Euthyphro's Divine Command Theory

In Euthyphro, Socrates states that piety must be something that is able, to be loved; however, piety cannot be defined as something loved because it is something loved. Developed from a discussion between Euthrphro and Socrates, the Divine Command Theory states, actions are right or wrong because they accord or conflict with the commands of God. However, Euthphro and the Divine Command Theory are misguided due to Euthyphro’s polytheistic religion, cases of severe malicious acts, and the belief system of different religions.
At the time Euthyprho spoke of piety, citizens in Greece believed in a polytheistic religion, consisting of multiple Gods, including, Zeus, Haitis, Athena, and others. However, the Divine Command Theory claims that an action is right or wrong based on God’s commands. With an abundant number of Gods, the question arises of how a person would understand which God’s command is correct, if there is controversy. An example that is applicable to today’s society is the relationship between a mother, father, and child. Say the child asked the mother to sneak out of the house and she says no, but when the child asks the father he says yes. In this case, there are two primary authority figures that disagree …show more content…
If one God commands all things, then what would happen if God changes his mind, or makes a mistake? One day, God could command that acts of theft are acceptable, so people begin to loot, but the next day God considers those acts unholy, and punishes all who participated in the looting. On the other extreme, one day, God considers the act of playing with a puppy a morally acceptable act, but further on, God commands that playing with animals is morally wrong. Thus, having one commander or God determining if an act is morally wrong, or right is not plausible. This leads the reader to ponder if God could make any action morally acceptable just by commanding