Euthyphro The Definition Of Piety - 959 Words

The literary work entitled Euthyphro, attempts to define the word piety, or justice before the Gods. This leads to a dilemma pertaining to one who thinks that morality comes from God. Euthyphro is looking for the definition of the word piety, as the word itself seems to be incapable of being restricted to one understanding. In this essay I will describe the different given definitions of piety, argue the best definition given by Socrates, and analyze and criticize the definitions. The Definitions The story opens with Euthyphro running into Socrates outside of the courthouse. Euthyphro explains to Socrates that he is there to charge his father with murder, for killing a slave. Socrates then proceeds to wonder if people will call him†¦show more content†¦Basically saying it is all about pleasing the Gods, if they love certain thing because they are pious, then their loving of them is purely incidental. This theory is faulty because as he states pious would be pleasing the gods, but would be persecuting your father be morally acceptable according to the gods? Euthyphro responds that all the gods agree that someone who commits murder of someone unjustly should be persecuted. Socrates mentions that conflict does not come about to acknowledged that the wrongdoer should be persecuted, but if or not the person has acted unjustly. For Euthyphros claim to have any credibility, he must display not that all the gods agree that someone who murders unjustly should be punished, but that the gods in unison agree that this murder was unjust. I feel that the gods would want the situation to work itself out and leave the reason Euthyphro would be persecuting his father is for his own selfish reason, not because he is satisfying the gods. In the third definition Euthyphro rewords the definition stating, â€Å"I would certainly say that the pious is what all the gods love, and the opposite, what all the gods hate, is the impious† (9e). This definition of piety leads Socrates to ask, â€Å"Is the pious being loved by the gods because it is pious, or is it pious because it is loved by the gods?’. Socrates explains how this would be both pious and impious at once, appearing to both be beloved and despised by the gods. ThisShow MoreRelatedThe Definition of Piety in Platos Euthyphro1311 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿The Definition of Piety in Euthyphro Introduction Platos Euthyphro introduces the Socratic student both to the Socratic Method of inquiry and to, or at least towards, a definition of piety. Because the character of Euthyphro exits the dialogue before Socrates can arrive at a reasonable definition, an adequate understanding of piety is never given. However, what piety is not is certainly demonstrated. 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