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Is an Ethics without God Possible?
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Is an Ethics without God Possible?

A special issue of Religions (ISSN 2077-1444). This special issue belongs to the section "Religions and Humanities/Philosophies".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 July 2025 | Viewed by 2346

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. James P. Sterba

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Philosophy Department, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
Interests: moral and political philosophy; philosophy of religion
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The two previous Special Issues of Religions that I guest-edited confronted the following questions: “Is the God of traditional theism logically compatible with all the evil in the world?” (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/religions/special_issues/god_compatible_evil) and “Do we now have a logical argument from evil? (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/religions/special_issues/evil)” This third Special Issue will address a related question—“Is an ethics without God possible?” 

Notably, some theists maintain that an (objective) ethics can only be grounded either in God’s commands or in his nature. These same theists, along with some atheists, maintain that an (objective) ethics without God is not possible. Other theists maintain, along with still other atheists, that an (objective) ethics must be grounded in a standard that does not depend on the existence of God for its justification. For these theists, along with like-minded atheists, an (objective) ethics without God is possible. Which view, therefore, is correct?  Contributors to this Special Issue must defend one of the available alternatives over the others, and, in doing so, it may be helpful to consider the view I defend in “An Ethics without God that is Compatible with Darwinian Evolution” (published in Religions: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/15/7/781). Contributors are also encouraged to examine the contributions of two other completed Special Issues of Religions on the topics of “God and Ethics”, (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/religions/special_issues/A00AZSX32V) and “God, Ethics and Christian Traditions" (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/religions/special_issues/god_ethics_traditions). Nevertheless, these are only recommendations; what is important is that contributors defend one of the available alternatives over the others.

Prof. Dr. James P. Sterba
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • God’s commands
  • God’s nature
  • objective ethics
  • theism
  • atheism
  • Darwinian evolution

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 170 KiB  
Article
Prolegomena to the Concept of God When Dealing with the Question: Is Ethics Without God Possible?
by Daniel A. Dombrowski
Religions 2025, 16(5), 651; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16050651 - 20 May 2025
Viewed by 121
Abstract
This article examines the assumption that, in order to respond adequately to the question in the title, one must have the classical concept of God in mind. Classical theism is criticized and neoclassical/process theism is briefly defended. Specifically, the classical theistic attribute of [...] Read more.
This article examines the assumption that, in order to respond adequately to the question in the title, one must have the classical concept of God in mind. Classical theism is criticized and neoclassical/process theism is briefly defended. Specifically, the classical theistic attribute of omnipotence receives four criticisms. The hope is that these criticisms prepare the way for a more fruitful response to the question in the title than is possible when the classical concept of God is assumed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Is an Ethics without God Possible?)
18 pages, 214 KiB  
Article
Whether God Exists Is Irrelevant to Ethics
by David Kyle Johnson
Religions 2025, 16(5), 558; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16050558 - 27 Apr 2025
Viewed by 261
Abstract
The question of whether ethics is possible without God is a non-issue. While many believe that without God, morality collapses, I contend that the existence or non-existence of God has no bearing on whether ethics is possible, whether moral truths exist, or whether [...] Read more.
The question of whether ethics is possible without God is a non-issue. While many believe that without God, morality collapses, I contend that the existence or non-existence of God has no bearing on whether ethics is possible, whether moral truths exist, or whether ethical inquiry is viable. Ethics is no more secure within a theistic framework than an atheistic one. I establish this by critically examining Divine Command Theory (DCT) and its variants, including Divine Nature Theory, demonstrating that they fail to provide truthmakers for moral statements, explain moral truths, generate moral knowledge, or serve as a practical guide for ethical decision making. If one seeks a way to justify ethical principles or resolve moral dilemmas, appealing to God does not improve the situation; supernatural explanations, including those invoking divine commands or nature, fail to meet the criteria of explanatory adequacy. I conclude by suggesting a secular approach to ethics—drawing from Ted Schick’s inference to the best action—that does not depend on God’s existence. Ultimately, if moral nihilism is a concern, God’s existence offers no solution. If ethics is possible at all, it is possible regardless of whether God exists. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Is an Ethics without God Possible?)
17 pages, 198 KiB  
Article
Why Ethics Requires a God and Is Safer from Evolutionary Debunking Threats as a Result: A Reply to Sterba
by Gerald K. Harrison
Religions 2025, 16(3), 360; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16030360 - 13 Mar 2025
Viewed by 796
Abstract
Sterba has argued that ethics does not require God and that an atheistic objectivist ethics is compatible with an evolutionary account of our development. This paper argues that though ethics does not require God specifically, it does require a god of some sort, [...] Read more.
Sterba has argued that ethics does not require God and that an atheistic objectivist ethics is compatible with an evolutionary account of our development. This paper argues that though ethics does not require God specifically, it does require a god of some sort, for all normative reasons require a god and moral reasons are simply a subset of normative reasons. Sterba’s criticisms of more orthodox divine command theories of ethics are shown to raise no challenge to my view. Furthermore, even if Sterba’s alternative atheistic objectivist ethics is coherent, it would leave moral norms vulnerable to a particular kind of evolutionary debunking threat in a way that my theistic alternative does not. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Is an Ethics without God Possible?)
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