Question

Explain the difference between the following two positions: 1. The gods love a pious act because it is pious. 2. A pious act is pious because the gods love it. Which of the two does Socrates adhere to, and why? Do you agree with Socrates' position? Why or why not?

Answer 1

These 2 different positions can be explained by the difference in views of the Divine Command Theory. The famous dialogue takes place when Socrates asks Euthophro whether any action which is moral is so because the Gods have commanded it or whether the acts that Gods command are moral. The Gods are pleased by the morality. Hence in the 1st position, the person who does moral acts are loved by God and in the 2nd position, the persons who are loved by God do the moral acts. According to Socrates the morality is a human attitude and not something adhered to by the Gods. Thus he believes that the morality is independent of God's. This disbelief later leads to Socrates death.

I do agree with Socrates. Because I feel morality is situational. An act which in one persons view is moral may not be the same in a different situation in some other person's point of view depending on the circumstances. It has got nothing to do with God or God's command.