DCT - AO1

What does DCT propose? Why? Examples?

That we take God’s will as the foundation of ethics.

DCT says that things are good or bad because of God’s will.

E.g. The decalogue

How does ex-nihilo support DCT?
Who may disagree and why?

If everything was made from nothing by God, then it makes sense that morality did as well.

Aquinas - God did give us a conscience to discern morality for ourselves

What is the idea behind the “Euthyphro Dilemma”?
What is asked?

A conversation between 2 men - Socrates and Euthyphro

“Are morally good acts willed by God because they are morally good or are they morally good because they are willed by God?”

What are the two options to answer the Euthyphro Dilemma? (Independence + Arbitrariness)

1. (Independence problem) Acts are willed by God because they are good - implies that God follows a moral standard that precedes himself - (EXTRA: conflicts with Christian belief + Anselm’s “Greatest conceivable being”)

2. (Arbitrariness problem) God invents morality - Nothing would be good or bad if not for God willing so - implies that God bases morality according to his whims (no other moral standard to be based on) - Anything could have been deemed good (EXTRA: Evil commands problem e.g. Genesis 22:2 Abraham told to sacrifice his son)

What is the pluralism objection? Examples?

Given the number of religions and divine commands in the world, how does the DC theorist know which to follow - inherent conflict, e.g. kosher laws vs any meat allowed in NT.

Additionally - conflict between perceptions of the same religion e.g. the schism (practical example = Catholics say marriage is insoluble but Anglicans allow it)

How is the pluralism objection responded to? Where does it fail?

The believer must decide for themself which they believe in - “objectivity” falls through here

Who designed MDCT? Which problem does it defend against? What is it’s premise?

Robert Adams (1987)

The arbitrariness problem

“Any action is ethically wrong if and only if it is contrary to the commands of an omnibenevolent God”

What does Adams maintain? Why is this the case?

He maintains that it would not be impossible for God to command cruelty

He is omnipotent but his omnibenevolent nature would prevent him from doing so

MDCT against Euthyphro?

Euthyphro - God commands evil, we must follow. Arbitrary because there is no basis for his commands.
MDCT - God would never command evil, he is all loving. God = unchanging - he has been and always will be loving, love = God’s basis (EXTRA: God prevents Abraham from sacrificing Isaac)

What does Adams emphasise in MDCT?

The importance of faith in God and his goodness - a believers morality is tied into their belief in God.

What is the source of morality according to MDCT?

God - He is not subject to moral laws external to him. Moral law is part of his nature and so internal - God IS moral law - maintains supreme status