide hard cases in stealing, lying, war and simulated killing?

The application of ethical theories to issues of human life and death and non-human life and death, including theft, lying, deception, war and the use of computer-generated or virtual life.
An AQA A-Level Religious Studies answer to applied ethics, showing how natural law, situation ethics, virtue ethics, utilitarianism and Kantian ethics judge theft, lying and deception, war and the use of computer-generated and virtual life.
11 min answer →