The Divine Command Theory For Moral Guidance - 1957 Words

For centuries people have contemplated what makes actions morally right or wrong. They have searched for some fundamental moral principle that can be applied to every moral dilemma. From these efforts various theories of morality have been developed, all of which have their own successes and shortcomings. Many religious believers look to the Divine Command Theory for moral guidance. This theory states that if God commands you to do act A, then it is your moral obligation to do A. An issue with the divine command theory is that it suggests that God could have chosen to make killing morally right and helping other wrong which is against our deep moral convictions. Another theory is Act Consequentialism, which states that you ought to act in a way that produces the most optimific (greatest balance of benefits to drawbacks) results. By Act Consequentialism the method to making the right moral decision is to determine what is intrinsically good/bad and what the options for acting are, the n choose the act that yields the best consequences. There are several situations in which the optimific act is unjust (i.e. harvesting ones organs to save multiple people). In trying to correct this issue Rule Consequentialism was developed, which states that an action is morally right if and only if the actions accords with optimific rules. This theory often leads to favoring rules over the good or faces similar issues as Act Consequentialism. The Kantian perspective helps to deal with theShow MoreRelatedThe Divine Command Theory ( Dct )1448 Words   |  6 Pages A shift in philosophy from a relativist point of view to a moral perspective brought about several new revolutionary ideas. One particular theory that is hotly debated is the divine command theory (DCT). This controversial idea essentially says that God is the boss. It proposes that God decides what is moral and good, and therefore how we should be acting. It is a relationship between two claims, one of which God commands , and as a result the other is what is right. Many people and philosophersRead MoreThe Doctrine Of The Divine Command Theory914 Words   |  4 PagesRachels describes the Divine Command theory as weak because it makes morality mysterious. According to the Divine Command Theory, nothing is good nor bad, unless God’s thinking makes it so. For example, child abuse. Child abuse is wrong, but according to this theory, it is neither right nor wrong (because the God’s have not commanded it so). If the God’s were to command that child abuse was right, this still does not make child abuse right, so therefore this theory is untenable and makes us furtherRead MoreThe Divine Command Theory, And Natural Law Theory1369 Words   |  6 Pagesidea of objective morality on the assumption that some moral ideals are universal and should be the moral responsibility of everyone. Subjective moralists counter this argument by explaining that each moral decision is independent bec ause each moral situation is unique to its own conditions. Ultimately, these two views shape the nature of moral philosophy and theology, each describing the different natures of morality (Hammond). These two theories have a large impact on the thinking process of humansRead MoreDivine Command Theory And Natural Law Theory948 Words   |  4 Pagesundeniable, these age old systems of belief and worship of a higher being or deity were, in a sense, their own moral systems, two of which are Divine Command Theory and Natural Law Theory. These two systems, among others, once guided and advised ancient humans in moral judgements. Divine Command Theory is a proposed relationship between moral correctness and the higher deity’s commands, henceforth the deity will be called god. This situation is elaborated upon in a dialogue between Socrates andRead MoreThe Doctrine Of The Divine Command Theory1488 Words   |  6 PagesIs the churches moral teaching of value only to Catholics or to everyone, and either way, why? Christian morality is centered on assessing the ethical implications of us as people. Who we ought and be, and what actions we ought to take or avoid based on an understanding of the scripture and relevant human experiences. I do not subscribe to the divine command theory (DCT) of ethics, as I believe you can have ethics without God. The DCT proposes that what is morally right is what God has commandedRead MoreIn James Rachels’ Book, The Element Of Moral Philosophy,858 Words   |  4 PagesElement of Moral Philosophy, he made interesting point in the fourth chapter. He points out the similarities and differences between morality and religion. Mostly, when thought about morals, religion is mention. Religion is almost all about morals. Directing what is wrong and right. Divine Command Theory is morality relationship between God (gods) and the people. God (gods) orders the meaning of good and the bad. People need to follow the rules to receive blessings from their creator. The T heory of NaturalRead MoreMagistrates of Morality: How the Euthyphro Dilemma Cripples Divine Command Theory1654 Words   |  7 Pagesone is to follow in order to live as a good, moral being. When a deity (or a group of deities) commands followers to abide by specific moral standards though a vehicle such as prophets, religious texts or otherwise, this is called Divine Command Theory (DCT). Those who accept this theory believe that moral action coincides with what has been ordered by the deities, and immoral action would occur when one deviates from these orders. Despite this theory remaining relevant into the twenty-first centuryRead MoreThe Doctrine Of The Existence Of God1470 Words   |  6 PagesOne of the most prevalent arguments for the existence of God is the moral argument. It states that God alone makes sense of moral values, and since moral values exist, then God exists. A great number of people nowadays, including atheists and agnostics, trust in moral values. However, they do not agree with the Christian answer to provide a basis for those values. For many years homosexuality has been a debate over acceptance but has been for the most part considered an immoral act based on religiousRead MoreDivine Command Theory, Deontology, And Virtue Ethics1618 Words   |  7 Pagesethical questions which we encounter. That being, divine command theory, utilitarianism, deontology, and virtue ethics all provide adequate insight to everyday morality. There are flaws and strengths to each and every one of these concepts. However, divine command theory proves to provide the most requisite intellect with minute disfigurement. Divine command theory offers a chance at a purposeful reason to undertake morality with the right manor. This theory also represents a constant state of rules thatRead MoreEssay 11280 Words   |  6 Pagesa favor by lowering the margin of error, which can be actually the case here in Crito. And with Socrates having the resources to escape a nd him, also being innocent may fit the standards to which one can escape. But of course, this theory has a flaw. First, this theory would suspect that all prisoners are honest and truthful to themselves that they can only escape if they are actually innocent, even if they do have the means to escape. Another is if you value your virtue and principle as much as Socrates