A new defense of universal morality: Synthesizing the natural and social sciences with theism

The driving question behind this dissertation focuses on metaphysical naturalism and theism as they relate to universal morality. More specifically, can a naturalistic metaphysic be used to provide an adequate justification for universal morality? To answer this question, I turn to three distinct naturalistic responses found in the work of Jurgen Habermas, Ronald Dworkin and Marc Hauser. I chose these three figures because, collectively, they provide clear, plausible, yet varied, examples of universal naturalism. Traditionally, various forms of universal naturalism have been justified in three ways: rational consensus, intrinsic human value, or humanity's shared biological nature. Each of the figures highlighted represents one of these major justification strategies. However, if all three of these secular strategies fall short for various reasons, then it will hurt the overall viability of universal naturalism. I argue that most of the problems associated with naturalistic moral theories arise as a result of their limited metaphysic.;Therefore, the purpose of this dissertation is threefold. First, I will analyze the three distinct responses mentioned above in an attempt to discern the viability of universal naturalism. Can a form of universal morality be adequately defended using a form of metaphysical naturalism? Second, I will introduce a set of coherence-based criteria to help determine the relative strength of each moral theory. The four criteria used are empirical fruitfulness, internal consistency, comprehensiveness, and rationality. Based on this analysis, some general conclusions will be made regarding the various strengths and weaknesses of universal naturalism. Third, I will introduce theism as a viable alternative to metaphysical naturalism. The overall goal is to show the compatibility that exists among metaphysical theism and the three moral research programs highlighted by Habermas, Dworkin, and Hauser. It is my contention that adding a theistic metaphysic to these naturalistic research programs will help provide a more adequate justification for universal morality, making it a necessary dialogue partner in the current moralal landscape. Therefore, it is the thesis of this project that the strongest justification for universal morality comes when all four of these moral theories are synthesized to provide a more comprehensive moral research program overall.