In: Psychology
What is the Euthyphro dilemma? State the dilemma in your own woods and explain why it presents a problem for the view that morality is grounded in some divine command.
The Euthyphro Dilemma
(1) If divine command theory is true then either (i) morally
good acts are willed by God as they are morally good, or (ii)
morally good acts are morally good because they are willed by
God.
(2) If (i) morally good acts are willed by God because they are
morally good, then independent of God’s will; they are morally
good.
(3) It is not the case that morally good acts are morally good
independent of God’s will.
Therefore:
(4) It is not the case that (i) morally good acts are willed by God
because they are morally good.
(5) If (ii) morally good acts are morally good because they are
willed by God, then there is no reason either to care for God’s
moral goodness or to worship him.
(6) There are reasons both to care about God’s moral goodness and
to worship him.
Therefore:
(7) It is not the case that (ii) morally good acts are morally good
because they are willed by God.
Therefore:
(8) Divine command theory is false.