Week 3 Assignment

Euthyphro

PHI208: Ethics and Moral Reasoning

Veronica Blake

Instructor: Susan Smith

15 December 2013

Euthyphro

In this paper I’ll analyze Euthyphro’s and Socrates dialogue and explain the concept of holiness as it surfaces in their conversation. In addition I’ll identify the three different definitions of piety given by Euthyphro as he tries to get Socrates to understand. And finally will get a better understand of Socrates goal for his discussion with Euthyphro and devise an argument for my definition of holiness. Plato wrote Euthyphro and was Socrates most famous pupil. Socrates is known for the so-called “Socratic Method” of teaching which involves asking questions rather than lecturing. Euthyphro is portrayed as a professional priest but not too much is known about him. This dialogue takes place on the porch of King Archon while both men are awaiting their individual trials. Both Euthyphro and Socrates are there for very different reasons. Euthyphro is there because he turned in his father in for killing a man. The victim was a family servant who had killed one of the slaves in a drunken rage. Euthyphro’s father subdued the man and threw him in a ditch and forgot about him. The man ultimately died of starvation and cold ultimately. When Euthyphro’s found out about this he felt the right thing to do was to report his father. On the other Socrates was being charged with corrupting the youth of Athens by sharing with them some of this ideals. Socrates was a great philosopher that would get others to think outside the box and question why. Back in 399 B.C they had no room for this type of thinking and persecuted him and many others for this. The youth were drawn to Socrates because he let them be creative and questioned the way things were done.

During Socrates and Euthyphro’s discussion, Socrates asks what the full understanding of piety. He asks Euthyphro’s because he is believed to a very spiritual man that has creditably in the...