1. Principles of Ethics 445N
Week 2 Discussion: Religion and EthicsRequired ResourcesRead/review the following
resources for this activity:Textbook: Chapters 3, 4LessonMinimum of 1 scholarly source (in
addition to the textbook)Ebook Uploaded below:Rachels, S., & Rachels, J. (2019). The
elements of moral philosophy (9th ed.)Initial Post InstructionsSt. Augustine in the 5th
Century held that we are free to make choices in life. This is the idea of free will. It may
seem at first glance odd for a religious thinker to say that we have free will. After all, if God
exists, then God created all things. God knows already what we will do. God can cause
anything to occur. If we cause things to occur, that seems to be a limitation on the power of
God and not make God all-powerful.There are also religion traditions that say that we have
no free will. There are some theologians in Islam who seem to suggest that is true. In order
for this line of reasoning to hold true, one would need to believe free will is an illusion and
that we have no control over how we live our lives, but rather that we are puppets moving
and acting due to God’s will and the powers of destiny and fate. And if this then in the case,
how can we possibly be responsible for our actions?The considerations above show us to
what degree our religious beliefs can shape us. For instance, someone who believes in free
will may experience way more guilt than someone who believes we don’t have free will and
thus aren’t responsible for the choices (and consequences) of the actions we take.Personal
struggles with religion and ethics occur in many places, including in the healthcare arena.
Consider the following: You are a nurse in a hospital. A 12 year-old was brought to the
hospital by an ambulance. The parents have just arrived at the hospital. This 12 year-old has
lost a large amount of blood and requires a transfusion. The parents happen to be members
of a religion that believes that blood transfusions are immoral. They want to remove the
child from the hospital and prevent the transfusion even if it means the death of the child.
You have to decide whether or not you will participate in an action that violates the will of
the parents and aid in providing blood for the child. If you choose to participate, and even if
you are able to legally justify it, you have to think about the distress you are creating for the
parents. If you refuse to aid here, you may be subject to retaliation from the hospital. What
is the moral thing for the nurse to do here?Initial Post InstructionsFor the initial post,
address the following questions:What would a divine command ethicist say is the moral
thing to do here? Why would they say that? Do you agree with the divine command ethics?
Why or why not?Evaluate what a natural law ethicist would say is right to do. Do you agree
with them? Why or why not?Given what you said are the right things to do, what would an
emotivist say about your positions and judgments? What role does subjectivity play here in

2. determining what is ethical?Writing RequirementsMinimum of 2 sources cited (assigned
readings/online lessons and an outside scholarly source)APA format for in-text citations
and list of referencesCriteriaInitial Post Content: Addresses all aspects of the initial
discussion question(s), applying experiences, knowledge, and understanding regarding all
weekly concepts.Evidence & Sources: Integrates evidence to support discussion from
assigned readings** OR online lessons, AND at least one outside scholarly source.***
Sources are credited.*Professional Communication: Presents information using clear and
concise language in an organized manner (minimal errors in English grammar, spelling,
syntax, and punctuation).NotesCredited means stating where the information came from
(specific article, text, or lesson). Examples: our text discusses…., The information from our
lesson states…, Smith (2010) claimed that…, Mary Manners (personal communication,
November 2017)…**Assigned readings are those listed on the syllabus or assignments page
as required reading. This may include text readings, required articles, or required
websites.***Scholarly source – per APA Guidelines, only scholarly sources should be used in
assignments. These include peer-reviewed publications, government reports, or sources
written by a professional or scholar in the field. Wikipedia, Wikis, .com websites or blogs
should not be used as anyone can add information to these sites. For the discussions,
reputable internet sources such as websites by government agencies (.gov) and respected
organizations (.org) can be counted as scholarly sources. Outside sources do not include
assigned required readings.