Voluntarism vs. Essentialism and Noncognitive Ethics - Lesson 2

Dave Rich examines the fundamental question of what makes a thing good by contrasting voluntarism vs. essentialism through the lens of Scripture. The discussion addresses whether God wills something because it is good, or whether something is good because God wills it. Through careful theological analysis, Rich demonstrates that God's immutable nature resolves this dilemma—His will is eternal, unchanging, and defines goodness itself. The session then critiques noncognitive ethical systems like logical positivism, emotivism, and prescriptivism, exposing their self-contradictory foundations.

These secular philosophies attempt to deny objective moral truth by claiming ethical statements have no factual content. However, such systems collapse under scrutiny, revealing themselves as expressions of preference designed to suppress God's truth. Rich emphasizes that the debate between voluntarism and essentialism is resolved only through recognizing God's immutable character, while noncognitive approaches demonstrate the futility of ethics apart from divine revelation. The teaching underscores that all moral obligation resolves into conformity to God's will, as revealed in Scripture—our only reliable source for understanding what is truly good.

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