God's Call: Moral Realism, God's Commands, and Human Autonomy

by John E. Hare

The author, a professor of philosophy, makes a strong case for an ethical code based on the law of God.

Genres: Theology

Hardcover

First published October 31, 2000

Reviews

[Russell Freeman]

This little book is Hare's attempt to further elucidate a variety of divine command theory. The first chapter is a survey of contemporary moral philosophers. Hare attempts to combine elements of expressivistic moral philosophies with elements of moral realism. He calls this combination prescriptive realism (not to be confused with the prescriptivism of his father, R. M. Hare). The second chapter adapts some of the elements of the philosophy of Duns Scotus within this prescriptive realistic framework. The third chapter is an attempt to respond at the perceived Kantian critique of divine command theory. I say "perceived Kantian critique" because one of the points Hare makes is that modern philosophers who use Kant to critique divine command theory (as being "heteronomous") have misunderstood Kant.

This is a very helpful book. It was easier to read than his earlier "Moral Gap," yet just as rigorous. His treatment of the much-neglected Duns Scotus was extremely helpful for me.