Self-Morality, Moral Relativism, and Divine Command Theory
Self-Morality, Moral Relativism, and Divine Command Theory
Lisa Salazar
Essay 1
Part One: Introduction and Statement of Thesis What is morally right or wrong doesn’t depend on what ideology you believe in, Moral Relativism or Divine Command Theory, but your own individual self-morality. Believing in Divine Command Theory can become a problem when there is doubt of motivation and Moral Relativism can result in morality becoming inconsistent. The standard of consistency requires that “a moral theory should be consistent in the sense that its principles, together with relevant factual information, yield consistent moral verdicts about the morality of actions, persons, and other objects of moral evaluation” (Timmons 271). In this essay I will argue that both Moral Relativism and Divine Command Theory have their flaws and the only way to ‘do the right thing’ is to rely on your own sense of morality.
Part Two: Argument for Thesis
“What is crucial for understanding the Divine Command Theory is the idea that what makes an action right or wrong, good or bad, is nothing but brute facts about God’s commands. The fact that he commands that we not kill, rape, torture, and so forth is what makes such actions wrong; their wrongness consists entirely in the fact that he commands that we not do such actions (Timmons 24-25).” What is wrong with Divine Command Theory is that what if people did not believe in God and an afterlife guided by God’s commands, they would lack the motivation to act morally in this world. For example, if God did not say that killing is wrong then people would kill others. This is completely inane. Death brought upon by another human being has nothing to do with motivation to act morally in this world, but has everything to do with your own self- morality. Whether you believe in God or not, you have a sense of what is right and what is wrong.
“What makes something good or bad… is the basic norms of goodness and badness are part of the moral code of
Lisa Salazar
Essay 1
Part One: Introduction and Statement of Thesis What is morally right or wrong doesn’t depend on what ideology you believe in, Moral Relativism or Divine Command Theory, but your own individual self-morality. Believing in Divine Command Theory can become a problem when there is doubt of motivation and Moral Relativism can result in morality becoming inconsistent. The standard of consistency requires that “a moral theory should be consistent in the sense that its principles, together with relevant factual information, yield consistent moral verdicts about the morality of actions, persons, and other objects of moral evaluation” (Timmons 271). In this essay I will argue that both Moral Relativism and Divine Command Theory have their flaws and the only way to ‘do the right thing’ is to rely on your own sense of morality.
Part Two: Argument for Thesis
“What is crucial for understanding the Divine Command Theory is the idea that what makes an action right or wrong, good or bad, is nothing but brute facts about God’s commands. The fact that he commands that we not kill, rape, torture, and so forth is what makes such actions wrong; their wrongness consists entirely in the fact that he commands that we not do such actions (Timmons 24-25).” What is wrong with Divine Command Theory is that what if people did not believe in God and an afterlife guided by God’s commands, they would lack the motivation to act morally in this world. For example, if God did not say that killing is wrong then people would kill others. This is completely inane. Death brought upon by another human being has nothing to do with motivation to act morally in this world, but has everything to do with your own self- morality. Whether you believe in God or not, you have a sense of what is right and what is wrong.
“What makes something good or bad… is the basic norms of goodness and badness are part of the moral code of
Bibliography: Timmons, Mark (2002). Moral Theory: An Introduction. http://www.ryanjwitt.com/2011/03/03/ethics-discussion/ Essay Example PHI 105 Fall 2012 Morality’s Dependence on God Worksheet Evaluating Moral Relativism Worksheet