...The divine command theory is the belief that God commands individuals to do specific things because they are deemed right. Divine authority is not a convincing starting point for justifying moral claims. Firstly, we, as individuals cannot determine or deem God as morally superior compared to us. “Yet another troubling implication of the Moral Grounds version of Divine Command theory is this: if there are no objectively right standards to which God necessarily adheres in commanding what He does- if, that is, moral standards are simply a function of God’s naked will- then his commands become wholly arbitrary” [DE, p. 99]. As mentioned, if guidelines as to what God considers right are nonexistent, then his commands are unsupported and irritational....
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...The Divine Command Theory is a clear theory on how to relate God to morality. The theory states that God commands what is right and what is wrong. Though God does not press his rules upon us, it is said that “if we live as we should, then we must follow God’s laws.” (Rachels, pg. 51) Though someone might believe in the existence of God, it is possible they can reject the Divine Command Theory. With examples such as the Euthyphro question, the Arbitrariness objection, and God’s authority, it makes it possible to reject this theory. One positive outlook to the Divine Command Theory is that people don’t need to reason about what is right or wrong and they do not need to reply on emotions because what they need to do is follow God’s commands. For example, God has commanded to be kind to thy neighbor, so with that command, why listen to instincts when we can listen to the words of God? If God had commanded us to do one good deed per day, that’s what we must listen to, not our own basic instincts on the matter. One problem with the Divine Command Theory is made evident by the famous quote: “Is an act holy because the gods command it, or do the gods command an act because it is holy?” This question is known as the Euthyphro question. Socrates’s question is about “whether God makes the moral truths true or whether he merely recognizes that they’re true.” (Rachels, pg. 52) As you can see, each of the dilemma’s horns presents a problem for the Divine Command Theory. If what is morally...
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...Mr. Fairlie’s Final Journey by August Derleth As a child, August Derleth was a big fan of the Sherlock Holmes series written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. In 1926 he heard that Sherlock Holmes was no longer going to be written. Derleth wrote Doyle asking permission to keep alive the spirit and style of Doyle’s work. Derleth wanted to do a pastiche of Sherlock Holmes called the Solar Pons series. Derleth got the go ahead to write the Solar Pons series using the same characters with different names, a plot location one block away, and the same writing style as Doyle’s. Sherlock Holmes’ character is named Solar Pons in Derleth’s work. The Solar Pons mysteries are among the closest imitations of Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories. The series has enjoyed critical and popular success. Mirroring Doyle’s style, Derleth uses dialect, flashback, and foreshadowing to interact and entertain the reader with the Solar Pons character in Mr. Fairlie’s Final Journey to solve the case. The book concerns the investigation into the death of Jonas Fairlie, who was murdered on a train while on his way to consult Solar Pons. To solve the mystery, Solar Pons and his companion, Dr. Lyndon Parker, travel to Fairlie's home town of Frome, Somerset and from there to Scotland, Cheltenham in Gloucestershire and finally to a remote area on the coast of Wales. Pons and Parker work together to retrace the last days of Jonas Fairlie’s life to solve the murder case. The first method that Derleth uses to show the...
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...morally good, or are they morally good because they are willed by God? This question was first raised by Socrates to Euthyphro in Plato’s dialogue in 380 B.C. In this essay, I will explain how this question relates to the Divine Command Theory of Morality and attempt to explain how it poses a dilemma within philosophy by contradicting how the logical thinking process works by creating a false dichotomy. To begin, The Divine Command Theory has been a main stay in philosophy since ancient times and has created numerous arguments throughout the ages, some of which are heavily debated till this day. The Divine Command Theory states that actions are considered morally good because they are commanded by God, or more simply phrased by Dale Tuggy in his writing, “to be right is to be commanded by God, and to be wrong is to be forbidden by God” (Tuggy, 53). Since God created the heavens and Earth, according to various religions past and present, God must have created the good will and moral acts. This seems legitimate in all aspects of thinking, especially for the believers in God, but what about the people around the world that do not believe in God or a God? Are they subject to the same way of thinking that the religious people are? After all, the Divine Command Theory is clear and concise about what constitutes a good, moral act and where it came from. Tuggy goes on to simplify this dilemma by phrasing the question in more lamen terms. He writes that an act is right or wrong only if...
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...Philosophical Essay Part 1 5. Socrates asks Euthyphro, “Are morally good acts willed by God because they are morally good, or are they morally good because they are willed by God?” (1) How does this question relate to the Divine Command Theory of morality? (2) What are the philosophical implications associated with each option here? Divine command theory is widely held to be refuted by an argument known as “the Euthyphro dilemma”. This argument is named after Plato’s Euthyphro dialogue, which contains the inspiration for the argument, though not, as is sometimes thought, the argument itself. The Euthyphro dilemma rests on a modernised version of the question asked by Socrates in the Euthyphro: “Are morally good acts willed by God because they are morally good, or are they morally good because they are willed by God?” Each of these two possibilities, the argument runs, leads to consequences that the divine command theorist cannot accept. Whichever way the divine command theorist answers this question, then, it seems that his theory will be refuted. This argument might be formalised as follows: The Euthyphro Dilemma (1) If divine command theory is true then either (i) morally good acts are willed by God because they are morally good, or (ii) morally good acts are morally good because they are willed by God. (2) If (i) morally good acts are willed by God because they are morally good, then they are morally good independent of God’s will. (3) It is not the case that...
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...1b) to what extent are things only good because God commands them? (10) To find out the extent to which things are only good because of God commanding them you would first have to decide whether an action or thing becomes good because of God commanding it or if it is good before. Other questions which should be examined include whether the things God has commanded you to do are actually ‘good’ and if the things God has said are wrong and immoral really are. Personally I believe that many things can be good even if God has not declared it to be so and this point has become increasingly obvious throughout time; one of the most renowned and obviously ridiculous examples of things that God has informed us is not ‘good’ is homosexuality. In my opinion this is the best example of why the answer to our question is a ‘very small extent’; God, Christianity and many other religions are absolutely against homosexuality with no exceptions at all taking a strictly deontological view on the matter. Despite the act you would think, not hurting anyone Leviticus 18:22 clearly states that this is an abomination and those who practice homosexuality should be put to death, yet the entire religion of Christianity is based upon love, love of oneself, love of your neighbour, and most importantly love of God. But why should the love of another man be considered evil? God has clearly commanded that humans should not be gay and that the act is wrong, evil, and most poignantly not ‘good’ but then sets...
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...Ethic is a knowledge each individual should have embedded in them. To know right from wrong makes me as an individual at peace. I hate the feeling of trying to cheat someone, more or so con them. Living life the right way will make life flow through with simplicity. Yes, at times cheating can be beneficial but can it last and can it bring happiness? One day last month, I was at the laundry mat; I had decided to check my bank account. Come to find out a transaction in the amount of $311.44 was charged on my card for a payment to a Sam Clubs credit card. I was absurd, mad, angry, furious, and frighten. I knew it wasn’t me who done the transaction, I don’t even have a Sam’s Club credit card, only a membership with them! So not knowing what was going on, I called my bank immediately and ask to speak to their frauds department. I explained to them the transaction listed for that amount and that date was not authorized by me. They were really polite and assisted me with great customer service. The female representative who handled my situation told me that if in ten days, they still have not yet resolved the unauthorized transaction then I will automatically receive the full amount that was charged on my account. At this point my account was completely closed; I didn’t want any activity going in or out of the account. A couple of days after reporting the incident to my bank, I spoke to my sister who lives in Minnesota, who I regularly speak with. After our conversations of asking how...
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...Phil 1C: Paper 1 Instructions Due: Tuesday September 8, 2015 You will write a 1500 word argumentative essay on the topic of Ethics and Religion or Value Theory. Only your own writing counts towards the 1500 word min. Quotes should be used sparingly, and will not be factored into your word-count. You will submit a copy to Turnitin (via Blackboard) as well as a hard copy to me in class or in my mailbox. Assignments turned in after the start of class on Tuesday September 8 will have 5% deducted, and will not be accepted after the start of class Thursday September 10 (hard copy and Turnitin by the beginning of class). Please choose from the following topics: 1. What is the Divine Command Theory? How does Plato’s argument in the Euthyphro cast doubt on this theory? Can Divine Command Theory overcome Plato’s (and others’) criticisms? Why or why not? (Your answer to the third question will be your thesis statement/conclusion, which you will support throughout your paper.) 2. What objections does Robert Nozick raise to the theory that happiness is the only thing desirable for its own sake? Nozick claims that “Plugging into the machine is a kind of suicide.” What does he mean be this? Do you think he is right? (Your answer to the last question will be your thesis statement/conclusion, which you will support throughout your paper.) 3. How does J.J.C. Smart argue for Extreme Utilitarianism? Do you agree that...
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...ARIIKE FAGBURE L6CG RELIGIOUS STUDIES (Philosophy of Religion) A. Explain what is meant in the Bible by the phrase “God is good” The goodness of God is first revealed in his actions as a Creator. Genesis chapters 1-3 contain the Creation story. God created the world out of nothing – “creation ex nihilo”. Each act of creation is seen to be good. "And he saw that it was good" (Genesis 1: 10). The end result of God's creation is the Earth and mankind. Everything created was made for man to take control of. God is the image of goodness and as mankind was created in the image of God. (Genesis 1:27, "God created man in his own image.") This tells humans that they are required to be good, as good as God. Exodus 20 describes the Ten Commandments given to the Hebrews by God. Moses received the commandments by revelation from God on the peak of Mount Sinai. They were guidelines given for God’s people to live by. The underlying principle is that humans are to be good and being good means following the Ten Commandments. God's goodness demands that mankind worship only one God and nothing or nobody else "You shall have no other gods before me and you shall not make for yourself an idol." (Exodus 20: 3-4). These commandments show that God is the primary source governing how people should lead their lives because God is entirely good. The Ten Commandments show man how to be good by giving strict guidelines. (Thou shalt not murder; thou shalt not commit adultery; thou shalt not steal)...
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... Prompt: If you had the opportunity to add five additional commandments what would they be? Include a thorough explanation indicating why these new commandments are necessary. If I had the opportunity to add five additional commandments, the first commandment I will add would be do not judge someone by its race or colors. There are many discrimination going around the world and I believe that it has been one of the major problem in the world. If people follow the commandments there will be less negative judgements. The second commandment that I will add is never harm a child in anyway. Child abuse is occurring in many different countries in the world. If this commandment is added on then less children will suffer from abusive parents. The third commandment will be love the nature. There are many major issues in the environment and people seem to abuse the nature. For instance, animals are being extinct due to human practices and plastics are found in many sea mammals’ body. The fourth commandment is to be respectful to others. People will respect you if you learn how to respect other. The last commandment that I will add is that you should be truthful. Honesty is a very important factor. If people learns how to be truthful then people will learn to not do things that will hurt others. This includes stealing and committing adultery. If truthful is to be learned then there may be less crime in the world. Prompt: Watch a video or read a significant written work by Gandhi, Mother...
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...The euphyphro dilemma states that does god command an action because it is good or does an action become good when god commands it Kierkegaard stated we must believe and have faith in god even if his actions seem unethical and we have no way of explaining them his will supercedes ethics regardless of his morality however religious speakers estate that god is a perfect being therefore in essence he cannot will evil so the morality of god is absolute and always correct. It was argued by Plato that good is independent of god’s will god only commands what is good however this suggests that goodness does not originate from god instead goodness is a standard derived from something else and god simply enforces this standard this isn’t supported...
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...Plato, Euthyphro 1. What charges is Euthyphro bringing against his father? Euthyphro is charging is father with murder. Does it seem to you like Euthyphro has a reasonable case? Explain No because Euthyphro did not know the meaning from piety to impiety, he did not really have a statement to charge his farther with murder... 2. Pay attention to tone. How would you describe Socrates’ tone in the first part of this dialogue? You may need to come back to this one after you have read the whole thing. Socrates tone of voice started passive but then it started getting heavy after he found out that Euthyphro did know he was talking about. 3. What are the four definitions of piety/holiness that Euthyphro tries to give to Socrates? (Some interpreters say there are five, what do YOU think?) Euthyphro states that the following means Piety- prosecuting anyone who is guilty of murder, sacrilege, or of any similar crime. Then he goes on by saying that God love is pious and holy, and the opposite, which they all hate, impious. I think the fifth definition Euthyphro states is that piety is what is dear to the gods and impiety is that which is not dear to gods... 4. How does Socrates respond to each of these answers? Socrates stated all the gods hate is impious, and what they love pious or holy; and what some of them love and others hate is both or neither he was trying to say does not mean that is the definition of piety and impiety. Socrates you knew there was a difference between words...
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...the ultimate rule maker of the moral code describes the theory of Divine Command. The Divine Command Theory states that the question of what is morally right is a matter of being commanded by God and morally wrong is a matter of being forbidden by God. This is basically saying when ethics and morality comes into question, following Gods commands is the only way of being right. Inquiring that God is all knowing which consists of possessing wisdom beyond any other, people believe God is never wrong. There is also the notion that God is the creator of all human beings and the world was created in his image; therefore all the rules set by our creator seems to be the only rules that make absolute sense. In religious views, God created women for men, going back to the idea of Adam and Eve. When looking at homosexuality, it isn’t wrong for the disturbing views or the argument that it is against procreation, it is solely wrong because God himself said it is wrong. If a believer in the Divine Command Theory, you would understand that what God commands is ultimately right both morally and ethically. Plato makes his argument against the idea that right and wrong actions are commanded by gods. The theory of divine command morality says that good and bad are decided by the gods, not by humans. Plato illustrates his argument through a discussion between Socrates and another man named Euthyphro; Socrates tries to prove that divine command morality is not logical and cannot possibly be true. Euthyphro...
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...Philosophy Exam * When is a deductive argument conclusive? All the premises are true, No fallacies are committed, and it is valid. Which of the following is one of the criteria a deductive argument must meet in order to be conclusive (good)? -the argument must be valid * What are the 3 criteria that must be met for an appeal to experts to be legitimate? 1. Must be an expert in the relevant field, expertise on the issue 2. Consensus of experts in the field must agree. 3.Expert must be liable and agreeable, reliable and credible Suppose you decide to appeal to experts to answer a question. Which of the following is NOT one of the three criteria discussed in class that must be met for your appeal to authority to be likely to get you the truth? -the expert appealed to must have published work in the field. * What are the ways discussed in class to determine what the consensus of experts believe about an issue? Professional Journals * Why is it important to rely on a consensus rather than individual experts views? Some experts just start drama, past experts have been wrong. Why is it important to rely on consensus rather than individual experts views? -a consensus is more likely to be correct * How is truth defined in class? As defined in class, a statement is true and only true if it matches up with the way things are. * What are the main points of each of the Quickie Arguments? Morality does not equal legality...
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...morally just. The Divine Command Theory states that an action is right because God commands it, and an action is wrong because God forbids it. Following this theory, one could conclude that ethics are subjective and derive from a questionable set of groundless moral laws. If god has to power to create morality, he could have made killing morally right or morally wrong. When God commands man to perform an action, he either has a reason for commanding man to do what he wants or he does not have any reason at all for that command. If the former reason is true, then it is not the fact that God commands man to perform an action, but rather, the reason behind the command is truly what makes that action morally just. The commands, themselves, do not set a standard code for morality. They only serve to support in what God believes to be morally right. Therefore, if the former reason is true, the Divine Command Theory proves to be false. Examining the latter reasoning, if God does not have reasons for his commands, he could have woken up one day and decide to give man different commands such as stealing or killing the innocent. According to the Divine Command Theory, God’s commands are morally right, so stealing and killing would be just. However, as humans, we believe those actions are wrong and wicked. Under no circumstances would killing and stealing be right, therefore the theory is proven false. God is a benevolent existence, so he would not command man to steal and...
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