Euthyphro Four Definitions
In Euthyphro, Euthyphro is prosecuting his father for manslaughter. Euthyphro states that it does not matter if the person his father killed was a relative or stranger. Instead, it mattered on the subject of whether or not the act of murder was justified or not. Socrates tries to understand Euthyphro’s definition of what is pious and what is impious, but does not get the answer he is looking for. Every answer Euthyphro gives Socrates finds a flaw in the definition. Socrates is looking for an answer that has a general form and essence. The form is the definition itself, while the essence or substance is something that we can grasp without the definition.
Throughout the Euthyphro, he gives about 4 different definitions to what he thinks piety is. The first definition Euthyphro gives is that being pious is what he is currently doing, prosecuting the wrongdoer, not to prosecute them would be impious. However, Socrates was unsatisfied with this definition. It was an example rather than a definition. Socrates needed an answer with some form that is consistent with Euthyphro’s definition that all pious actions pious, and impious actions impious.
The second definition that Euthyphro gives is slightly more objective. He states that “what is dear to the gods is pious, what is not is impious” (Plato, 7a). This definition has more of a form, which Socrates is content with. Socrates suggests that they examine the definition to see if it’s correct. Socrates finds a flaw within the definition. If Euthyphro’s definition was true then some things would be both pious and impious. Since the gods have different opinions on what is just/ good. The gods must approve of many things whether they like it or not. However, there will also be times where the gods universally agree on. Therefore, Euthyphro slightly alters his definition by stating that all that pious is loved by all the gods, and what all the gods hate is impious. Socrates then suggests that perhaps everything that is
Throughout the Euthyphro, he gives about 4 different definitions to what he thinks piety is. The first definition Euthyphro gives is that being pious is what he is currently doing, prosecuting the wrongdoer, not to prosecute them would be impious. However, Socrates was unsatisfied with this definition. It was an example rather than a definition. Socrates needed an answer with some form that is consistent with Euthyphro’s definition that all pious actions pious, and impious actions impious.
The second definition that Euthyphro gives is slightly more objective. He states that “what is dear to the gods is pious, what is not is impious” (Plato, 7a). This definition has more of a form, which Socrates is content with. Socrates suggests that they examine the definition to see if it’s correct. Socrates finds a flaw within the definition. If Euthyphro’s definition was true then some things would be both pious and impious. Since the gods have different opinions on what is just/ good. The gods must approve of many things whether they like it or not. However, there will also be times where the gods universally agree on. Therefore, Euthyphro slightly alters his definition by stating that all that pious is loved by all the gods, and what all the gods hate is impious. Socrates then suggests that perhaps everything that is