Deck 67: James Rachels: The Divine Command Theory

Question 1

Does morality depend on God for its legitimacy? Specifically, is an action right (or wrong) because God commands that it be so-or is it right (or wrong) independent of God's commands, so that God must in fact answer to the moral law? The view that morality does depend on God is known as the "divine command theory," and Rachels critiques it in this reading. He argues that this conception of morality is false and that neither the theist nor the nontheist should accept it.
-According to Rachels, the divine command theory says that "morally right" means

A) producing the greatest happiness.
B) self-evidently permissible.
C) commanded by God.
D) perceived by God.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Does morality depend on God for its legitimacy? Specifically, is an action right (or wrong) because God commands that it be so-or is it right (or wrong) independent of God's commands, so that God must in fact answer to the moral law? The view that morality does depend on God is known as the "divine command theory," and Rachels critiques it in this reading. He argues that this conception of morality is false and that neither the theist nor the nontheist should accept it.
-The doctrine that morality depends on religion is called

A) natural law theory.
B) intuitionism.
C) the divine command theory.
D) the categorical imperative.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Does morality depend on God for its legitimacy? Specifically, is an action right (or wrong) because God commands that it be so-or is it right (or wrong) independent of God's commands, so that God must in fact answer to the moral law? The view that morality does depend on God is known as the "divine command theory," and Rachels critiques it in this reading. He argues that this conception of morality is false and that neither the theist nor the nontheist should accept it.
-According to Rachels, if right conduct is right because God commands it, then

A) morality is independent of God.
B) God's commands are arbitrary.
C) morality existed before God existed.
D) God is not all-powerful.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Does morality depend on God for its legitimacy? Specifically, is an action right (or wrong) because God commands that it be so-or is it right (or wrong) independent of God's commands, so that God must in fact answer to the moral law? The view that morality does depend on God is known as the "divine command theory," and Rachels critiques it in this reading. He argues that this conception of morality is false and that neither the theist nor the nontheist should accept it.
-According to Rachels, if good and bad are defined by God's will, then the notion of God's goodness

A) is coherent.
B) is deprived of any meaning.
C) transcends human knowledge.
D) is a necessary truth.

Question 5

Does morality depend on God for its legitimacy? Specifically, is an action right (or wrong) because God commands that it be so-or is it right (or wrong) independent of God's commands, so that God must in fact answer to the moral law? The view that morality does depend on God is known as the "divine command theory," and Rachels critiques it in this reading. He argues that this conception of morality is false and that neither the theist nor the nontheist should accept it.
-According to Rachels, if God commands us to do certain things because they are right (independent of God's will), then

A) God's commands are not arbitrary, and the idea of the goodness of God is preserved.
B) God's commands are immoral.
C) the divine command theory is true.
D) God's commands are not arbitrary, but the idea of the goodness of God is rendered meaningless.

Question 6

Does morality depend on God for its legitimacy? Specifically, is an action right (or wrong) because God commands that it be so-or is it right (or wrong) independent of God's commands, so that God must in fact answer to the moral law? The view that morality does depend on God is known as the "divine command theory," and Rachels critiques it in this reading. He argues that this conception of morality is false and that neither the theist nor the nontheist should accept it.
-Many religious people reject the divine command theory.

Question 7

Does morality depend on God for its legitimacy? Specifically, is an action right (or wrong) because God commands that it be so-or is it right (or wrong) independent of God's commands, so that God must in fact answer to the moral law? The view that morality does depend on God is known as the "divine command theory," and Rachels critiques it in this reading. He argues that this conception of morality is false and that neither the theist nor the nontheist should accept it.
-Rachels argues that the divine command theory leads to impious results.

Question 8

Does morality depend on God for its legitimacy? Specifically, is an action right (or wrong) because God commands that it be so-or is it right (or wrong) independent of God's commands, so that God must in fact answer to the moral law? The view that morality does depend on God is known as the "divine command theory," and Rachels critiques it in this reading. He argues that this conception of morality is false and that neither the theist nor the nontheist should accept it.
-St. Thomas Aquinas accepted the divine command theory.

Question 9

Does morality depend on God for its legitimacy? Specifically, is an action right (or wrong) because God commands that it be so-or is it right (or wrong) independent of God's commands, so that God must in fact answer to the moral law? The view that morality does depend on God is known as the "divine command theory," and Rachels critiques it in this reading. He argues that this conception of morality is false and that neither the theist nor the nontheist should accept it.
-Rachels thinks that the divine command theory presents difficulties for both believers and unbelievers.

Question 10

Does morality depend on God for its legitimacy? Specifically, is an action right (or wrong) because God commands that it be so-or is it right (or wrong) independent of God's commands, so that God must in fact answer to the moral law? The view that morality does depend on God is known as the "divine command theory," and Rachels critiques it in this reading. He argues that this conception of morality is false and that neither the theist nor the nontheist should accept it.
-Rachels points out that if we accept the divine command theory, we are caught in a dilemma.

Question 11

Does morality depend on God for its legitimacy? Specifically, is an action right (or wrong) because God commands that it be so-or is it right (or wrong) independent of God's commands, so that God must in fact answer to the moral law? The view that morality does depend on God is known as the "divine command theory," and Rachels critiques it in this reading. He argues that this conception of morality is false and that neither the theist nor the nontheist should accept it.
-The arbitrariness problem refers to the difficulty of discovering God's will.

Question 12

Does morality depend on God for its legitimacy? Specifically, is an action right (or wrong) because God commands that it be so-or is it right (or wrong) independent of God's commands, so that God must in fact answer to the moral law? The view that morality does depend on God is known as the "divine command theory," and Rachels critiques it in this reading. He argues that this conception of morality is false and that neither the theist nor the nontheist should accept it.
-The divine command theory solves the old problem of the objectivity of ethics.

Question 13

Does morality depend on God for its legitimacy? Specifically, is an action right (or wrong) because God commands that it be so-or is it right (or wrong) independent of God's commands, so that God must in fact answer to the moral law? The view that morality does depend on God is known as the "divine command theory," and Rachels critiques it in this reading. He argues that this conception of morality is false and that neither the theist nor the nontheist should accept it.
-The main problem with the divine command theory was first noted by Plato.

Question 14

Does morality depend on God for its legitimacy? Specifically, is an action right (or wrong) because God commands that it be so-or is it right (or wrong) independent of God's commands, so that God must in fact answer to the moral law? The view that morality does depend on God is known as the "divine command theory," and Rachels critiques it in this reading. He argues that this conception of morality is false and that neither the theist nor the nontheist should accept it.
-Rachels says the arbitrariness problem is merely a semantic difficulty.

Question 15

Does morality depend on God for its legitimacy? Specifically, is an action right (or wrong) because God commands that it be so-or is it right (or wrong) independent of God's commands, so that God must in fact answer to the moral law? The view that morality does depend on God is known as the "divine command theory," and Rachels critiques it in this reading. He argues that this conception of morality is false and that neither the theist nor the nontheist should accept it.
-Leibniz accepted the divine command theory.