Is the study of morality easy?
• “Line dancing is as sinful as any other
type of dancing with its sexual
gestures and touching! It is an
incitement to lust!”
• Dr Ian Paisley, Presbyterian minister
Socrates: a biography
• Born 469BCE in Athens, Greece.
• No recorded works yet one of
history’s most influential
philosophers.
• We know of Socrates through
the writings of his student Plato.
• Often described as rotund and
ugly, he was known for talking to
anyone and engaging them in
philosophical debate.
• His commitment to philosophy
meant that personal hygiene
came second place- he was often
barefoot and dirty and had very
few possessions.
Socrates: a biography
Socrates aim was not to tell
others the truth – he often
claimed to be ignorant of it
himself – but rather to help
them discover it for
themselves as best they
could.
Socrates and Euthyphro
We are going to be learning
about a very famous argument
in moral thinking between
Socrates and Euthyphro. We
know about it from Plato’s
writing in The Last Days of
Socrates. It is a made up
conversation.
It all kicked off when
Socrates asked Euthyphro
what he thought was ‘right’ (or
‘holy’ which was one way of
describing it in those days).
Why Euthyphro?
• Euthyphro was taking his
father to court for the
mistreatment of a slave
• Socrates was on trial for the
‘crime’ of stirring up trouble in
the city’s youth – he could face
the death penalty for this.
• Socrates was going to be
executed for doing something
‘wrong’ so wanted to find out
what ‘wrong’ actually meant.
The Euthyphro Dilemma
• During the debate Euthyphro suggests
that what is right is what the gods
would be pleased with.
Socrates ends the argument by asking
Euthyphro do the gods command what
is right because it is right or is it
right only because the gods command
it.
The Dilemma
 Should religious people do things
their god(s) commands them to do
even if they otherwise think what
they’re being asked to do is wrong?
 Or, should they doubt that the
command has come from their god(s)
if they believe that the command is
wrong?
Euthyphro’s Problem
• Suppose Euthyphro was hanging
about and hears a godlike voice
telling him to kill the next person
who passes him. He is convinced he
has heard the voice of god(s) and he
has been brought up always to obey
the commands of god(s), because
they only command what’s right.
Should he kill?
• Even if he thinks it is wrong (which
he does) surely god(s) wouldn’t
command it if it was wrong?
Discussion
• If there was such
a thing as god(s) do
you think
he/she/it/they
would command you
to do something
which was wrong?
Morality and Killing
Is killing right or wrong?
Would god(s) command it?
This depends on who you ask…
Some people say that ‘no killing’ is an absolute rule
– it never wavers and always applies.
Other people say that ‘no killing’ depends on lots
of things and so it is a relative rule – it depends on
the situation.
Time Out: Think, Pair and Share
Is there anything
which you think is
always wrong no
matter what?
Or, is what’s right
and wrong related
to the situation?
Some possible responses!
 It is wrong in theory to kill, but sometimes
the situation demands it.
 It is wrong in theory to kill and so it is wrong
to do it no matter what the situation.
 It is theoretically right to kill in certain
situations and so right to actually do so.
 It is theoretically right to kill in certain
situations but is actually wrong to do so.
• NB: this also applies to those who have
viewpoints independent from religious beliefs.
Discussion
 Is it more
important to
do the right
thing if you
believe in an
afterlife?
Recap:
• What is the Euthyphro Dilemma?
Homework
• Explain the Euthyphro dilemma and
outline flaws in the argument. 6AE
• Homework task 2 – Summarise the
Divine Command Theory and the modern
approach to it. 6KU
Divine Command Theory
 Divine Command Theory: you should follow all
commands you are given from god(s) without
question.
 Euthyphro’s dilemma raised the issue of how
god(s) are linked to right and wrong.
Most religions today think their god(s)
are perfectly good meaning that they
always do what is good and expect the
same from followers (often with use of
the carrot and stick).
So how do religious people ‘hear’ from
their god(s)?
 Directly as a voice/vision or a sense of presence.
 Indirectly through the interpretation of something
that happened.
 An answer to a prayer.
 The study of sacred texts.
 The teachings of a member of the faith group.
 Historical teachings.
And can these ways be trusted?
No easy answer
• For religious people finding out what’s ‘right’
and ‘wrong’ is a complex matter. Some choose
to cross-check a few features of their faith
together to find answers.
• What religious people do with what they think
god(s) is telling them is related to two
further key ideas in moral-decision making
we’ll be learning about:
Autonomy and Heteronomy.
Time Out: Think, Pair and Share
What makes
something good?
Outcome?
Intention?
Something else?
• Discussion between Euthyphro and
Socrates
• Euthyphro’s position: whatever the
gods (God) command is obligatory just
because they command it
• Socrates position: there is a standard
of goodness independent of the gods
(God). The gods (God) no longer the
standard of morality.
• Is a thing (eg murder) wrong because
God says it is wrong, or is it wrong in
itself, independent of God?
• Basic gist of the Dilemma :
• Do morals come from God
• If not, where do they come from?
Divine Command Theory
• Implication of the Euthyphro dilemma is
that something is right because God
commands it.
• Religious people say that God is all
powerful as well as perfectly good, so
anything He commands should be obeyed
and should be thought of as right.
The Last Days of Socrates
• Socrates never found a
solution to the
Euthyphro dilemma and
what makes something
‘right’ or ‘wrong’.
• The Athens court could
not explain what ‘right’
or ‘wrong’ were either,
but nevertheless
Socrates was
sentenced to death.
Socrates: a biography
• The trial and execution of
Socrates, dramatized by
Plato, has inspired many
thinkers and artists through
the centuries.
• Considered to be a dangerous
and subversive influence, he
was eventually arrested and
charged with refusing to
acknowledge the gods of the
state, introducing new ones
and corrupting the young.
Socrates: a biography
• Socrates was condemned
to death by drinking
hemlock, he refused a
chance to escape and,
surrounded by his
friends, embraced death
with great dignity.
• Socrates died in
399BCE, Athens.
The Death of Socrates, by Jacques-Louis David (1787).
Plato
Following the execution of
Socrates Plato left Athens in
disgust. He travelled in Italy,
Sicily and Egypt before
returning to Athens to found
his Academy in 377BCE.
 The Academy was the
Western’s world’s first
university. Many great
intellectuals were schooled
there, including Aristotle.
Absolute and Relative Viewpoints
Any viewpoint, religious, philosophical ,or
otherwise, can be either absolute or relative:
Absolute
Relative
•Some things are always right
and others are always wrong
•Moral rules would be stuck to,
regardless of consequences
•E.g. if it is ‘wrong to lie’ you
would always be honest, even if
it hurt someone’s feelings or
got you into trouble.
•Each situation is different, so
should be handled differently.
•Moral rules are a guide to be
interpreted.
•E.g. If it is ‘wrong to lie’ then
you would be honest most of
the time, but might tell a ‘white
lie’ if it would make someone
feel better and cause no real
harm.