Analysis and Examination of William Lane Craig's Viewpoint on the “Relationship between Religion and Ethics”

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Allameh Tabataba'i University

10.22091/jptr.2024.10145.2981

Abstract

This paper scrutinizes William Lane Craig's perspective on the relation between religion and ethics. According to Craig, knowledge of moral values and obligations is not inherently tied to theism, as he posits that God has embedded moral obligations within the human heart. However, in terms of ontology, Craig contends that theism provides the best explanation for moral realism. Atheistic realists, in avoiding the naturalistic fallacy, are urged to conceptualize moral properties as abstract Platonic entities akin to numbers and propositions, a stance unnecessary within the theistic framework where God, a concrete entity, serves as the supreme good and ultimate source of moral goodness. Critically assessing Craig's viewpoint, the paper contends that (1) real property should not be conflated with an essential constituent. Drawing on Moore's perspective, moral predicates are construed as second-order philosophical concepts inherently tied to the existence of subjects. (2) By centering on the existence of "moral evil," Craig's argument can be inverted, providing grounds for an argument supporting the existence of Satan. (3) The consequence of Craig's argument is the negation of any moral obligation for atheists. (4) Positing obedience to God's command solely for its own sake as irrational, Craig's argument may potentially exhibit circular reasoning.

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Journal of Philosophical Theological Research

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 22 February 2024

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