divine command theory divine command theory known theological ethical theory proposes action status morally good equivalent commanded god theory asserts moral determined god commands person moral follow commands followers religions ancient modern times accepted importance god commands establishing morality numerous variants theory presented historically figures including presented versions divine command theory recently proposed modified divine command theory based god morality linked human right wrong argued favour theory christian viewpoint divine motivation theory proposes god motivations commands source morality challenges divine command theory proposed philosopher argued commanded god morally identical meaning believed defining obligation difficult contended knowledge god required morality divine command theory moral saw weakness theory challenged theory grounds arguing god command morality world possible worlds addition dilemma proposed presented dilemma threatened leave morality subject god challenge divine command theory criticised apparent god moral autonomy religious scholars attempted defend theory challenges general form forms divine command theory presented past philosophers including william theory generally teaches moral truth exist independently god morality determined divine commands stronger versions theory assert god command reason good action moral weaker variations cast divine command vital component greater reason theory asserts good actions morally good result commanded god religious believers form divine command theory premises adherents believe moral obligation obedience god commands morally right god desires offered version divine command theory began casting ethics pursuit supreme good delivers human happiness argued achieve happiness humans love objects worthy human love correct manner requires humans love god allows correctly love ethics proposed act loving god enables humans properly orient loves leading human happiness supported view ordered soul desirable consequence morality unlike believed achieving ordered soul higher purpose living accordance god commands view morality believed higher authority god acting philosopher argued moral obligations god away humans love love god proposed moral god commands moral command argued natural law contains self evidently true god statements false means commands natural law depend god commands found tablet consist obligations god suggested rest god makes morally god commands presented defence divine command theory based moral theory proposed theory natural law asserted moral works purpose human existence human nature determine moral clark argued god created human nature commanded certain morality change right wrong humans ethics cast rejecting divine command theory figures view morality determined duty moral law acting specific end viewed incompatible divine command theory philosopher theologian noted philosophers divine command theory example motives moral law regarded non moral american philosopher takes argument theory morality depends divine authority challenges view arguing ethics seen compatible divine command theory american philosopher proposes calls modified divine command theory adams presents basic form theory asserting statements equivalent wrong contrary god commands proposes god commands moral truths explained terms moral truths way adams writes theory attempt define wrong consists accepts useful christian context dealing criticism seemingly immoral act god commanded proposes god command cruelty sake adams propose impossible god command cruelty nature adams importance faith god specifically faith god goodness existence adams proposes action morally wrong commands loving god cruelty commanded loving adams argued instance god commands theory ethical break proposed divine command morality assumes human concepts right wrong met god commands theory applied case adams theory attempts counter challenge morality arbitrary moral commands based solely commands god founded attempts challenge claim external standard morality prevents god sovereign making source morality character moral law adams proposes christian contexts term wrong mean contrary god commands ethical contexts believes wrong emotional attitude action uses usually adams suggests believer concept morality founded religious belief right wrong tied belief god works god commands believers accept right god commanded believer perceived wrong believer right wrong concept morality break writes modified divine command theory god command cruelty sake argued inconsistent god argued god understood ability things possible attempted idea god inability perform actions challenges austin contends commanding cruelty sake covered defence argued sin falling short perfect action compatible alternative theories argues christian viewpoint man god image god sense morality description actions right wrong relevant god person sense right wrong corresponds god know goodness god moral constitution rights dignity freedom responsibility god designed way reflect god moral goodness image alternative divine command theory proposed divine motivation theory fits framework according theory goodness determined god motives commands divine motivation theory similar virtue ethics considers character agent accordance god standard moral value argues things world objective moral properties given god perception god attitude cast morally good attitude theory casts god good example morality humans imitate virtues possible finite imperfect beings objections objections considered challenge theory grounds arguing commanded god mean thing contrary theory suggests example water having identical meaning propose commanded god identical meaning objection truth divine command theory believed demonstrated theory meaning obligation noted divine command theory imply moral knowledge knowledge god argued case theory deny moral knowledge challenged theory based ideas exist different worlds suggested accepts commanded god morally right synonyms different possible worlds moral motivation noted divine command theory criticised prompting people moral motivations writes objection moral life sought morality valued avoid punishment receive reward punishment reward system motivation seen inadequate dilemma dilemma proposed dialogue scene discussing nature presents dilemma presented question good god commands god command good pious loved gods pious pious loved gods dilemma response action good god commands action god commands action good chosen imply god commands good commanded inflict suffering inflicting suffering moral chosen morality longer dependent god defeating divine command theory additionally god subject external law sovereign challenge orthodox conception god proponents dilemma claim divine command theory obviously wrong answer challenges ability god moral laws william responded biting bullet argued god command people cruel morally proposing limitation god principle non contradiction defended view noting logical possibility god command consider immoral god command actions character responded dilemma appealing doctrine divine simplicity concept associated aristotle suggests substance attributes god identical propose god goodness identical makes commands good american philosopher responded dilemma considering means god morally good divine command theory accepted implies god good commands argued case god goodness distinct moral obligations suggested moral obligation implies possibility agent honour obligation argued possibility exist god morality distinct simply commands contended god supreme standard morality acts according character necessarily good view accepting moral standard recent philosophers challenged theory god goodness consists following commands argued divine command theory accepted god obligations commanded concept god commanding seen god hold virtues virtue disposition follow commands command virtues claiming god chooses good nature means actions argues god act commands logical god reasons actions proposes god motivated morally good commands morally good morally autonomy draws attention objection autonomy argues morality requires agent freely choose principles live challenges view divine command theory god determines good humans longer autonomous followers imposed moral law making autonomy incompatible divine command theory challenges criticism arguing humans choose accept reject god commands rely independent judgement follow austin considers view world religious impossible know god religion commands followed especially religions leaving impossible accept religions interpretations commanded austin notes responses autonomy objection relevant agent choose religion morality judge correct argues divine command theory consistent view moral truths found religions moral revelation found apart religion argue view different religions lead god religions incompatible religions contrasting views example greek gods human weaknesses argue determining god listened remains problem religion contrasting views god exist commands god old new divine command theory religion divine command theory features ethics modern religions including judaism islam faith christianity numerous older religions ancient athens commonly held moral truth tied directly divine commands religious equivalent morality christianity divine command theory commonly associated plausible theory christians traditional conception god creator universe supports idea created moral truths theory supported christian view god powerful implies god creates moral truths moral truths existing independently inconsistent
Divine command theory