Divine Command Theory and Divine Command Theory and TheodicyTheodicy

Sullivan Upper Philosophy SocietyTuesday 30th September 2008

Divine Command TheoryDivine Command Theory

The metaphysical theory that an act is The metaphysical theory that an act is obligatory if and only if, and because, it is obligatory if and only if, and because, it is commanded by God.commanded by God. WikipediaWikipedia

Puts God as the source of all morality.Puts God as the source of all morality. Answers the question “Why be moral?”Answers the question “Why be moral?”

Scrutinised by GodScrutinised by God Presents us with the Euthyphro dilemmaPresents us with the Euthyphro dilemma

Is the pious loved by the gods because it is pious, or is it pious because it is

loved by the gods?

Does God command things because they are good or are things good because God commands them?

Euthyphro Dilemma Euthyphro Dilemma

EitherEither God commands things because they are moralGod commands things because they are moral

God is bound by morality, just like creationGod is bound by morality, just like creation God becomes a passer on of moralityGod becomes a passer on of morality

Things are moral because God commands themThings are moral because God commands them Implies that there is no morality outside of GodImplies that there is no morality outside of God What is good is arbitrary based on God's whimWhat is good is arbitrary based on God's whim Calling God good is a nonsenseCalling God good is a nonsense

Euthyphro DilemmaEuthyphro Dilemma

Bite the bulletBite the bullet If God commanded e.g. Cruelty it would be morally If God commanded e.g. Cruelty it would be morally

obligatoryobligatory Mere logical possibility, not realityMere logical possibility, not reality A good God would not order crueltyA good God would not order cruelty

Human Nature responseHuman Nature response God created humanityGod created humanity

Commands based on what will fulfil humanityCommands based on what will fulfil humanity God could have created humanity differentlyGod could have created humanity differently

Euthyphro DilemmaEuthyphro Dilemma

Aquinas claims it is a false dilemmaAquinas claims it is a false dilemma A good God will only command good thingsA good God will only command good things The things God commands will be good because The things God commands will be good because

God is goodGod is good Does this mean we have a pre-set idea of what good is Does this mean we have a pre-set idea of what good is

outside of God?outside of God?

Omnipotence objectionOmnipotence objection

Modified divine command theory suggests there Modified divine command theory suggests there are things God can not doare things God can not do E.g. Command crueltyE.g. Command cruelty

God can do all things that are possibleGod can do all things that are possible Not red green lightsNot red green lights To sin is to fall short of perfect action which is To sin is to fall short of perfect action which is

repugnant to omnipotencerepugnant to omnipotence AquinasAquinas

Omnibenelolence ObjectionOmnibenelolence Objection

To call good is a nonsense since goodness only To call good is a nonsense since goodness only relies on God following his own commandsrelies on God following his own commands

However God has traits which are good but not However God has traits which are good but not obligatoryobligatory

Similarly God need not command something Similarly God need not command something for it to be good for it to be good

TheodicyTheodicy

A specific branch of theology and philosophy A specific branch of theology and philosophy that attempts to reconcile the existence of evil that attempts to reconcile the existence of evil or suffering in the world with the belief that an or suffering in the world with the belief that an omniscient, omnipotent, and omnibenevolent omniscient, omnipotent, and omnibenevolent God.God. WikipediaWikipedia

ThéosThéos GodGod

DikēDikē JusticeJustice

Justice of GodJustice of God An attempt to justify GodAn attempt to justify God

TheodicyTheodicy

God either wishes to take away evils and is God either wishes to take away evils and is unableunable; or he is able and is ; or he is able and is unwillingunwilling; or he is ; or he is

neitherneither willing nor able; or he is willing nor able; or he is bothboth willing and willing and able. If he is willing but unable he is able. If he is willing but unable he is feeble,feeble,

which is not in accordance with the character of which is not in accordance with the character of God. If he is able and unwilling, he is God. If he is able and unwilling, he is enviousenvious, , which is equally at variance with God. If he is which is equally at variance with God. If he is

neither willing nor able, he is both envious and neither willing nor able, he is both envious and feeble, and therefore feeble, and therefore not Godnot God. If he is both . If he is both willing and able, which alone is suitable for willing and able, which alone is suitable for

God, from what source then are evils? Or God, from what source then are evils? Or why why does he not remove them?does he not remove them?

Lactantius Lactantius

TheodicyTheodicy

The most serious challenge to theism was, is, The most serious challenge to theism was, is, and will continue to be the problem of eviland will continue to be the problem of evil Ronald NashRonald Nash

Number of responsesNumber of responses Evil is illusionaryEvil is illusionary God is finiteGod is finite God had to create the best of all worldsGod had to create the best of all worlds

Since evil exists God must have seen that it would be Since evil exists God must have seen that it would be bestbest

Since the universe is finite its goodness must be Since the universe is finite its goodness must be finitefinite

Evil doesn't exist on its own but is relative to goodEvil doesn't exist on its own but is relative to good God need not be justified to manGod need not be justified to man

TheodicyTheodicy

Events which are seen as evil aren't reallyEvents which are seen as evil aren't really Evil is propagated by the Devil in opposition to GodEvil is propagated by the Devil in opposition to God Evil is a natural consequence of free willEvil is a natural consequence of free will

Mankind gets what it deservesMankind gets what it deserves The afterlife will balance things outThe afterlife will balance things out

HeavenHeaven KarmaKarma

God is not goodGod is not good

Overall divine planOverall divine plan

God is totally superior to mankindGod is totally superior to mankind "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are

your ways my ways," declares the LORD.your ways my ways," declares the LORD. Isaiah 55:8Isaiah 55:8

No theodicy necessaryNo theodicy necessary We can not understand the necessary limits of our We can not understand the necessary limits of our

reflections on the subjects which are beyond our reflections on the subjects which are beyond our reachreach

Kant Kant

Free will and process theodiciesFree will and process theodicies

Man has free willMan has free will Man chose to bring evil into the worldMan chose to bring evil into the world

Surely an omniscient God foresaw this Surely an omniscient God foresaw this Must free will lead to evil?Must free will lead to evil?

For God to interfere would contradict this principleFor God to interfere would contradict this principle This requires free will to be better than the absence of This requires free will to be better than the absence of

evilevil Crimes like rape and kidnap deny victim's freedomCrimes like rape and kidnap deny victim's freedom

The world is almost allowed to make itselfThe world is almost allowed to make itself

Calvinistic TheodicyCalvinistic Theodicy

Strictly pre-deterministStrictly pre-determinist Deny existence of free willDeny existence of free will Implies that God intended evil to come into the Implies that God intended evil to come into the

worldworld Things that seem evil are actually for the greater goodThings that seem evil are actually for the greater good Hyper Calvinism asserts that everything is the apparatus Hyper Calvinism asserts that everything is the apparatus

God uses to accomplish his planGod uses to accomplish his plan God planned the fallGod planned the fall Satan works because God allows itSatan works because God allows it

Human NatureHuman Nature

God uses evil to improve characterGod uses evil to improve character Micro levelMicro level

To keep me from becoming conceited because of these To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." my power is made perfect in weakness."

2 Corinthians 12:7-92 Corinthians 12:7-9 Macro levelMacro level

If God made humanity, surely he made our natureIf God made humanity, surely he made our nature View that this violates free willView that this violates free will

Humans chose their current nature at the fallHumans chose their current nature at the fall View that this enhances free willView that this enhances free will

Choice to improveChoice to improve

God isn't omniscient, omnipotent God isn't omniscient, omnipotent and omnibenevolent and omnibenevolent

Theory that God can only persuade and not Theory that God can only persuade and not coerce. coerce.

Renders miracles impossibleRenders miracles impossible God chooses to give up his omnipotenceGod chooses to give up his omnipotence

God chose to create an imperfect world to God chose to create an imperfect world to maximise freedommaximise freedom Arguably makes him less than omnibenevolentArguably makes him less than omnibenevolent

God did not foresee what would happenGod did not foresee what would happen

Karma or HeavenKarma or Heaven

The righteous are rewarded in an afterlifeThe righteous are rewarded in an afterlife KarmaKarma

Bad things happen to good people as a punishment for Bad things happen to good people as a punishment for past misdemeanourspast misdemeanours

HeavenHeaven Theory that one is rewarded in proportion to one's Theory that one is rewarded in proportion to one's

sufferingsuffering Sermon on the plainSermon on the plain

Against TheodicyAgainst Theodicy

Nullify moralityNullify morality If humans aren't responsible for their own actions If humans aren't responsible for their own actions

(e.g. Murder) then it is not immoral(e.g. Murder) then it is not immoral Oxymoron and idolatryOxymoron and idolatry

John Howard YoderJohn Howard Yoder How does one evaluate God?How does one evaluate God? Arrogant to tryArrogant to try

It is impossible to define good and evilIt is impossible to define good and evil