Euthyphro and Piety Essay

Running Head: Euthyphro 1

Euthyphro
Eneasha Ackles
PHI208: Ethics and Moral Reasoning
Instructor Craig Thompson
September 30, 2013

Running Head: Euthyphro 2

Euthyphro

Euthyphro, is a quest for wisdom and the definition of holiness/piety. The dialogue Euthyphro was written by Socrates' protege Plato during the weeks leading up Socrates' trial in which he was accused of corrupting the youth in Athens. It features Socrates and religious expert Euthyphro engaged in a discussion attempting to define holiness. Euthyphro displays the methods Socrates used to try to gain wisdom and his and Plato's views on holiness. The concept of holiness emerges in the dialogue Euthyphro because Socrates is facing impending charges for corrupting Athen's youth and as he talks to Euthyphro, he hopes to learn from him to better defend himself at his own trial. Euthyphro begins with Socrates and Euthyphro encounter each other in front of the court house, both are there for preliminary hearing for possible trials. Euthyphro has come before the court to press charges on his father for allowing one of his workers to die from exposure to the elements without proper attention and care. Socrates was brought up on charges by Meletus for expressing skeptical views about the gods. Holiness takes prominent position in the conversation between Socrates and Euthyphro as Euthyphro displays his confidence in ethical and religious matter Socrates is startled by Euthyphro's confidence in taking his father to court, and presses him to define piety. Socrates hopes Euthyphro can teach him the answer to the question “What is piety?” so he can use it in his defense at his trial. Socrates wants a definition of piety that all actions can be measured against which is universally true.

Running Head: Euthyphro 3 Socrates forces Euthyphro to confront his own ignorance by goading him to give multiple definitions of the word piety. Socrates finds a flaw in every definition Euthyphro proposes. Euthyphro uses himself as an example to provides his first definition of the word piety. He states that prosecuting his father for manslaughter is an example of piety because he is doing the right thing. Socrates rejects this definition of piety because it is an instance of piety and not an example, and Socrates asks for a more general definition. Euthyphro's second definition of piety is what is pleasing to the gods. Socrates refutes this argument elaborately, and states that the gods disagree amongst themselves about what is pleasing. This could present a logically impossible situation. An action could be pious and impious, depending on how the gods feel if they agree or not. Euthyphro agrees that the gods would not disagree among themselves and states that what all the gods love is pious and what they all hate is impious. Socrates questions Euthyphro and asks if something is loved by the gods because it is pious or is it pious because it is loved by the gods. Socrates uses an analogy to elaborate on his question, and is able to get Euthyphro to admit that we call a carried thing carried because that is what it is, not because it posses a quality which we would call carried. Being carried is a state, and piety is as well. If piety is what is liked by the gods, it is for a reason not for the sake of being liked. An action is not pious just because the gods like it, it must follow something. Socrates refutes Euthyphro's argument by stating piety proceeds liking, and that the gods like an action because it is pious and Euthuphro agrees. Socrates argues that the approval of the gods is an attribute of piety, and not a definition. Euthypho's third definition of piety is a kind of trading with the gods, or looking after them. Praying and giving the gods gifts and asking them for favors in exchange. Euthyphro suggest that piety is trading with the gods, our gifts do no help them, but satisfy them. Socrates

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Socrates And Euthyphro Piety