The Euthyphro Dilemma
But if 2, then is seems inappropriate to praise or worship God for being God as:
- If God sets the standard of goodness, then it seems inappropriate to praise him for meeting it as he cannot fail to meet it - If there is nothing morally good prior to God's willing, then nothing can guide His willing, so his choices are arbitrary and he might have will, for example, that killing was moral good. So, either: God is not omnipotent or he is not worthy of worship.
What is the Euthyphro Dilemma?
Is what is morally good commanded by God because it is morally good (1) Or is it morally good because it is commanded by God? (2)
How does Soren Kierkegaard respond to the Euthyphro dilemma?
Kierkegaard argued that whatever God commanded was good (option 1) Sometimes there are reasons why God may command what seems immoral (such as testing faith) So, as God always sees the bigger picture we should always have faith that what God commands is moral, even if we can't understand why
Is what is morally good commanded by God because it is morally good (1)
Or is it morally good because it is commanded by God? (2)
How does Plato respond to the Euthyphro dilemma?
Plato's own conclusion is that the second option is correct; he believed goodness transcended humans and God(s) too For Plato, morality had it's own, independent form of existence and therefore God or any other being is, at best, passing on this truth This of course means God is not omnipotent but perhaps still a higher authority to us (though perhaps still not worthy of worship)
How does Aquinas respond to the euthyphro dilemma?
There is a third option - Aquinas argued that it is in God's very nature to be moral - it is not arbitrarily commanded but is not separate to him either If god is all knowing, then he knows the moral thing to do and cannot ignorantly do the wrong thing (as humans do) Therefore, God will always command the right thing but because it is within his nature to
If 1 is correct then morally good acts are good independent of God's will and there is a moral standard
independent of God and so that God's independent seems to be limited
