divine command theory
the euthyphro argument
In some cases, there is no objective moral
fact.
 In some cases, there is an objective moral
fact.
 In every case, we should be strive to be
tolerant, reasonable, and open-minded.

conventionalism
The Good consists in always doing what
God wills at any particular moment.
-Emil Brunner
The Divine Imperative
the divine command theory
Subjectivism: “X is right” means “I
approve of X.”
 Conventionalism: “X is right” means “My
culture approves of X.”
 The Divine Command Theory: “X is right”
means “God approves of X.”

the divine command theory


The Divine Command Theory: There are
some objective moral truths. “X is right”
means “God commands X”. “X is wrong”
means “God commands against X”.
The Divine Command Theory: There are
some objective moral truths. For any right
action X, X is right because and only because
God commands X. For any wrong action X, X
is wrong because and only because God
commands against X.
the divine command theory


The Divine Command Theory: There are
some objective moral truths. “X is right”
means “God commands X”. “X is wrong”
means “God commands against X”.
The Divine Command Theory: There are
some objective moral truths. For any right
action X, X is right because and only because
God commands X. For any wrong action X, X
is wrong because and only because God
commands against X.
the divine command theory
Subjectivism: There are no objective
moral truths. “X is right” means “I
approve of X”. “X is wrong” means “I
disapprove of X”.
 Subjectivism: There are no objective
moral truths. For any right action X, X is
right because and only because I approve
of X. For any wrong action X, X is wrong
because and only because I disapprove of
it.

subjectivism

The Divine Command Theory: There
are some objective moral truths. For any
right action X, X is right because and only
because God commands X. For any wrong
action X, X is wrong because and only
because God commands against X.
the divine command theory
the divine command theory
the divine command theory

SOCRATES: Remember, then, that I did not ask you
to tell me one or two of all the many pious actions
that there are; I want to know what is characteristic
of piety which makes all pious actions pious. You said,
I think, that there is one characteristic which makes
all pious actions pious, and another characteristic
which makes all impious actions impious. Do you
remember?

EUTHYPHRO: Well, I should say that piety is what all
the gods love, and that impiety is what they all hate.

SOCRATES: Now consider this question. Do the gods
love piety because it is pious, or is it pious because
they love it?
the euthyphro argument
4.
5.
Either (a) things are right because God
commands them or (b) God commands
things because they are right.
If (a), morality is contingent and God is
arbitrary.
Morality is not contingent and God is not
arbitrary.
[So] (b).
If (b), then DCT is false
6.
[So] DCT is false.
1.
2.
3.
the euthyphro argument