Single Idea 4350

[catalogued under 28. God / A. Divine Nature / 6. Divine Morality / b. Euthyphro question]

Full Idea

If people perform virtuous actions simply because they are commanded by God, would they cease to perform such actions if they lost their faith in God?

Gist of Idea

If people are virtuous in obedience to God, would they become wicked if they lost their faith?

Source

Rosalind Hursthouse (On Virtue Ethics [1999], Ch.6)

Book Reference

Hursthouse,Rosalind: 'On Virtue Ethics' [OUP 2001], p.133


A Reaction

To be consistent, the answer might be 'yes', but that invites the response that only intrinsically evil people need to be Christians. The rest of us can be good without it.