Advantages And Disadvantages Of Divine Command Theory

It seems as if the constant argument of how much religion should play a role in our lives will never end. The Divine Command Theory is a theory in which one may receive a revelation from God telling them that doing a certain thing is good. This meta-ethical theory states that actions are only good if God deems they are good. This statement poses various advantages, disadvantages, and arguments as to whether we should conduct our morality based upon the acceptance of a higher being. Many religions are based upon the idea of reward and punishment for good and bad deeds, respectively, and this is a great problem that critics bring to the front. The Divine Command Theory states that it is right for an agent to do x, and that God commands the agent to do x. These two statements are logically equivalent in the sense that if one is true, the other must be true. The statement “God commands the agent to do x” is conceptually prior to “it is right for an agent to do x” because you cannot understand the goodness behind doing something without knowing that God commands you to do so. There are many advantages and disadvantages to this theory. The advantages are that one may feel self-justified if God is the one compelling them to do their actions and

The criticisms show that the many holes in this theory allow for room for revision, and with revision it can be more accommodating to a wider range of people. The criticism of moral atheists still poses a greater issue, but as for now it can be set aside as a separate matter of religious versus non-religious morality, which should be classified as two different systems because they rely on completely different sentiments. The Divine Command Theory has it’s place and can be used in biblical readings and religion-based governments to set a standard for a society to be held