Religion and Ethics – Ethical thought (Divine Command, Virtue Theory, Ethical Egoism, meta-ethics)

This topic explores four major approaches to ethical decision-making and moral philosophy. Divine Command Theory asserts that morality is grounded in God's commands, making actions right or wrong based on divine will. Virtue Theory, rooted in Aristotle, focuses on character and flourishing (eudaimonia) rather than rules or consequences. Ethical Egoism claims that individuals ought to act in their own self-interest, while meta-ethics examines the nature of moral language, asking whether ethical statements can be true or false. Together, these theories provide a comprehensive framework for understanding how humans reason about right and wrong.

Studying these ethical theories is crucial because they underpin many real-world debates, from religious morality to secular ethics. For the WJEC A-Level, you must be able to compare and contrast these approaches, evaluate their strengths and weaknesses, and apply them to contemporary issues like abortion, euthanasia, or business ethics. Understanding meta-ethics is particularly important as it challenges the very foundations of moral claims, linking to philosophical debates about objectivity and relativism.

This topic fits within the broader 'Religion and Ethics' component, which also covers natural law, situation ethics, and utilitarianism. Mastery of these four theories will enable you to critically engage with ethical dilemmas and demonstrate higher-order thinking in exams, especially in essay questions that require evaluation and synthesis.