Divine Command Theory: Crash Course Philosophy #33

As we venture into the world of ethics, there are a lot of different answers to the grounding problem for us to explore. One of the oldest and most popular is the divine command theory. But with age comes a long history of questions, too, such as the dilemma presented by Plato known as the Euthyphro Problem.

--

--

Crash Course Philosophy is sponsored by Squarespace.

--

Want to find Crash Course elsewhere on the internet?

[joshuajones]

All I know is, God would like us all to call bananas ChomChoms

[jackharmon]

The Ten Recommendations:
1. I would suggest you don't have any other gods.
2. Please don't make any graven images.
3. It kinda bugs me when people take my name in vain.
4. Sundays are pretty cool
5. Be nice to your mom and dad, if you can.
6. I'd like it if you didn't kill people.
7. Adultery is not that cool.
8. If could not steal, that would be stellar.
9. Please don't bear false witness, if that's cool.
10. Please just generally leave your neighbor uncoveted, it's not a huge deal but c'mon, please.

[PennyDreadful]

"Thou shalt commit adultery" was a famous Bible typo in a Bible from 1631.

[jeka]

Hank, I really appreciate how respectful you are in these videos. You say "in this worldview" or "Plato said" objectively, without passing judgment on people who do or do not hold a certain philosophical view. In the comments, people will judge each other for their theist/atheist beliefs, but you don't go there in your videos. Thank you for explaining the topic without taking sides, so we can all use philosophy to investigate and test our own ideas without feeling that philosophy has already solved a problem once and for all. It's a much stronger way to learn and to think for ourselves.

[jacobw]

"Is all of modern culture a violation of God's word?"

Most of it is, yes

[ezravoss]

It's crazy to imagine that all this discussion was before the world's top 3 religions were "discovered".

[Monochromicornicopia]

This problem predates the Christian religion by over 400 years.

[MrJr]

I love when Crash Course makes me think. Coming from a theist, this is a very good video. Thank you.

[JonnesTT]

I think the divine command Theory is just a moral free card, "you don't have to think, god/s will do it for you".

[Bogonavt]

Thanks Hank! I love this course. I study the course because as a Christian i want to know where different beliefs come from.
In the Bible commandments are tied to covenants, and the Old covenant was only for jews before Christ, so it's not a thing today. I hope it helps.
Commandments like prohibition of mixing different types of fabric in the context of that age and place were given because mixing different fabric types was a part of pagan cults with human sacrifices surrounding jews. Thus it meant don't practice cults. Most problems with the Bible are removed by knowing its context.

[siggyincr]

Wow, the mental gymnastics displayed here in the comments are really impressive.

[hunterterrell]

the three issues introduced at the beginning of the video, while, at first glance and out of context can seem confusing, really are all things that make sense when read into.


The ancient israelites made a covenant with God, before the coming of Christ. In this covenant were hundreds of rules for man, and hundreds of promises by God. The rules included the practical, or "humans dealing with humans" such as washing your hands before you eat, and not eating rotten meat. Also there was moral and social practicality, like don't kill and don't steal, take care of widows, etc.. These helped keep a peaceful society. Then there were rules that were meant to distinguish the israelites from the pagan countries, rules such as dress codes and circumcision, symbolic things which identified the Israelites as God's people.


The second kind of rules were rules on how to approach or worship God. Very specific, symbolic instructions on building a tabernacle and ceremonies.


All of these rules were assigned a purpose, their purpose was as a mirror. Time and time again the new testament asks "can the law save you?" or says "if you keep the whole law, but fail in one way, you are guilty of it all." The purpose of the law was to put humans in their place. Pagans and the tower of babel were examples of people trying to reach God, instead of having faith in Him to reach them. The law, which no one could follow, highlighted the need for a saviour.
Enter: Jesus.


The old Israelite commandments are not binding to anyone other than the ancient people group that entered a covenant. Jesus eliminated the need for human sacrificial atonement because Jesus came as the intercessor for us all, the intermediary between us and God. All of us are "sheep lead astray" and Jesus "bore the transgressions (wrongdoings) of us all" as an eternal atonement (appeasement)


As for the reason that modern Christians still follow the 10 commandments, we don't, not all of them, it just so happens that 9/10 of them were repeated in the new testament. Jesus came to fulfil the law. Jesus also kind of exploded the idea of the Sabbath, and most Christians do not hold a holy sabbath (saturday). When asked what the greatest commandment was, Jesus responded with the first commandment, more or less, by saying "Love God with all your heart, soul and strength." and then he gave a second, "love your neighbor as yourself" We learned much of the symbolic meaning of the law in the new testament. For instance with murder, "you say do not kill, but I tell you that any man who has hatred has commited murder in his heart." or with adultrey "any man that looks at a woman with lust commits adultery in his heart." learning to follow the spirit of the law above the letter.


As for the new testament laws he gave, wearing gold chains was a sign of vanity, and vanity isn't good if you back up in the timothy passage, it starts by saying that people should be modest, and then gives examples how.. and you shouldn't gossip.


Anyways, my point is that there are still people, myself included, that truly do believe that the entire Bible is literal and true, moral and practical. I try very hard to live by it, and I do not dress funky or do anything religious. The entire misconception is this: People believe that for God to love them they have to do stuff to appease Him. The whole message of the Bible is that there is nothing that you can do to work your way to heaven. "For it is by Grace (undeserved favor, mercy) that you are saved, through Faith, and not of works...) -Ephesians.


I hope that helped, if you have any questions let me know

[taylorbritt]

his mug that says "I drink therefore I am" is amazing and I want it XD

[camiloiribarren]

Thank God!! You used one of the Platonic dialogues with Socrates.

[PatrickHogan]

When I took Ethics my instructor spent six weeks on Divine-Command Theory because he felt it wholly proved God and would not let it go until someone either proved him wrong to the point he changed his belief or everyone in the class accepted God's existence.
He was fired and replaced.
Not sure why.

[sebilin]

pretty sure those laws (deutoromaty, leviticus, etc) are ceremorial laws given to the peopel of isreal for where the messiah will come from, and when jesus said he came not to abolish but to fufil, he meant that we dont have to follow the ceremonial laws, but the moral laws (ten commandments) are still applicable. im pretty sure thats it.

[sebastienbusque]

Watching all of those videos reminds me of a piece of philosophy I found in a Belgium comic strip called 'Le Chat' (or 'The Cat') by Phillipe Gelluck. The character in question said in a short strip: "Man made God. As a way to thank him, God made Man."

[Charmhole]

I'm pretty atheist but "The Ten Recommendations" does actually sound pretty good to me on about all levels.

[ValentinoNuzzoliArt]

Socrates is just straight up legendary!

[bentoth]

If the "ten recommendations" seems to fall short, how about the "eight I'd really rather you didn'ts?"