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What is the Euthyphro dilemma? Describe the dilemma, including each "horn" and why each leads to an unsatisfactory conclusion.

User Abey M
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Final answer:

The Euthyphro Dilemma raises questions about the relationship between morality and the gods' commands. It consists of two horns, with each leading to unsatisfactory conclusions.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Euthyphro Dilemma, discussed in Plato's dialogue Euthyphro, raises questions about the relationship between morality and the gods' commands. The dilemma consists of two horns:

  1. If the good is such because God says it is, then morality is arbitrary and subjective. This leads to the problem of condoning immoral acts that God may command.
  2. If the good is independent of God and exists objectively, then we don't need the gods as intermediaries to determine what is good and what is not. This undermines the idea that God is the source of morality.

Ultimately, both horns of the dilemma lead to unsatisfactory conclusions: moral relativism on one hand, and the diminishing role of God in moral decisions on the other.

User Bhavesh Daswani
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