Peter Boghossian on Divine command theory
Boghossian argues that divine command theory undermines genuine moral reasoning by replacing evidence-based ethics with obedience.
Boghossian sees divine command theory as one of the most epistemologically dangerous religious ideas. If morality is simply whatever God commands, then moral reasoning is replaced by moral obedience. There is no need to evaluate the consequences of actions, consider the well-being of others, or engage in ethical reflection. One simply obeys — and this, Boghossian argues, is not morality at all.
He connects divine command theory to his broader critique of faith as an epistemology. Faith tells people to accept claims without evidence; divine command theory tells people to accept moral commands without justification. Both represent the abdication of critical thinking in favour of submission to authority, and both produce predictably harmful results when the authority commands harmful things.
Boghossian frequently invokes the Euthyphro dilemma in conversations with believers, but his emphasis is practical rather than purely philosophical. He asks: if God commanded you to do something you believed was wrong, what would you do? The answer reveals whether the person is using divine command as their actual moral framework or merely paying it lip service while relying on their own moral intuitions.
“If your morality depends on what you think God wants, then you have outsourced the most important question a human being can ask to an authority you cannot verify.”