Divine Command Theory
The meta-ethical position that moral facts are constituted by divine commands: something is right because God commands it; something is wrong because God forbids it. Morality derives its objectivity from God's will. The Euthyphro Dilemma presents the theory's main philosophical challenge.
Real World
When the Nuremberg Laws of 1930s Germany made persecution legally commanded, many Christians argued those laws were morally wrong regardless of state authority — this mirrors the Divine Command challenge: if authority (divine or political) defines morality, can we ever condemn commanded atrocities?
Exam Focus
Name the Euthyphro Dilemma explicitly as the primary objection and explain both horns — examiners expect precise philosophical vocabulary here.
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