Euthyphro – Plato

PHI 208: Ethics and Moral Reasoning

The concept of holiness emerges in the dialogue and it takes a prominent position in the conversation between Socrates and Euthyphro. One that stands out would be when Socrates has come to court to make his preliminary answer to what he has been charged with Impiety. Euthyphro is going to “try his father” on a capital charge which is murder. Euthyphro wants them to know that the murder done by his father was without just cause. This act truly shows piety and impiety. When Euthyphro gives his definition of piety and impiety is, it not is not agreeable because Euthyphro gives examples of pious and impious when it was asked by Socrates"...the general idea that makes all pious things pious. When Socrates tells his refutation, if Euthyphro proves that the Gods do agree about the murder, “. . . do I know anything more of the nature of piety? For granting that this action may be hateful to the gods, still piety and impiety are not adequately defined by these distinctions".

Now Euthyphro's statement does not hold up due to the fact that his knowledge is off imperfect gods. Now if he can show proof that there is a God, he would have more proof which to state his piety on, not just on action alone.

There are three definitions that Euthyphro uses definitions to his response to Socrates, and then Socrates’ defines f Euthyphro’s definitions. Euthyphro's first definition of the pious is what he is “doing now, to prosecute the wrongdoer” -- i.e., his father for murder.” What is wrong with it? It is a claim that a particular act is pious rather than a definition of what acts are pious. Socrates is after “the form itself that makes all pious actions pious.”

His assertion is that “everything that is to be impious presents us with one form or appearance insofar as it is impious” What is a form? Plato calls it the invisible looks of things. It can be a shape or a purpose. Plato believes that there is some one form that all similar actions...