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It is common to reject divine command theories of metaethics on the basis of the Euthyphro problem, the essence of which is that such views render morality unacceptably arbitrary. In what follows, I will argue that when it comes to the Euthyphro problem divine command theories are not uniquely prey to it: all forms of objectivist moral realism are exposed. I will then go on to argue that there is no need for anyone to worry, as the Euthyphro problem is not really a problem at all. Obviously, if I am correct this does not mean that a divine command theory of metaethics is true, just that one prominent reason for rejecting it is unsound. However, I will go on briefly to sketch some reasons why divine command theory deserves to be taken more seriously in contemporary metaethics.
The structure of the paper is as follows. In section 1, I define my terms and in section 2 I outline the problem at the heart of the Euthyphro. In section 3, I explain why the non-naturalist moral realist faces the Euthyphro in the guise of problems with moral supervenience. In section 4, I explain why naturalist moral realism faces the problem in the guise of problems with the non-trivial local moral supervenience thesis. In section 5, I explain why the Euthyphro is not a problem. Finally, in section 6, I briefly outline some of the virtues of a divine command analysis of morality before concluding.
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Divine command theories of metaethics come in different shapes and sizes. Here I use the term to mean any view that identifies moral properties with the property of being commanded or favoured by a god of some sort.2By 'a god' I mean some kind of a supernatural agency possessed of a considerable amount of control or influence over us. Note that on my usage it is not the essence of divine command theories that the god in question be the god of any religion. The god certainly need not be God. True, most contemporary divine command theorists have God in mind and sometimes - often in fact-divine command theory is defined as the view that moral goodness is what God commands (favours,...