Socrates's Conception Of Piety In Euthyphro

According to Dr. Youngs’ lecture, piety is a term that refers to what it means to be good or holy in the eyes of the gods. Within Plato’s Euthyphro dialogue, Socrates is looking for a definition of piety in order to better develop his knowledge as a philosopher. Euthyphro tries to give Socrates several definitions of piety. Euthyphro gives five different definitions of piety, all of which I feel were all subpar definitions. I will argue that Euthyphro does not give Socrates a satisfactory definition of piety. I will argue this by pointing out several instances in the text in which Socrates disputes Euthyphro’s definitions and why I think he disputes them.

Throughout the dialogue between Euthyphro and Socrates, they both try to come up with an understanding of the relationship between piety and justice. Within the discussion, Socrates questions Euthyphro to see if he can define the difference and similarities between justice and piety, and if they interact with each other. Eventually, Euthyphro and Socrates came up with the conclusion that justice is a part of piety. This is the relationship that I agree most with because in my own opinion, I believe that all of the gods and people agree that human beings who commit unjust actions need to be punished for their actions.

The main question of this dialogue is the definition of the word holy or piety. Euthyphro brags that he is more knowledgeable than his father on matters relating to religion. In this case, Socrates suggests to Euthyphro to define that term. The first definition fails to satisfy Socrates because of its limitation in application. Apparently, Socrates perceives this definition as an example rather than a definition. Subsequent arguments and line of questioning lead to five sets of definitions that are refined to find the general definition. Socrates expects that the acceptable general definition of the question will act as a reference point in his defense.

If it were the exact definition, only Euthyphro would be pious. He said that Euthyphro did not understand the difference between a definition and an example. Next, Euthyphro says that piety is found in things that are dear to the gods (7a). Socrates again rejected Euthyphro’s definition of piety. The Greek gods were anthropomorphic; therefore, another may despise what would be dear to one god. This definition offered was not distinct. Finally, Euthyphro said that what is pious is what loved by the gods (9e). However, Euthyphro can’t answer whether something is pious because it is loved or it is loved because it is pious. He can’t conceive the difference between cause and effect. It is in the Euthyphro that Socrates begins his defense of his actions and principles to the reader. A priest can’t give him a concise answer as to what is religious; therefore, how can anyone else, especially one less religiously guided than a priest, accuse him of blasphemous actions?

In this interaction, Socrates considers Euthyphro to help in explaining all there is to be known about piety and the related impiety. Euthyphro confirms that he is indeed an expert in the matter relating to religious issues and can thus assist Socrates in the charges that face him. In their argument in the efforts to define the true meaning of piety, Socrates and Euthyphro engage in the analysis of issues that threaten to confuse human understanding about the whole issue of holiness and impiety in the society, (Plato & Gallop, 2008). To understand the true meaning of piety, it is of great importance to take a holistic analysis of the beliefs of the people about

However in Plato’s Euthyphro, it can be argued that Socrates plays a similar role. In the Euthyphro, Socrates discusses piety in general and what makes things and people pious. Socrates claims he wants to learn more on the subject so that he may better defend himself against the treasonous charges against him. In a way, Euthyphro represents the traditional Athenian way of thinking. He believes in and supports all of the gods and does not submit to Socrates’ prodding of the subject, although he does walk away from him in frustration at the end of the dialogue. However it can safely be said that most Athenians would agree with Euthyphro’s opinion of the gods and to disagree could most certainly be punishable by law, as Socrates was. Socrates’ search for the definition of piety is a difficult one that tests Euthyphro’s patience and ultimately leaves the characters and the reader without an answer. Every time Euthyphro proposes an answer, Socrates is quick to counter it with some thought. Interpreting Socrates’ tone and meaning here is important. Some may see Socrates to be quite demeaning in these instances, almost teasing Euthyphro because he claims to be so pious yet he cannot even define the word. In this way, similar to Aristophanes’ Clouds, Socrates plays a subversive role in the Euthyphro.

A9: Socrates believes that the first definition piety given by Euthyphro is very vague; Euthyphro has only given an example of what piety is (his current action in prosecuting his father) not a definition. Socrates wants Euthyphro to be more specific in what he defines as piety.

Euthyphro’s second attempt to define piety is; “What is dear to the gods is pious, and what is not is impious (7a). What he’s saying is that actions that are pleasing to the gods would be pious and those opposed to them are impious. Socrates didn’t agree with this because what’s pleasing to one god isn’t to another, thus piety cannot be simply what is dear to the gods. In the real world, we could apply this to a religion that serves one God, Christianity. By being a Christian we work to live our lives in a positive way by what’s written in the bible. But are our actions pious because God tells us to do so, or does God tell us to do them because they are pious? In comparison to Euthyphro, our actions are pious because God says to do them, while he says if were not pleasing the gods than were not pious. Because we believe that God is omnipotent, we view his work as pious and want to live by his word. Socrates points out that he has yet to answer the question and asks, how can you be so sure that your action is not impious?

Socrates was a moral philosopher who was accused of impiety and was about to be tried for a crime, the nature of which no one seemed to understand. The trial and death of Socrates has four dialogs known as the Euthyphro, the Apology, the Crito, and the Phaedo which describes the process of Socrates’ controversial and insightful trial that raises the questions about human morality. Within the story we learned that the relationship between morality and religion might not be as clear-cut as some might think, Socrates forces the witnesses of his trial as well as ourselves to come to conclusions which result in a paradox that conflicts with the individual beliefs of his audience. In the event in which, Socrates poses a question to himself and Euthyphro, an attempt to answer the question "What is piety?" It has a specific tie to the events in “The Trial and Death of Socrates”, for Socrates had been accused of impiety and was about to be tried for the crime of heresy. The Euthyphro dialogue was written twenty-four centuries ago, and its conclusion is devastating for the whole idea that holiness and morality are very well connected. The idea that, “if God does not make something good by commanding it, but rather instead identifies that which is good, what measurement of morality does he use to make this judgment?” If something is right because god commands it, then it follows that something would be just as right if God instructed differently. If god declares that it is right to

Euthyphro gives an example of piety, but Socrates wants a definition. Together they reach the conclusion that piety is justice in relation to the gods, serving them in some way, or enterprise of their own. When they reach this definition, Euthyphro is frustrated with Socrates and says that Socrates makes him unstable with his thoughts. When Euthyphro says this, he is talking about his knowledge/ wisdom and that Socrates is a force of destabilization to it. Socrates is only seeking Euthyphro, so he can learn more about piety in order to counter the accusation that he is impious.

As Euthyphro is essentially a self-righteous man, he asserts that piety is to do as he is doing, "that is to say, prosecuting any one who is guilty of murder, sacrilege, or of similar crime whether he be your father or mother, or whoever he may be that makes no difference; and not to prosecute them is impiety" (Plato, 5e). Euthyphro's definition of piety contains many implications, the biggest of which is that Euthyphro considers himself to be a good example of piety in action.

Socrates says "you did not teach me adequately when I asked you what the pious was, but you told me that what you are doing now, prosecuting your father for murder is pious (Plato, 10) Socrates wants to know what piety is "through one form" (Plato, 10). He does not want to know which things or actions are pious, but rather what piety itself is. One cannot simply define something by giving examples so this definition does not satisfy Socrates.

In Plato's Dialogues, there is the singly ignorant person, the individual who is ignorant of some information or truth but who knows that he is ignorant, and the doubly ignorant person, the individual who is ignorant of his own ignorance. Socrates, in the Apology, maintains that he is singly ignorant when he states that the only thing he is that he knows nothing. The singly ignorant person is in a far better position to learn than the doubly ignorant person, because the singly ignorant person admits of his ignorance and can, if he desires, take the necessary steps to remove that ignorance. This is what Socrates does in his dialoguing, a.k.a. "teaching." He is attempting to remove his own ignorance, and in some cases (such as in Euthyphro) move the doubly ignorant person to a state of single ignorance. This paper will show in context the meaning of Socrates' "ignorance" in the Apology and how it relates to his search for the truth about piety in Euthyphro.

The first definition of piety that Euthyphro offers to Socrates is that “the pious is to do what I am doing now to prosecute the wrong doer…not to prosecute is impious” (6, e). Euthyphro is present as a witness against his own father who is accused of murder. Socrates appreciates that he believes so strongly in justice that he would hold his own family member accountable, but is displeased with this meaning, simply because it is only an explanation and not a true meaning. Socrates wants to know what pious means in and of itself, not an example or an act of being pious.

The term “Piety”; in Greek can be interpreted as hosiotes, or eusebeia. Considering that, numerous of translators have preferred to translate that term into “holiness” rather than “piety”. This is due to the fact, in the english language can be interpreted as “moral correctness”. In the novel “The Last Days of Socrates” by Plato has many distinctions as to what is holiness and what is agreeable to the gods. For instance, in the introduction to Euthyphro it states “ piety will merely be a matter of doing what is right and impiety a matter of doing what is wrong, with more or less vague implication that the gods approve of the former and disapprove of the latter.” Considering this, being piety can be interpreted as doing the correct choices or