Plato Euthyphro

Plato Background

Born in 428–427 BC

431-421The Great

Peloponnesian War (Part I)

431-421Wrote juvenile epigrams and

tragedies

416-411Great

Peloponnesian War (Part II)

399Trial and execution of

Socrates.

395-394Plato served in the

military

399-390 First Period of Plato's literary activity

Plato Background

Laches

Charmides

Euthyphro

Lysis

Protagoras

Hippias Minor

Ion

Hippias Major

Apology

Crito

Gorgias

First Period of Plato's literary activity [399-390]

Second Period of Plato's literary activity: foundation of the Academy [388-367]

Plato Background

Socrates was Plato’s greatest philosophical influence

Was a devoted young follower of Socrates

Never speaks in his own voice

Plato died in 347 BC

Two hypothesis for Platos death

Plato background

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgPJUTltITk

Euthyphro – Three Piety definition

First DefinitionEuthyphro offers as his first definition of piety, prosecuting his father for manslaughter

Second DefinitionPiety is what is pleasing to the gods. Socrates applauds this definition

Third DefinitionWhat all the gods love is pious, and what they all hate is impious.

Fourth DefinitionSocrates himself suggests a definition of piety. "piety is a species of the genus 'justice”

Euthyphro dilemma

"Is what is morally good commanded by God because it is morally good, or is it morally good because it is commanded by God?"

Euthyphro

In the Euthyphro, an ancient Socratic dialogue, Socrates, an eminent philosopher meets Euthyphro, a renowned theologian outside King Archon’s court.

Euthyphro has come to the court to prosecute his own father for allegedly killing a slave who, as Euthyphro, explains, was a poor subject of his.

Main Points

1 - The main idea of the conversation, piety.

Euthyphro explains that holiness is doing that which he is doing- prosecuting an offender, such as a murderer, his relationship notwithstanding.

Euthyphro argues that it is holy to prosecute a person that commits such evil as murder, whether or not the offender is one’s relative or a mere stranger

2 - Socrates argues that not all gods hold similar position on a single action. Socrates bases his argument on the fact that the gods do come into conflict and indeed conflict on attitude and conscience.

3 - Euthyphro defines holiness as that which is pleasant to all the gods. This modest amendment eliminates the issue of conflict among the gods.

Socrates asks Euthyphro to explain to him whether a person is holy because it is liked by the gods or liked by the gods because it is holy.

Conclusion

Euthyphro is ignorant

Euthyphro believes impious deserves death penalty

Euthyphro doesnt know the true meaning of piety

Socrates and 4 replies prove Euthyphro’s ignorance

Reflection to Ourselves

People are ignorant.

People akways assume they know what they are talking about.

People in real life always trying to pretent they are correct.