The Divine Command Theory: A Nonconsequentialist Theory

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Divine Command Theory: (When employing the DCT in an argument, you must always cite a specific source ie. scripture, doctrine etc. to validate your claim.) The Divine Command Theory says that any action, whether good or bad, is morally right if God is the one commanding the action (Vaughn 71). This theory belongs to the nonconsequentialist theory— an ethical theory that states that right and wrong are not determined by the consequences of an action (Vaughn 71). The Divine Command Theory is a Nonconsequentialist Theory because God is the source of truth and the rightness and wrongness of the action is based on the accepted rule of God’s words. Philosophers, Gottfried Leibniz (1646-1716) and Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) were heavy believers of the Divine Command Theory and believed that, “If God doesn’t exist, everything is …show more content…

Everything in nature has a purpose and anything that prevents a person from living a good life is considered immoral and unnatural. A simple example would be; telling the truth is good while lying is wrong. Other things that are unnatural or go against nature are anything that disrupts what is a normal process and that helps humans move forward (Vaughn 71). Anything such as murder, homosexuality, and abortion would be considered wrong and immoral to someone who believes in the Natural Law Theory. Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle were the first to hint at the natural law theory. They knew that law was different place to place but that “nature” was the same everywhere. Aristotle (BC 384-322) is considered the father of the “natural law” (“Natural Law”). Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) made it to what the Roman Catholic Church today uses. The theories views of abortion, homosexuality, euthanasia and other controversial issues are used in the church (Vaughn 109). Many people, religious or not, believe that people can figure out moral rules and live a moral

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