The Euthyphro Dilemma

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The Euthyphro Dilemma In the reading Euthyphro, Socrates asks about piety (“The Euthyphro-Question”) to show the lack of clarity of the Divine Command Theory. By Socrates questioning the meaning of piety, it is intended to show the clarity of the Divine Command Theory. In this paper, I will argue why horn one of the Euthyphro Dilemma shows the Divine Command Theory to be false, but also how horn two supports the theory. The Divine Command Theory states that actions are right or wrong just because God commands or prohibits them. This means that the only thing that makes and act morally wrong is that God either commands or prohibits it. Whether he will support or be against them, it is entirely up to him. This theory shows that actions can either be accepted or denied based solely upon God’s judgment and whether he agrees or disagrees with what is at hand. If God agrees with certain actions or circumstances, then it is right just because God says that it is right. But on the other hand, if God does not agree with certain actions or circumstances, then it is wrong because God says that it is wrong. Whatever God wants to command becomes a standard of moral rights. So if God commanded someone to rape another person, the Divine Command theory proves that rape would be moral because doing the right thing is the same as doing what God commands. It is impossible to imagine God commanding to do such a wrong act. The Divine Command Theory is solely based upon what God commands. The Euthyphro Dilemma asks: does God command us to do something right because it is right, or is something right because God commands it? For example, do we love thy neighbor because God says that it is right, or is it right because God commands it? According to the Euthyphro Dilemma, there are two horns that pose trouble for the Divine Command Theory. Both horn one and horn two differ from one
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