Divine command

A Defensible Divine Command Theory

The term 'The Divine Command Theory of Ethics' is similar to 'The Ontological Argument' in that there is no unique entity deserving of that title. Rather, there is a multiplicity of theories, each of which is appropriately taken to be a divine command theory. The strongest versions are, if not the finest, at least definist. That is, according to these versions moral predicates, such as 'is obli...

Divine will/divine command moral theories and the problem of arbitrariness

A well-known objection to divine will/divine command moral theories is that they commit us to the view that God’s will is arbitrary. I argue that several versions of divine will/divine command moral theories, including two of Robert Adams’s versions of the DCT and my own divine preference theory, can be successfully defended against this objection. I argue that, even if God’s preferences are so...

A Semantic Attack on Divine-command Meta Ethics

According to divine-command metaethics (DCM), whatever is morally good or right has that status because, and only because, it conforms to God:� will. I argue that DCM is false or vacuous: either DCM is false, or else there are no instantiated moral properties, and no moral truths, to which DCM can even apply. The sort of criticism I offer is familiar, but I develop it in what I believe is a nov...

A Comparative Study of the “Ideal Observer” in Meta-ethics and the “Divine Command” Theory

The two theories of “ideal observer” and “divine command” are theories on constructionism and voluntarism. According to the ideal theory, ethical realities are defined based on the attitudes of the assumed ideal observers and the foundation of these theories is formed on negation of the independent ethical realities. Therefore, existence of independent and evident ethical realities based on whi...

Divine Eros and Divine Providence in Proclus’ Educational System