a2 religious ethics revision conscience 2 joseph butler (1692 - 1752)

A2 Religious Ethics A2 Religious Ethics RevisionRevision

Conscience 2Conscience 2

JOSEPH BUTLERJOSEPH BUTLER

(1692 - 1752)(1692 - 1752)

Joseph Butler was Bishop of Durham from 1750 and

a supporter of ‘natural theology’ – a system of

theology based on reason alone, without the

support of revelation

ButlerButlerargued that the conscience is the

means by which an individual makes a

moral decision

ButlerButlerEvery human being has the

ability to reflect on moral issues, and they have an

awareness of two basic, and possibly conflicting, principles,

self-loveself-love and

love of otherslove of others (benevolence)

ButlerButler Conscience directs us

towards concentrating on the

interests of others and away from love of self

ButlerButler

People do not normally choose

to do evil

ButlerButler Rather, they pursue their own interests or

cause with which they identify

evilevil is a by-product of this.

Problem!Problem!

Butler’s hypothesis appears Butler’s hypothesis appears to have been proved wrong to have been proved wrong

in the events of recent in the events of recent history, in which people history, in which people quite clearly appear to quite clearly appear to

have chosen evil over goodhave chosen evil over good

Ian Huntley & Maxine Ian Huntley & Maxine CarrCarr

(the Soham murders)(the Soham murders)

Peter and Rosemary Peter and Rosemary WestWest

Peter Sutcliffe Peter Sutcliffe (The Yorkshire Ripper)(The Yorkshire Ripper)

SELF-LOVESELF-LOVE

The desire for happiness The desire for happiness for the selffor the self

It is not a passion or It is not a passion or emotional response, emotional response,

nor is it merely nor is it merely instinctiveinstinctive

SELF-LOVESELF-LOVEIs when a personIs when a person

‘‘can reflect upon can reflect upon themselves, and their themselves, and their

own interest or own interest or happiness, so as to happiness, so as to

have that interest an have that interest an object to their minds’object to their minds’

BENEVOLENCEBENEVOLENCEThe desire for The desire for the happiness the happiness

of others of others (altruism)(altruism)

Conscience Conscience ‘adjudicates’ ‘adjudicates’

between these between these two intereststwo interests

It behaves as a guideguide

a gift from Godgift from God to show the way

towards the good

Because it is Because it is from God, it from God, it should be should be

obeyed without obeyed without questionquestion

It has universal It has universal authority in all moral authority in all moral

judgementsjudgements

How do we know How do we know it?it?

Through Through INTUITIONINTUITION

The mind is able to The mind is able to perceive abstract perceive abstract concepts or truths concepts or truths normally believed normally believed

to be beyond to be beyond empirical empirical

experienceexperience

What Butler What Butler believedbelieved

While Aquinas argued that While Aquinas argued that conscience was the ‘conscience was the ‘voice voice

of reasonof reason

Butler stated that Butler stated that conscience derived from conscience derived from

intuitionintuition


Individuals make Individuals make moral decisions moral decisions

without any thought without any thought to the sanctions of to the sanctions of

an external lawan external law


Man is a law unto himself


The obligation to The obligation to obey the law is, obey the law is,

through its source through its source in human nature, in human nature, put there by Godput there by God


The demands of The demands of conscience are conscience are

compelling without compelling without any recourse to an any recourse to an external authorityexternal authority


The conscience The conscience is self-is self-

authenticatingauthenticating


Gave Gave conscience conscience absoluteabsolute authority authority


Required that the Required that the conscience be conscience be

followed without followed without questionquestion


This leads to This leads to

TWOTWO

problemsproblems

Problem OneProblem One

The conscience The conscience may be misled or may be misled or

misinterpretedmisinterpreted

Problem TwoProblem Two

Intuition is impossible to Intuition is impossible to cross-reference as it is given cross-reference as it is given

absolute authorityabsolute authority

((Remember the Non-Remember the Non-Cognitivists?Cognitivists?))


Intuition relates Intuition relates and answers only and answers only

to itselfto itself


This could ‘permit’ a This could ‘permit’ a person to behave in person to behave in a way that does not a way that does not

provide for the provide for the happiness of othershappiness of others

The The EndEnd

a2 religious ethics revision conscience 2 joseph butler (1692 - 1752)

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