Analysis of Plato's Euthyphro Dialogue

The purpose of this research is to examine the Euthyphro dialogue by Plato. The plan of the research will be to set forth a six-step analysis of the dialogue, including plot and character, the structure of the arguments, presentation of arguments in premise-conclusion form, the presuppositions behind the arguments, a critique of them, and an identification of the overall argument, point, conclusion, and message that the dialogue portrays.

Socrates, waiting to be prosecuted by Meletus for impiety--specifically atheism and corruption of Athenian youth--encounters his friend Euthyphro, who is on his way to prosecute his own father for murder. Euthyphro is basing his case on his certain knowledge of the gods--what they love and do not love--even though others are saying that it is impious to prosecute one's own father for murder. Declaring himself intrigued and eager to relearn from Euthyphro the proper attitude--for after all Meletus has accused Socrates of "improvising and innovating about the divine" (94b)--Socrates draws Euthyphro out on the subject of piety. Throughout, Socrates positions himself--ironically--as Euthyphro's ignorant pupil, as if seeking wisdom and understanding about what is pious so that he may avoid prosecution by Meletus. Socrates does not particularly claim to have all the answers to the difficulties raised by Euthyphro's way of thinking. But as he questions Euthyphro in detail on the nature of piety and, more generally, the r

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the all gods does not demonstrate what the pious is, but only that it is loved. Argument 3. 1. It appears that the pious is that part of the just that is concerned with the care of the gods via prayer and sacrifice, while that concerned with the care of men is the remaining part of justice (102). 2. Prayer (begging the gods for gifts) and sacrifice (gifts to the gods, including reverence, honor, and gratitude) are pleasing to the gods and therefore pious. 3a. But prayer and sacrifice cannot please the gods: a. Prayer because the gods have already provided us with all the good we have; and a. Sacrifice because if the gods (deign to) love our reverence, honor, and gratitude, then we equate what the gods love with what is pious (an impossibility per Argument 2). Therefore, 4. The pious does not appear to be concerned with the care of the gods; and 5. We still cannot conclude what the pious is. Each of these three arguments treat different aspects of the same issue, which is to identify once for all the pious. But the whole point of the Euthyphro appears to be to demonstrate how elusive and relative the concept of piety is. Still less can one prove what piety is vis-a-vis knowledge of the divine. By allowing Socrates to tease Euthyphr

Category: Philosophy - A