*“Is something pious because the gods love it, or do the gods love it because it is already pious ?”*

Problem - 

Recently I read Euthyphro by Plato, which is a dialogue between Euthyphro a self proclaimed religious expert, and Socrates a 5th century Athenian philosopher, written by Plato.

In the dialogue, Socrates learns that Euthyphro is prosecuting his own father for homicide. The incident occured on their family estate in Naxos. A hired laborer killed another laborer in fit of rage. Euthyphro’s father captured the killer and threw him into a ditch while sending to Athens for legal advice on how to proceed. However, before any instructions arrived, the bound man died.

Fast forward in the dialogue, Socrates asks Euthyphro to identify what makes an action pious rather than impious. Euthyphro proposes that *the pious is what all the gods love, and the impious is what all the gods hate.*

From here, we enter the modern world. In many religious contexts, people say, “This is wrong because my religion says so.” The key question to ask after such remark is why is it wrong ? Is it wrong because God commands against it ? or does God command against it because it is already morally wrong ?

Does morality depends upon divine command ? or does morality exists independently ?

Core Idea - 

One of the question that arises is how can morality exist independently ?

Here comes the concept of moral realism, which states that some moral statements are actually true, independently of what anyone thinks. Their truth does not depend on approval, culture or divine command.

for example -

* Causing unnecessary suffering is wrong.
* Killing an innocent person for fun is wrong.
* Stealing from the vulnerable is wrong.

These statements are true even if no society, person or god approved them. Their truth exists independently of opinion.

Counterpoint -

Now lets take the first part how does morality co-relates with divine command ?

When morality depends upon divine command, it means that action is right or wrong because God says so, not because it has any independent moral property.

for example -

* Stealing is good because God allows it.

This would be morally good under divine command view.

So when morality depends on divine command, rightness is arbitrary in principle.

Closing Impact -

In modern India, many “cow protection” mobs claiming it’s their religious duty to protect the sacred cow, has led to violence including death and injuries of people. Why are these mobs not against the killing of goats, chickens and fishes? Why only cow have sacred symbolism?

The key question then is this - Is killing a cow morally wrong simply because God commands it, or is the killing of any animal inherently morally wrong, independent of divine command ?

Is Something Good Because God Says So ?