The Religious Nature of Ethics

This paper analyses the nature of ethical concepts, views, and theories and inquires in particular to what extent they may be considered religious. The analysis is not limited to the religious aspects of specific religious worldviews (such as Christianity). The concepts ‘good’ and ‘dignity’ are examined as representative examples. This is a meta-ethical issue, which may profitably be explored by examining the positions of representatives of moral realism, noncognitivism and ethical constructivism. The practical consequences of this inquiry are also discussed; to that end, the meaning of ‘self-interest’ is explored, and two varieties are introduced, namely, direct and indirect self-interest.