Euthyphro - 1289 Words

Analysis of Euthyphro Nikon121 PHI 200 Bob Harris October 15, 2012 Analysis of Euthyphro Socrates was put to death in Athens for subverting the youth of the city. He was indicted by Meletus and awaiting his trail on the porch of the King of Archon when he met Euthyphro. It was at this point he engaged in a debate about piety. In this paper, I will examine that debate and present my own conclusion about its purpose as well as my own definition of piety. Holiness, or piousness, is the center of the conversation between Socrates and Euthyphro. Both of the men met on the porch of the King to deal with a legal matter; Socrates the defendant and Euthyphro the plaintiff. Socrates was being charged with†¦show more content†¦The gods often disagreed in many old stories, so if one god held an act to be dear it was possible another would hate it. This would make an act pious and impious, which is a contradiction. After his above point was refuted, Euthyphro modified his point to read that holiness is what all the gods love and the opposite was hated by all of them (Plato Jowett). This definition is a bit harder to refute, but it definitely falls short of giving a clear standard from which to judge all acts. This definition fails to show the nature of piety. It says the gods love piety but it does not clearly explain why. There has to be a reason that the gods love piety, and without that reason piety seems to become relativis t concept. I think this definition just gives a characteristic of piety. The next definition given is that holiness is part of justice that is concentrated on by the gods (Plato Jowett). Socrates uses examples of people attending to lesser beings for the sake of improving them, and shows that this is impossible with gods since they are beings above us. The word attending defeats this definition. This leads to another unclear definition that suggests that people somehow improve the gods, which we know from the concept of a god is impossible: holiness is that part of justice devoted to service or ministration to the gods; it is learning how to please them with words or deeds (Plato Jowett). The lastShow MoreRelatedThe Euthyphro, Socrates And Euthyphro1143 Words   |  5 PagesOrtecia Guity Introduction to Philosophy 4/30/15 In Plato’s Euthyphro, Socrates and Euthyphro have a battle concerning the definition of piety. Socrates questions Euthyphro on whether or not is possible to have an objective – definite – definition of a concept/object. This came to be known as Euthyphro’s Dilemma. This argument can be clarified as follows; â€Å"what is dear to the gods is pious, and what is not is impious†: if an object is God-love, than the object must be loved by all Gods; thereforeRead MoreThe Euthyphro, Socrates And Euthyphro1143 Words   |  5 PagesOrtecia Guity Introduction to Philosophy 4/30/15 In Plato’s Euthyphro, Socrates and Euthyphro have a battle concerning the meaning of piety. Socrates interrogates Euthyphro on whether or not is possible to have an objective – definite – definition of a concept/object. This came to be known as Euthyphro’s Dilemma. This argument can be clarified as follows; â€Å"what is dear to the gods is pious, and what is not is impious†: if an object is God-love, than the object must be loved by all Gods; thereforeRead MoreIn PlatoS Euthyphro, Socrates And Euthyphro Discuss The1734 Words   |  7 PagesIn Plato s Euthyphro, Socrates and Euthyphro discuss the nature of piety. Euthyphro first proposed that piety is that which the gods love. 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