Divine Command Theory And Act-Utilitarianism

1384 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Strengths and weakness of divine command theory

Ethics
Ethics relates to what is morally right or wrong (Velasquez, Thomson-Wadsworth, 2011). Different schools of thought exist concerning ethics defined by their moral principles. Despite the three schools of thoughts all concerned with what is morally right or wrong, Act-Utilitarianism seems to present a more plausible argument than Natural Law and Divine Command Theory. This is because: Act-Utilitarianism is considered as one of the best known and the most influential moral theories; it is one of the forms of consequentialism which defines whether the actions are moral relying on their effects in the future. What is more, this theory rejects moral codes or different systems which consist of taboos (based on traditions and customs) and orders …show more content…

Within this theory, God is represented as a moral sovereign and is an omniscient and omnipotent creator of the world; people learn what right or wrong by gaining knowledge of God’s moral commands (Hinman, 2012). Thus, this theory is based on the framework of theism, and can vary according to the particular region and views of the individual theorist who investigates this topic, but there is one common opinion or even statement that within this theory only God can define what is morality and moral obligations. Moreover, metaphysics is also used as the foundation for morality in Divine Command Theory. Nevertheless, one should note that when evaluating the philosophical merits and drawbacks of this theory, it is necessary to take a broad perspective and consider the connections which can appear between the theory and other religious, psychological and moral issues, as well as the relevant questions connected with epistemology, aesthetics and metaphysics, which help to make a plan of life. Another important thing is that here it is possible to act for self-interest, as commands of self-sacrifice are considered as those approved by God. On the other hand there is something unsuitable concerning punishment, because in most cases people try to avoid it and instead to gain an eternal bliss which help them to achieve a moral …show more content…

Natural law is a divine providence that enables understanding of right and wrong things (Finnis, 2011). Divine Command Theory asserts certain acts as good because God commands it and a wrong is because God forbids it (Hinman, 2012). Therefore, how about an atheist who does not believe in the existence of God? And for those who do not believe in divinity? These weaken the two schools of thought. However, some similarities can be seen among these schools of thought in that Divine Command Theory involves the whim of God just like Natural Law Theory, which has divine providence resulting from God’s will, but in in the letter there are more freedom then in the former one. Act-utilitarianism in general brings more benefits to the society because within this theory people set up limitations and taboos for them (Barrow, 2015). This is much akin to Divine Command Theory that links good acts to God’s whims (Velasquez, Thomson-Wadsworth, 2011). Thus, all of them somehow are interconnected because there are still some common features, even if they are

Show More
Related

  • Quiz Show by Robert Redford

    1538 Words  | 4 Pages

    Ethics are the principles that shape individual lives in modern society. It is a subjective idea that seems to have a standard in society. Ethics and morals are the major factors that guide individuals to make right and wrong choices. Something that is morally right to one person might be the very opposite of what another person would view as right. There are many factors that can trigger a change in an individual’s view of morality.

    Read More

  • A Comparison Of Moral Responsibility And Free Will

    1431 Words  | 3 Pages

    In this essay I shall explore the question of moral responsibility and free will, by looking at, and comparing, ideas that stem from a Kantian philosophical position, and those that stem from a naturalist philosophical position. I will also consider the implications that follow from each position, when considering the issue of punishment. Furthermore, I will show that although Kantian and naturalist philosophers typically differ in some aspects, such as their concept of the source of free will, they find themselves in much the same position when it comes to determining when moral responsibility is applicable. However, when we turn to applying moral philosophy to the important practical issue of punishment, the Kantian position becomes incoherent as soon as we consider the possibility that free will does not exist. Conversely, a naturalist position, particularly one of the consequentialist tradition, remains capable of answering such an important normative question, regardless of whether its notion of free will turns out to be correct or incorrect. Ultimately then, I will suggest that it is the naturalist philosopher who is in the better position to tackle the normative question of punishment, that arises in applied moral philosophy.

    Read More

  • Ethical Theory Of Utilitarianism: The Elements Of Moral Philosophy

    926 Words  | 2 Pages

    Utilitarianism is when you determine rightness or wrongness of an action judged off the consequences. It’s a way to get the maximum number of happiness from the greatest amount of people, so if the majority of the people are content with the consequences then there’s no problem behind the action. The intentions you have behind an action determine whether you perform that action or not. Initially your intentions are to look at the greater “good” of the action and if that good outweighs the bad then you’ll probably initiate that action. There are two subcategories for utilitarianism; act utilitarianism and rule utilitarianism. Act Utilitarianism is the belief that an action is morally right because it produces the greatest good or happiness for the majority of the people. Rule Utilitarianism is the belief that any action is morally right depending on the

    Read More

  • Argument Regarding The Divine Command Theory

    1045 Words  | 3 Pages

    The divine command theory is an ethical theory relating to God and how his commandments should guide the morality of humankind. Objections to this theory include objections to the nature or existence of God or to the nature of his character or commands. For the purposes of this paper, I will present the divine command theory, introduce a serious objection evident in Genesis 22, propose and explain an alternative to the divine command theory that is the divine will theory, explain why this theory avoids the objection, and critique and respond from the perspective of a divine will theorist.

    Read More

  • Immanuel Kant's The Quinlan Case

    1386 Words  | 3 Pages

    What is ethics? Ethics are the philosophical principles of good verses bad moral behavior. It is a guideline to help people make decisions or make a judgment calls. There are two main types of ethical principles that will be discussed in this paper, and how they are applied to the decision making process. They are Deontological and Utilitarian. Deontological ethics are based on the righteousness or wrongness of the action-taking place. It does not base itself on the bad or good consequences that come from the action. Immanuel Kant introduced deontological ethics in the 18th century. Kant believed that every decision or action made by a person had to be evaluated by his or her moral duty. He stated that humanity shouldn’t side on its

    Read More

  • Humanity And Morality In Mere Christianity By C. S. Lewis

    1410 Words  | 3 Pages

    Mere Christianity is divided into four books or sections that build and expand off of the prior. The first book is entitled “Right and wrong as a clue to the meaning of the universe” and he examines the common understanding among all men of a universal moral law hardwired in the minds of men. He begins this examination with a presentation of man’s concept of right and wrong. The simplest understanding among all men is the concept of fairness. This fair play points to a law and can be seen in the reactions of mankind to justice and injustice. He contrasts this moral law, the Law of Human Nature, with the law of nature found in the world. The mind of the moral relativist denies such standards yet fail to recognize their call for fairness as a fatal flaw in their reasoning.

    Read More

  • Understanding Utilitarianism: Act vs Rule

    657 Words  | 2 Pages

    Utilitarianism is a form of consequentialism and a theory in normative ethics. According to utilitarianism, this is a theory that it is concerned on whether an action will result the greatest amount of pleasure (happiness) for the greater number of individuals (Shafer-Landau, 2014, p.138). In order to address the scenario given, the terminology of the two forms of utilitarianism (act utilitarianism and rule utilitarianism) and deontology need to be understood so it can be applied on how and why each type will act in this specific scenario.

    Read More

  • Is rule-utilitarianism preferable to act-utilitarianism

    1769 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...ough its own capacity as a theory of both decision making and moral judgement, and by default- as act-utilitarianism has been proved too demanding and often immoral by our common sense intuition- I conclude that rule-utilitarianism is indeed preferable to act-utilitarianism.

    Read More

  • My Moral Code vs. Moral Theory

    795 Words  | 2 Pages

    Every human being carries with them a moral code of some kind. For some people it is a way of life, and they consult with their code before making any moral decision. However, for many their personal moral code is either undefined or unclear. Perhaps these people have a code of their own that they abide to, yet fail to recognize that it exists. What I hope to uncover with this paper is my moral theory, and how I apply it in my everyday life. What one does and what one wants to do are often not compatible. Doing what one wants to do would usually bring immediate happiness, but it may not benefit one in the long run. On the other hand, doing what one should do may cause immediate unhappiness, even if it is good for oneself. The whole purpose of morality is to do the right thing just for the sake of it. On my first paper, I did not know what moral theories where; now that I know I can say that these moral theories go in accordance with my moral code. These theories are utilitarianism, natural law theory, and kantianism.

    Read More

  • The Divine Command Theory

    523 Words  | 2 Pages

    In order to understand divine command theory we must first understand the nature of God and Morality. So we will start by taking a look at what makes an action moral. Once we understand what makes an action moral, we can then try to understand the author's’ viewpoint on the divine command theory of ethics. Understanding the viewpoint will allow us to dissect the author’s viewpoints and come up with counter-arguments that the author must then contend with.

    Read More

  • Ethics And Ethical Systems

    1378 Words  | 3 Pages

    As a function, ethics is a philosophical study of the moral value of human conduct, and of the rules and principles it should govern. As a system, ethics are a social, religious, or civil code of behavior considered correct by a particular group, profession, or individual. As an instrument, ethics provide perspective regarding the moral fitness of a decision, course of action, or potential outcomes. Ethical decision-making can include many types, including deontological (duty), consequentialism (including utilitarianism), and virtue ethics. Additionally, subsets of relativism, objectivism, and pluralism seek to understand the impact of moral diversity on a human level. Although distinct differences separate these ethical systems, organizations

    Read More

  • Natural Law Vs Divine Command Theory

    648 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Theory of Natural Law, defined in three aspects, there being a natural order in the world, everything having a purpose and how things are and how things ought to be. This theory also states that humans can distinguish between what is right or wrong through human reason/moral knowledge. On the other hand, the Divine Command Theory is a view of morality and believes that what’s right or wrong is set by God’s moral commands. God’s commands tell us what is morally obligatory, permitted and wrong.

    Read More

  • Ethical Subjectivism Essay

    998 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...the concept of what should we do or what we ought to do. Ethics is design to help one receive the life they want and live it with purpose. In certain situations it’s unclear as to consider it moral or immoral as ethics comes to play alongside morality. Some would argue the concept of what can be define as moral as immoral in conjunction with ethics by means of feelings, religion, law, culture, and science. Although they prove good standings they cannot be accounted for as those rationales are more so that of opinion that are altered daily depending of that of the individual. For this reason any act can be considered moral as we can use descriptive education depicting that of ethics, in which we live a life seeking how things should be and that it depends on the individual. So who is to say what’s right and what’s wrong. If it exists in the universe it can be moral.

    Read More

  • Differences Between Utilitarianism And Hedonism

    1628 Words  | 4 Pages

    A moral theory should be one’s guide when deciding whether an action is either good or bad, wrong or right. There are many types of moral theories to choose from, but we will only focus on two: utilitarianism and ancient hedonism. These theories meet in their pursuit of something greater, for hedonism it’s personal pleasure while for utilitarianism it is happiness for the greater number of people. In this work, the differences and the similarities of utilitarianism and hedonism will be pointed out after explaining them separately.

    Read More

  • Ethics in the Modern World

    1524 Words  | 4 Pages

    Ethics is a system of moral principles and a branch of philosophy which defines what is acceptable for both individuals and society. It is a philosophy that covers a whole range of things that have an importance in everyday situations. Ethics are vital in everyones lives, it includes human values, and how to have a good life, our rights and responsibilities, moral decisions what is right and wrong, good and bad. Moral principles affect how people make decisions and lead their lives (BBC, 2013). There are many different beliefs about were ethics come from. These consist of; God and Religion, human conscience, the example of good human beings and a huge desire for the best for people in each unique situation, and political power (BBC, 2013).

    Read More

More about Divine Command Theory And Act-Utilitarianism

Open Document