Aristotle who lived in the third century BC developed a way to logically deduce an idea, to determine whether or not the idea posited is rational, logical, and truthful. This is known as a logical syllogism and it is still employed in formal logic to this day! The system or syllogism is very simple as well as it’s explanation. One proposes at least two premises and then from those premises, logically deduces a conclusion. If the premises are true, it is impossible for the conclusion to be not true. So here is a simple example of an aristotelian syllogism.

All men are mortal (First Premise)

Socrates is a man (Second Premise)

Therefore Socrates is mortal (logical conclusion)

If the premises are true, The conclusion is self evident. It is beyond dispute. For one to seek to show that the conclusion is not true, one must find fault within the premises themselves. This is comprehensive way to test whether a theory is sound and whether it is true.

I will employee this very system of logic to prove that morality does not exist in the eye of the beholder. In other words there in deed does exist object if transcendent moral values. That morality is not subjective in essence. So let’s begin!

If there exists an objective moral law, there must exist a moral Lawgiver

There exists an objective moral law

Therefore God exists

Let’s first begin by looking at the premises to discover if there is in fact an objective moral law.In other words is there such a standard that transcends culture and time? I would submit to you that there absolutely is. In fact I would even go as far to say that this is a first principle, which means it is self-evident it doesn’t even have to be proven. Yet for the sake of conversation I shall seek to prove the standard exists.

From the very beginning of time in all cultures it is morally evil to commit adultery with your neighbors wife. There never is an exception where it will be morally permissible for one to sleep with their neighbors wife. This has been considered morally evil so this is not a result of cultural conditioning or evolutionary process but is a transcendent moral value.

Some may contend perhaps it used to be moral before history began to be written down, but through the evolutionary process we evolved to a point where we considered this an immoral act. Perhaps, but we are looking at history, and anthropology, not “maybe this…” and all that encompasses.

Stealing is another objective moral value. In the popular book and movie Les Miserables Jean Valjean goes to prison for stealing bread to feed his sisters. Now one can argue he stole for of a good motive, if he would not have stolen the bread his sisters would have died. Nevertheless realizing that there exists objective morality, the characters in Victor Hugo‘s book send Jean Valjean to prison.

This is just the first half of my first premise. Yet we have seen empirically, experientially, evidentially, concretely, that there exists a moral law that is objective that exists outside of ourselves that extends beyond time and be on the borders of culture!

Next we will look at the logical conclusions of denying objectivity in the realm of ethics.