Philosophy of Religion Research

The Existence of God and the Efficacy of Morality

Document Type : Original Research

Authors

1 PhD Student of Philosophy of Ethics, University of Qom, Qom, Iran (Corresponding Author)

2 Assistant Professor of Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran

Abstract

In this paper, after a brief description of some common moral arguments for the existence of God, there is suggested a new argument entitled "necessity of the existence of a compensatory world or God for efficacy of morality". It is believed that in some occasions, the efficacy/usefulness of a moral belief or theory depends on the existence of God. By this argument, we attain not only a justification of morality, but also its full or best justification. Our argument does not require the denial of ontological, psychological, linguistic or rational independence of morality from religion or God. This argument is a way for filling the gaps between religious and secular ethics on the one hand and a solution to rescue from the bad outcomes of divine command theory on the other. Another privilege of our argument is its fewer assumptions in comparison with other moral arguments.

Keywords

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Philosophy of Religion Research
Volume 13, Issue 1 - Serial Number 1
May 2015
Pages 111-130