Euthyphro

9 Pages 2153 Words

iticism to the philosophical advances of the exchange, the strengths of the philosopher or position, the underdeveloped positions, and the weaknesses of the position.

The central question of the dialogue that Socrates poses to Euthyphro is “What is piety?” Before we examine the proposed definitions of piety, as given by Euthyphro, let us first state the conditions, as dictated by Socrates, for defining the term. Socrates tells Euthyphro, “Is not the holy always one and the same thing in every action, and, again, is not the unholy always opposite to the holy, and like itself? And as unholiness does it not always have its one essential form, which will be found in everything that is unholy?” (5c – e). These conditions will provide the framework for finding a definition for the essence of piety and its nature. Euthyphro first defines piety as doing what he is doing, that is “prosecuting the wrongdoer who commits a murder or a sacrilegious robbery, or sins in any point like that, whether it be your father, or your mother, or whoever it may be.” (5d – e). Euthyphro supports his definition by referring to Greek mythology and telling the story of Zeus who shackled his father Cronus for being impious. Socrates’ reversal for this definition lies in the fact that Euthyphro has only given him an example of a pious act and not the actual definition of the essence of piety (6d – e).

The second attempt by Euthyphro to define piety leads him to the following statement: “Well then, what is pleasing to the gods is holy, and what is not pleasing to them is unholy.” (6e – 7b). From this statement derive two major digressions in the dialo...