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    Therefore, the divine command theorist cannot escape Cudw... — Carmelics
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    Supports→Basing moral knowledge on knowledge of God's will is viciously circular

    Therefore, the divine command theorist cannot escape Cudworth's 1731 charge: moral knowledge grounds theological knowledge, not the reverse.

    ?Rate how convincing each reason is below to see the overall strength.
    1 reason for
    1 reason against

    Reasons For

    1 perspective
    Reason for
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    • 1.We recognize moral truths (torturing children is wrong) prior to and independently of any theological commitments.
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    • 2.Divine command theory requires pre-existing moral knowledge to identify which commands are genuinely divine versus demonic.
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    • 3.If God's commands defined morality, we could not coherently ask whether God's commands are morally good, yet we do.
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    Reasons Against

    1 perspective
    Reason against
    ?
    • 1.Cudworth conflates epistemological grounding (how we know) with metaphysical grounding (what makes something true).
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    • 2.Divine command theorists can affirm both that moral knowledge and theological knowledge co-depend without one grounding the other.
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    • 3.Our modal access to moral truths may reflect God's eternal nature rather than proving moral facts exist independently of divinity.
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    Key Terms

    knowledge(Distinguished from mere true belief, which may be the product of indoctrination and need not exercise deliberative capacities.)
    Justified true belief — true belief that has been arrived at through the exercise of deliberative capacities, including comparison of and deliberation among alternatives.

    Connections

    2 topics

    Against an attribute of God1 linkedTruth & Knowledge1 linked

    Related

    Basing moral knowledge on knowledge of God's will is viciously circularCudworth conflates epistemological grounding (how we know) with metaphysical gro...Divine command theorists can affirm both that moral knowledge and theological kn...Divine command theory requires pre-existing moral knowledge to identify which co...
    +3 moreShow less
    If God's commands defined morality, we could not coherently ask whether God's co...Our modal access to moral truths may reflect God's eternal nature rather than pr...

    Details

    Type
    claim
    Perspectives
    2 (1 for, 1 against)
    Edits
    1 edit
    We recognize moral truths (torturing children is wrong) prior to and independent...