Euthyphro, Cultural Moral Relativism, and Divine Command Theory

Recap: Defining Piety and the Origins of Moral Relativism

  • Euthyphro's Second Attempt at Defining Piety:

    • Piety (pious) =df=_{df} what is dear to the gods.

    • Impiety (impious) =df=_{df} what is not dear to the gods.

  • Socrates' Objection:

    • The gods are known to disagree (e.g., in Greek mythology).

    • If gods disagree, then the same action or thing could be simultaneously both dear and not dear to the gods.

    • This leads to a contradiction: one thing could be both pious and impious at the same time, which is logically impossible.

  • Introduction to Moral Relativism (MR):

    • Definition: The view that morality is not objective but rather determined by people's attitudes (this includes beliefs, feelings, and societal norms).

    • Two Kinds of Moral Relativism:

    • Individual Moral Relativism: Morality is determined by an individual's attitudes.

    • Cultural Moral Relativism: Morality is determined by a culture or society's attitudes.

Cultural Moral Relativism (CMR)

  • Definition: Cultural Moral Relativism (CMR) =df=_{df} right and wrong are determined by one's culture or society.

  • Interpretations of Moral Statements within CMR:-