1A: Divine Command Theory

Question 1

What is Divine Command Theory (DCT)?

Answer 1

• religious ethic that suggests that morality is ultimately dependent upon God. e.g. stealing/murder are wrong as God has commanded it this way
• meta-ethical theory and therefore attempts to tell us the nature of morality.

Question 2

What are the four key sections of DCT?

Answer 2

• God as origin and regulator of morality
• right and wrong are objective truths
• moral goodness can be achieved through complying with God
• requirement of God’s omnipotence

Question 3

Section 1 - God as origin and regulator of morality:

Answer 3

• morality is determined by God’s commands, therefore morality is ultimately dependent upon God
• those following DCT often look to sacred texts or scripture, e.g. Ten Commandments in Exodus 20 in Christianity.
• we know murder is wrong due to the commands of God

Question 4

Section 2 - right and wrong as objective truths:

Answer 4

• due to the commands of God action are either right or wrong.
• it doesn’t matter what an individual’s’ opinions or feelings are actions are either right or wring and have been decided and determined by God

Question 5

Section 3 - moral goodness can be achieved by complying with divine command:

Answer 5

• if a person wishes to be good the only way this is possible is to follow the commands of God.
• many people that individuals will face the wrath of God if they do not comply with or obey God’s commands. An example of this is Adam and Eve when they were expelled from the Garden of Eden

Question 6

Section 4 - requirement of God’s omnipotence:

Answer 6

• religious believers justify the theory by stating that it is a result of God’s omnipotence
• those believing God is omnipotent must concede that he is the origin of morality
• if he wasn’t regulator of morality ‘something else’ would have more power ad therefore God wouldn’t be omnipotent

Question 7

What are the challenges to DCT?

Answer 7

• Euthyphro Dilemma
• arbitrariness problem
• pluralism objection

Question 8

Challenge - Euthyphro Dilemma

Question 9

Challenge - arbitrariness problem:

Question 10

Challenge - pluralism objection: