Editing Argument from morality (section)

===Argument from objective moral truths===
Both theists and non-theists have accepted that the existence of objective moral truths might entail the existence of God. [[Atheism|Atheist]] philosopher [[J. L. Mackie]] accepted that, if objective moral truths existed, they would warrant a supernatural explanation. Scottish philosopher [[W. R. Sorley]] presented the following argument:
#If morality is objective and absolute, God must exist.
#Morality is objective and absolute.
#Therefore, God must exist.<ref name=Martin>Martin 1992, pp. 213–214</ref>

Many critics have challenged the second premise of this argument, by offering a biological and sociological account of the development of human morality which suggests that it is neither objective nor absolute. This account, supported by biologist [[E. O. Wilson]] and philosopher [[Michael Ruse]], proposes that the human experience of morality is a by-product of natural selection, a theory philosopher Mark D. Linville calls evolutionary naturalism. According to the theory, the human experience of moral obligations was the result of [[evolution|evolutionary pressures]], which attached a sense of morality to human psychology because it was useful for moral development; this entails that moral values do not exist independently of the human mind. Morality might be better understood as an evolutionary imperative in order to propagate genes and ultimately reproduce. No human society today advocates immorality, such as theft or murder, because it would undoubtedly lead to the end of that particular society and any chance for future survival of offspring. Scottish empiricist [[David Hume]] made a similar argument, that belief in objective moral truths is unwarranted and to discuss them is meaningless.<ref>Craig & Moreland 2011, p. 393</ref>  

Because evolutionary naturalism proposes an [[empiricism|empirical]] account of morality, it does not require morality to exist objectively; Linville considers the view that this will lead to [[moral scepticism]] or [[antirealism]].<ref>Craig & Moreland 2011, pp. 393–394</ref><ref>Boniolo & De Anna 2006, pp. 24–25</ref> [[C. S. Lewis]] argued that, if evolutionary naturalism is accepted, human morality cannot be described as absolute and objective because moral statements cannot be right or wrong. Despite this, Lewis argued, those who accept evolutionary naturalism still act as if objective moral truths exist, leading Lewis to reject naturalism as incoherent.<ref>McSwain & Ward 2010, pp. 110–111</ref> As an alternative ethical theory, Lewis offered a form of [[divine command theory]] which equated God with goodness and treated goodness as an essential part of reality, thus asserting God's existence.<ref>McSwain & Ward 2010, p. 112</ref>

J. C. A. Gaskin challenges the first premise of the argument from moral objectivity, arguing that it must be shown why absolute and objective morality entails that morality is [[divine command theory|commanded by God]], rather than simply a human invention. It could be the consent of humanity that gives it moral force, for example.<ref name="Parkinson" /> American philosopher [[Michael Martin (philosopher)|Michael Martin]] argues that it is not [[logical truth|necessarily true]] that objective moral truths must entail the existence of God, suggesting that there could be alternative explanations: he argues that naturalism may be an acceptable explanation and, even if a supernatural explanation is necessary, it does not have to be God ([[polytheism]] is a viable alternative). Martin also argues that a non-objective account of ethics might be acceptable and challenges the view that a subjective account of morality would lead to moral anarchy.<ref name=Martin/>

[[William Lane Craig]] has argued for this form of the moral argument.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxiAikEk2vU | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211115/OxiAikEk2vU| archive-date=2021-11-15 | url-status=live|title=The Moral Argument |publisher=DrCraigVideos |date=January 21, 2015 |website=[[Youtube.com]] |access-date=March 21, 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref>