Religion and Morality – The Euthyphro Dilemma

By the end of today’s lesson you will:i) be familiar with the four key scholars with regards to the connection between

religion and moralityii) Have re-familiarised yourself with the

Euthyphro dilemmaiii) Have found Biblical examples of the

Euthyphro dilemma

Rich Pictures

Anecdotal Evidence

• What is something that you perceive as being good?

• What qualities make this thing good?• Do you choose to experience this

good thing or is it something that comes to you?

• Is this thing good because you say it is good, or is it good anyway?

Which criticism for which...

• PROBLEM: God hasn’t had to make a choice about what ‘good’ things he should put in the Bible, everything in the Bible is just ‘good’ anyway because God says so – yet being a good and moral person usually involves making a choice.

PROBLEM: Although this would mean that God has been a moral agent and made a choice between good and evil – this means that things are intrinsically good in themselves – which takes God’s away from God’s goodness and makes us ask – what does make these things good?

Is the Bible passage....

Exodus 23:19 Genesis 22:1-19

Judges 11:30-39

Job 1:1-11

A) A POINTLESS COMMAND B) GOD COMMANDING SOMETHING EVIL

Kierkegaard & Habgood

‘ you gotta have faith’ – highest virtue

There’s a nagging doubt – but the fact that God answers to these people at all shows he is gracious and bothered

• Each group has a question that they must try to answer in writing.

• They will then pass their answer on to the next group who will analyse it and feedback for class discussion.

Pass Analyse

Quiz

• 1) Do we need God to give life meaning?• 2) Do you agree that ‘without God

everything is permitted?• 3) Explain the difference between ‘X is

good because God wills it’ and ‘God wills X because it is good.’

• 4) List the key criticisms of the argument.• 5) Can morality ever be founded on

authority?• 6) How do you decide what is good or bad?

Justify your view.

Response to Euthyphro?

Moral argument Archetypes Bertrand Russell

Recap starter- pick at least 4 words from the selection below & explain them!

Blue = 1 point eachRed = 2 points each

Black = 3 points each

Intrinsic goodness Copleston Kant

Divine command ethics

Eschatology Euthyphro dilemma