One last time on substance dualism and divine-command morality

I think this will be my last response to urbster on this subject

ah crap, I wanted to respond to a comment didums22 left in my last video.

Didums said that morality is a bunch of feelings that correlate with actions. I should point out 2 problems with this theory
1: This reduces morality to a description, but morality by definition is prescriptive
2: This eliminates room for moral disagreements

One last point I want to make regarding divine command morality is this: The two responses to this video seem to gravely misunderstand what divine command morality is and why I adopt divine command morality

First we must talk about moral foundations. I contend that the foundation (ontologically/metaphysically speaking) for morality is God. However, it seems almost as if the two responses confuse an ontological basis for morality with an epistemological basis for morality.

The responses seem to attack divine command morality as if my strain of divine-command ethics said that we can KNOW that something is immoral if a God decrees such, or that we can know that something is moral because a God decrees such. This is the EPISTEMOLOGICAL basis for morality, and that is not what I am advocating

I am advocating that rights and wrongs EXIST because a God says so. That is why I repeatedly say "Divine-command ethics is the only tenable ethical theory because its the only one that can account for the metaphysical status of morality"

Category:

Education

Tags:

• urbster
• mind/body
• dualism
• empiricism

[Knowntje]

isnt substance dualism pretty much indistinguishable from monism and isnt substance dualism completely compatible with atheism or even naturalism?

[migkillertwo]

no substance dualism is the antithesis of monism.

and while it is compatible with atheism, it is not compatible with naturalism.

[Knowntje]

well then I dont uinderstand what substance dualism really is, because what you are describing it to be in the video is that the physical brain causes the mind. But in monism it is the same, because the mind is a manifestation of brain functions. or put another the word "mind" describes a process of brain functions

[migkillertwo]

its pretty much teh same thing as mind/body dualism.

"describes a process of brain functions"

that's not entirely true, as those functions are very physical. mind/body dualists hold that the mind is not material.

they basically believe in souls.

[Deliratio]

urbster dropped the ball on morality

[TheGamingWeasel]

Migkillertwo seriously needs to go to a Philosophy of Mind 101 class.

[Raffzeee]

I think dualism and monism are I both inaccurate. The actual reality is something more exciting! It is yet to be theorised. After this, there will still be room to have believe or disbelieve God/Soul etc.

[GBart]

"Your mind chooses the chemical reactions that your mind is determined by?"

No, my mind IS those chemical reactions.

"If your actions are determined exhaustively by external factors, you were not free in choosing them, because they were external."

Ok, then they're not free. If we're talking about the molecular level, we don't really have free will.

[legodesi]

Wait. Your mind chooses the chemical reactions that your mind is determined by?

If your actions are determined exhaustively by external factors, you were not free in choosing them, because they were external.

[Knowntje]

well in that case it sounds to me that dualists simply call that brain process "the immaterial soul" and monists dont.

[GBart]

"How can you be responsible for your actions if your actions are reducible to chemical reactions?"

Explain why this is a problem.

"Did you will those chemical reactions to take place? Can you decide how they operate?"

They are my will and my decisions.

"How would you be any freer than the sun is to its own actions?"

What do you mean by "free"?

I can change my actions based on my knowledge of their consequences. I am also able to suffer. That's how I differ from the sun.

[legodesi]

How can you be responsible for your actions if your actions are reducible to chemical reactions? Did you will those chemical reactions to take place? Can you decide how they operate? How would you be any freer than the sun is to its own actions?