Euthyphro Case

Tori Morris

Lovers of Wisdom

1/31/12

Plato: Euthyphro

In reading Euthyphro, I learned many things. The premise of this dialogue is Socrates discussing with Euthyphro the meaning of certain terms. They discuss much about pious and impious behavior and discuss Socrates' trial. Socrates is on trial by Meletus for corrupting the young and disbelieving in the gods the city believes in. He is trying to discuss with Euthyphro why he is being charged because he does not believe he has done any wrong. Euthyphro then explains to him his situation of charging his father with murder. Socrates is in disbelief that Euthyphro could possibly put his own father away. Euthyphro then tells him the story of how his father murdered someone.

There was a man in Euthyphro's family's village that was in a drunken haze and murdered one of their servants. His father was very angry and bound the man and threw him in a ditch. Euthyphro's father left to find a seer that could help him but when the seer returned the man was dead. Even though his father did not intend to murder this man and even though this man was a murderer himself, Euthyphro does not find this relevant. In his mind, a murderer is a murderer no matter what the circumstances. This was very interesting to me that Euthyphro was so willing to put his father on trial and that it did not bother him at all. There did not seem to be any loyalty or love for his family. Although, I did think his views were admirable, I was still surprised by the lack of love and commitment to family he had.

Socrates believes Euthyphro has to be an expert on the gods and holiness because he is willing to prosecute his father. Then Euthyphro acts like a teacher and confidant to Socrates to help him with his trial and to instruct him in what is holy and pleasing to the gods. One of the things Euthyphro tells him is that what is pleasing to the gods is holy. Then the two of them have an argument over this because Socrates does not believe this to be true. He says that the gods fight over issues so how can someone know what is holy to all of them and that even they disagree over issues so there is no way for someone to know what pleases every single one of them.

So Euthyphro changes his definition a little bit and says holiness is what is approved by the gods. Socrates, yet again, makes a very long argument to this claim. He asks, "Is the pious being loved by the gods because it is pious, or is it pious because it is being loved by the gods?" Euthyphro doesn't understand what Socrates is saying and so then Socrates goes on and on with examples of this circular statement to get Euthyphro to understand. So then Socrates asks, is what is holy just or is what is just holy? Euthyphro again does not understand what Socrates