WJEC/Eduqas RS for A2/Yr2: Religion and Ethics (DRAFT)

WJEC / Eduqas Religious Studies for A Level Year 2 and A2 Religion and Ethics

This section covers AO1 content and skills

F: The implications of libertarianism and free will Implications of libertarianism on moral responsibility The worth of human ideas of rightness, wrongness and moral value The implications of libertarianism for moral responsibility are in many ways the polar-opposite of hard determinism. This is because libertarians believe an agent’s moral life is free from determining factors; such as God’s omnipotent predestination power, psychological behaviourism, biological determinism or universal causation. Therefore, if libertarianism holds true, that a human being has absolute free will, then the only conclusion that can be drawn is that a human being has control over their moral attitudes. Therefore, human ideas of rightness, wrongness and moral value are meaningful concepts. The above conclusion is clearly supported by some of the contributors to the libertarian theory examined earlier. For example, in his free will doctrine religious libertarian Pelagius stated: ‘Our most excellent creator (God) wished us to be able to do either (be good or bad).’ Pelagius also stated: ‘this very capacity to do evil is also good – good, I say. Because it makes the good part better by making it voluntary and independent.’ Pelagius is saying is that God-given free will to do good works or sin is a good thing because it emphasises the goodness when a human being does good works. Therefore, human ideas of rightness, wrongness and moral value have worth because the fact we are free to act means our actions are not morally neutral and it acknowledges that there is, therefore, a right and wrong and that we have moral responsibility. Arminius made a similar point when he stated: ‘God has limited his control in correspondence with man’s freedom.’ What Arminius is arguing is that God does not force the Holy Spirit’s ‘will’ onto human beings because the vital part of the process, for God, is that a human being makes a free-willed choice to decide not to rebel and follow the path of godly goodness. However, some may view Arminius’ argument as watering down the worth of human ideas of rightness and wrongness because the Holy Spirit acts as a human being’s moral guide, it does not come from the agents own ‘will’. The worth of human ideas of rightness, wrongness and moral value are perhaps better emphasised by the libertarian supporters we have considered. This is particularly true of philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre. Sartre believed humankind is condemned to freedom, as he stated: ‘…. man must rely upon his own fallible will and moral insight. He cannot escape choosing.’ Therefore, human ideas of rightness, wrongness and moral value are vital because according to Sartre ‘existence comes before essence’. Human beings are not born with a particular nature but must create one for themselves as they go through life. They are free to choose who they are and how they live. It is all human beings have. Moral agents cannot blame their moral values on anything other than their own free will; otherwise this would be just an example of ‘bad faith’. As Sartre stated: ‘man is not free not to be free’; moral value is purely the result of a human being’s ‘willed’ moral choice. For instance, a human being cannot hide their moral values behind, for example, biological determinism because, as both Sirigu and Jirtle, highlighted, the further science examines evidence, the more it is pointing towards

Specification content The implications of libertarianism on moral responsibility: the worth of human ideas of rightness, wrongness and moral value, the value in blaming human beings for immoral acts, the usefulness of normative ethics.

DRAFT s s

Key quotes This very capacity to do evil is also good – good, I say. Because it makes the good part better by making it voluntary and independent. (Pelagius) God has limited his control in correspondence with man’s freedom. (Arminius)

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