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In 6-8 Pages Address The Following Issues And Questions:

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In 6-8 pages address the following issues and questions: What are the main definitions of piety that Euthyphro and Socrates consider? (There are at least three.) Which of the definitions of piety offered in the Euthyphro do you think is the most plausible? Why? Explain the meaning and significance of the dilemma Socrates poses at 10a1-3 is the pious loved by the gods because its pious or is it pious because its loved (on pg. 40; cf. Rachels and Rachels, pg. 50-53). How do you think the relationship between ethical norms and God’s commands should best be understood from a Christian perspective? Piety is nearly impossible to explain and clarify but Socrates and Euthyphro discuss three major possible definitions; while breaking them down,…show more content…
Socrates isn’t satisfied with the definition as it only applies to one thing and not the form itself, subsequently Euthyphro gives him another one being “what’s loved by the gods is pious, and what’s not loved by the gods is impious.” (Morgan 38, 7a) At first it is clear, anything you do, whether in word or deed can be holy and good if the gods so approve of it. On the same note, anything you do that is disapproved by the gods such as murder, is impious. Socrates accepts this but then expands on the idea through dialectic. If humans can disagree on what is good/bad then the gods also disagree on what is good/bad. Meaning that maybe a god agrees that an adulterous woman should be punished by death while another god may agree that she was not in the wrong, it was the man’s fault therefore he should be punished. Some big ideas like this carry controversy in what is right and wrong to do for most people. One god could hate cheating women and the other could excuse them of their actions. Here Socrates finds a flaw in this definitions logic, how can one thing be determined as god-loved or god-hated if the gods cannot agree on that decision. Therefore there can be no piety as there is no ultimate conclusion on what is pious and impious because cheating cannot be both things at the same time. Euthyphro, faced with this problem must now justify his previous definition or describe it
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