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Moral absolutism
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Moral absolutism is the meta-ethical view that certain actions are absolutely right or wrong, devoid of the context of the act. Thus lying, for instance, might be considered to be always immoral, even if done to promote some other good (e.g., saving a life). Moral absolutism stands in contrast to categories of ethical theories such as consequentialism and situational ethics, which holds that the morality of an act depends on the consequences or the context of the act.
Ethical theories which place strong emphasis on rights, such as the deontological ethics of Immanuel Kant, are often forms of moral absolutism, as are many religious moral codes, particularly those of the Abrahamic religions.
l absolutism should not be confused with moral universalism (also variously called moral objectivism, moderate moral realism, or minimalist moral realism), which holds that the same things are right and wrong for all similarly-situated people, regardless of anyone's opinions, though not necessarily regardless of context.
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Encyclopedia
Moral absolutism is the meta-ethical view that certain actions are absolutely right or wrong, devoid of the context of the act. Thus lying, for instance, might be considered to be always immoral, even if done to promote some other good (e.g., saving a life). Moral absolutism stands in contrast to categories of ethical theories such as consequentialism and situational ethics, which holds that the morality of an act depends on the consequences or the context of the act.
Ethical theories which place strong emphasis on rights, such as the deontological ethics of Immanuel Kant, are often forms of moral absolutism, as are many religious moral codes, particularly those of the Abrahamic religions.
Moral absolutism and moral universalism
Moral absolutism should not be confused with moral universalism (also variously called moral objectivism, moderate moral realism, or minimalist moral realism), which holds that the same things are right and wrong for all similarly-situated people, regardless of anyone's opinions, though not necessarily regardless of context. Moral universalism is in turn opposed to moral relativism (which holds that moral truths are relative to social, cultural, historical or personal preferences), and to moral nihilism (which holds that nothing is right or wrong in any sense at all).
L.P. Pojman gives the following definitions to distinguish the two positions:
- "Moral absolutism: There is at least one principle that ought never to be violated."
- "Moral objectivism: There is a fact of the matter as to whether any given action is morally permissible or impermissible: a fact of the matter that does not depend solely on social custom or individual acceptance."
Moral absolutism and religion
Moral absolutism may be understood in a strictly secular context, as in many forms of deontological moral rationalism. However, many religions have morally absolutist positions as well, regarding their system of morality as deriving from the commands of deity. Therefore, they regard such a moral system as absolute, (usually) perfect, and unchangeable. Many secular philosophies also take a morally absolutist stance, arguing that absolute laws of morality are inherent in the nature of human beings, the nature of life in general, or the universe itself. For example, someone who believes absolutely in nonviolence considers it wrong to use violence even in self-defense. For another example, under some religious moral absolutist beliefs, homosexual behavior is considered fundamentally wrong, even in a consensual relationship.
The historical character of religious belief is seen by some as grounds for criticism of religious moral absolutism. In Deuteronomy 15:12-15; Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 4:1; & I Timothy 6:1-2 the Bible recognizes and regulates the practice of keeping slaves. These passages have been historically interpreted as providing an endorsement of slavery. For example Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederate States of America remarked in a speech before the U.S. Senate that:
Graded absolutism
Many Christians regard Christian theology as teaching a hierarchy of moral absolutes — a view called graded absolutism. Here, if there is a conflict between two absolutes, the duty to obey the higher one exempts one from the duty to the lower one. And the order is duty to God > duty to fellow humans > duty to property. The Greatest commandment is the cornerstone of this moral system. Under this system, Corrie ten Boom was morally justified to lie to Nazis about the Jews her family was hiding, because protecting lives is a higher moral value than telling the truth to murderers. Norman Geisler defends this view in his book Christian Ethics (Baker Book House, 1981).
See also
External links
- Christ in Creation and Ethical Monism; by Augustus Hopkins Strong, 1899.
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