16: Mo Morals Mo Problems

On today’s show, Chong and Dan start by explaining our absence (there’s a good reason!) and sharing our resolutions for 2021. We then get into the realm of philosophy by exploring how one can resolve moral dilemmas. After a quick visit to the Enlightenment, we explore two well-known approaches to moral thinking, utilitarianism and deontological ethics. Finally, we apply them to a case study involving COVID-19 vaccines. How do they help us to think through the issues, what are their weaknesses, and what does Christianity have to say about moral dilemmas?

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Show notes

2021 resolutions (02:10)

The Wisdom Pyramid

Flossing

Morality and the Da Vinci Problem (5:55)

• Da Vinci the Renaissance man… and grave robber
• Concept of moral distance

Moral dilemmas (10:09)

• A situation when two or more moral principles are (seemingly) at odds
• Examples: “Does my butt look big in this?”, the Trolley problem, Twitter and Facebook banning Trump

Trolley problem - Wikipedia

Dan presents: The Enlightenment (19:59)

• Enlightenment TL;DR - reason and science
• Observing and classifying the natural world, bringing this to the moral world

Utilitarianism (aka consequentialism) (28:33)

• Whatever action that will maximise human happiness is the ethical one
• Examples and problems - The Organ Donor

Consequentialism

Deontological ethics (40:06)

• Whatever you do, only live by the rules which can be expanded to become universal laws
• Examples and problems - The Nazi at the Door

Deontological Ethics

Case study: COVID-19 vaccines (46:15)

• Leading vaccines were made with the assistance of cell lines original obtained from aborted human foetuses
• What moral principles should guide our attitude and actions?

The Covid Vaccine And Abortion Pt1 - When Good And Evil Intertwine

The Covid Vaccine And Abortion Pt 2 - Guiding Attitudes And Defining The Problem

The Covid Vaccine And Abortion Pt 3 - Guiding Attitudes And Defining The Problem

The Christian perspective (57:52)

• Our world is broken, which gives rise to both moral dilemmas and imperfect solutions (Ecclesiastes 8:14, Job 14:1-2)
• Christians nevertheless have a positive duty to act out of costly, self-giving love (Colossians 3:17)
• Everything is under God’s control and the brokenness in the world will one day be redeemed and restored (Revelation 21:1-14)

Conclusion (1:02:49)

• The Christian worldview is sober-minded about the challenge of moral dilemmas
• Nevertheless, we must wrestle with moral dilemmas and live as best we can under God’s rule