An Investigation of the Divine Command Theory from the Viewpoint of William J. Wainwright

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Master’s Holder in Philosophy of Religion, Allameh Tabataba'i University

2 PhD Holder in Philosophy, Allameh Tabataba'i University

Abstract

Religion and ethics have been considered for long as the two key elements of human life, and the relationship between the two has always been a controversial issue. Consequently, the main question of the article at hand revolves around this key point, and we aim at investigating Wainwright’s viewpoint in this regard. Accordingly, Wainwright’s viewpoint about Kant’s ethical theory in general and Kant’s opinion about self-authority in particular are expressed and examined. Then, Wainwright’s evaluation of the reasons for and against the divine command theory is explicated. The findings demonstrate that from Wainwright’s viewpoint, the criticisms against the divine command theory can be answered and there are numerous reasons to defend this theory. At the end, through a comparison of the divine command theory with other existing theories on the relationship between religion and ethical issues, Wainwright concludes that despite its shortcomings, the divine command theory is currently the best theory for the explanation of the ethical issues. In sum, it seems that the divine command theory enjoys more objectivity than other ethical theories.

Keywords


  1. آدامز، رابرت (1386). نظریه امر الهی، ترجمۀ سید محمود موسوی، مجلۀ نقد و نظر، دورۀ 12، شمارۀ 46 - 45: 115 – 77.
  2. جوادی، محسن؛ شهریاری، شیما (1393). نظریه انگیزش الهی زاگزبسکی درباره نسبت دین و اخلاق، پژوهشنامۀ فلسفۀ دین (نامۀ حکمت) سال دوازدهم، شمارۀ دوم، پاییز و زمستان.
  3. فنایی، ابوالقاسم (1384). دین در ترازوی اخلاق، مؤسسۀ فرهنگی صراط.
  4. مروارید، محمود؛ همتی مقدم، احمد رضا (1389). خوبی، الزام اخلاقی و امر الهی، قم: پژوهشگاه علوم و فرهنگ اسلامی.
  5. وین‌رایت، ویلیام جی (1392). اندیشه و نظر: مسیحیت و فلسفه، ترجمۀ انشالله رحمتی، اطلاعات حکمت و معرفت، شمارۀ 1: 51 - 49.
  6. ـــــــــــــــــــ (1390). فلسفۀ دین، ترجمۀ علیرضا کرمانی، قم: مؤسسۀ آموزشی و پژوهشی امام خمینی(ره).
    1. Adams, Robert Merrihew (1987).A Modified Divine Command Theory, The Virtue of Faith and Other Essays in Philosophical Theology, New York: Oxford University Press.
    2. ـــــــــــــــــــ. (1999). Finite and Infinite Goods. New York: Oxford University Press.
    3. Hare, John (2010). “Religion and Morality”, In Encyclopedias on Philosophy, Stanford Encyclopedia of philosophy, Internet Encyclopedia of philosophy.

10. Idziak, Janine Marie (1989). In Search of “Good Positive Reasons” for an Ethics of Divine Commands: A Catalogue of Arguments. Faith and Philosophy 6: 47-64.

11. Kant, Immanuel (1964). Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals. Trans. by H.J. Paton. New York: Harper & Row.

12. Linda Zagzebski (2004). “Religion and Morality,” in William J. Wainwright, ed., The Oxford Handbook for Philosophy of Religion. New York: Oxford University Press.

13. Linda Zagzebski (2007). philosophy of religion,An Historical Introduction ,Oxford :Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

14. Mark C. Murphy (2001). “Divine Authority and Divine Perfection,” International Journal for Philosophy of Religion 49. 

15. Plato (1997). Complete Works, In John M. Cooper, ed., Indianapolis/ Cambridge,  Hacckett  Publishing Company.

16. Paley, William, Principles of Moral and Political Philosophy, 4th American ed. Boston: John West, 1819, pp. 61–2. Quoted in Wainwright .William. J, Religion and morality, p. 107

17. Quinn, Philip. L (1979). “Divine Command Ethics: A Causal Theory,” in Idziak, Divine Command Morality. Henceforth Quinn .

18. Schneewind. J. b (1991). Modern Moral Philosophy” In companion to Ethics, Ed. Peter, Singer .

19. Silber, john. R (2002). The Compernican Revolution in Ethics, in Critical Assessment, Ruth F Chadwich, USA :Routledge.

20. Wainwright .William. J (2005). Religion and morality, Ashgate Press, 2005.