Euthyphro by Plato

Socrates sought a different approach to answering important questions as we see in the handouts. Lived from 469-399 BCE and had no written works, unlike Plato. Famous quote: “The unexamined life is not worth living.”  - part of Socrates’ defense speech in The Apology.  Meletus is one of the people who brought charges against Socrates.  “Meletus, a poet, initiated the prosecution against Socrates, although most scholars consider him to a "puppet" of the best-known and most influential of the three accusers, Anytus.  The affidavit sworn out by Meletus made two related charges against Socrates: "refusing to acknowledge the gods recognized by the State and of introducing new and different gods" and "corrupting the youth."  Plato in the Euthyphro describes Meletus, the youngest of the three accusers, as having "a beak, and long straight hair, and a beard which is ill grown."  Plato wrote that, prior to the prosecution of Socrates, Meletus was "unknown" to him.”

From http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/socrates/accusers.html

The setting of the Euthyphro is obviously before the trial as Socrates meets the priest Euthyphro at the court where he is “dealing with preliminary matters. . . concerning charges.” (Abel 4)

1.  An introduction that sets the scene – pp. 4-6

2.  Dialogue that leads up to and asks the “Ti esti?” question pp. 6-7 look at middle of p. 7 where Socrates says “It is because I realize, etc……”

3.  Questioning by Socrates that leads to a point of confusion (the characters should actually say that they are confused so that the audience gets it)

          - first definition “The pious is what I am doing now” p. 7

- Socrates questions – what is definition?  Attributes or what they all have in common?  p. 8

- second definition “what is dear to the gods is pious” p. 8

- Socrates points out on p. 9 how the gods disagree all the time, especially about moral actions

- CONFUSION – bottom of p. 9 and again, top of p. 11

- third try – “what all the gods love”  bottom of p. 11

- again, C0NFUSION -  “Is pious loved because it is pious, or is it pious because it is being loved by the gods?”  Bottom of p. 11 and continues on p. 12

- Euthyphro’s answer:  “It is loved because it is pious.”  Bottom of p. 12 Traditionalist view is that morality is doing what gods want.

- discussion of the sculptor, Daedalus, whose statues were said to be so lifelike, they appeared to move! 

 

4.  Some progress toward a new and better definition – Socrates:  “Do you then not realize now that what is dear to the gods is the pious?  Is this not the same as the god- loved? Or is it not?”  Euthyphro: “That seems to be so.”  Bottom of p. 17

 

 WE WANT KNOWLEDGE TO BE TIED DOWN, MORE FIXED AND CERTAIN, AND NOT LIKE THE STATUES OF DAEDALUS (who is Daedalus? Google him)!

 

          5.  An ending that is not abrupt  – look at bottom of p. 17 and top of p. 18.

 

Think about this:  Euthyphro believes that justice is a divine convention, that we learn from tradition and that humans and gods think similarly about it.  However, Socrates seems to think justice is an intrinsic quality found through reason and that both the gods and humans are bound by it.  What do you think?