Does Evolution Undermine Ethics?

Many people think that evolution undermines objective ethics. How can we say that ethical judgments are true or false, if these judgments arise from evolution by natural selection? Evolution is concerned only with what enhances reproductive success. To the extent that genes that lead to certain behavior give a selective advantage to their carriers, they will tend to spread through the population. If this explains why we act, this appears to leave no room for explaining ethical behavior though its conformity to truth.

Jesus and the Christian Socialist’s Problem of Evil

In philosophy and theology, there is an issue called “theodicy” or the problem of evil. The problem of evil has been stated and restated several times throughout history. Put very simply, if God is all-powerful and good, then why is there suffering and evil? In fact, these very questions and issues (among others) are the bulk of the Old Testament book of Job:

Job 9:22-24—“It is all one; therefore I say,

‘He destroys the guiltless and the wicked.’