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Socrates’ Criticism of Euthyphro Assignment

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Socrates’ Criticism of Euthyphro
In one of the Plato’s untimely discourse flanked by Euthyphro, who is a religious connoisseur tries to delineate piety and Socrates, is set outside King Archon’s court. Socrates wants Euthyphro elaborate the real meaning of the pious, owing to his position with regards to religious matters. The former trusts that by seeking more knowledge from the latter, he can escape Meletus’ accusations if he is to prosecute Socrates. The two, however, come to an agreement that there must be a universal criterion that can precisely lay bare the difference between everything that is pious and all that is impious. Thus, Socrates wants Euthyphro to explain these standards or standard.
In his first attempt, Euthyphro insinuates that by put on trial those who commit prejudice is what is piety regardless the relationship of the accused and the accuser. In this context, he gives his example where he takes his father to court accusing of him of murder. To support his allegations, he points out that Zeus incarcerated his father for brutally getting through his offspring. As such, since Zeus is the best and most just of all gods, if Euthyphro emulates him, then the acts have to piety (Burnet, 127). However, Socrates is not convinced at all. In response to this line of argument, he points out that putting all those who commit prejudice is just an act of piety but not the definition of pious. In addition, to this Euthyphro agrees that there are other acts of piety that do not include prosecuting the wrongdoers.
Secondly, Euthyphro comes up with another attempt to decipher the meaning of the piety. He describes piety as anything that is agreeable to the gods. Consequently, Socrates counters this definition by referring to the conflict between the gods. He proceeds to cite from a myth that Euthyphro believes. To make his case, he points out that if the gods argue over what is good or bad, just or unjust or even what is dignified and outrageous. Concerning Euthyphro, Socrates brings out the picture that disqualifies this line of argument. He points out that if gods cannot agree on what is good or bad, it means that some would be biased on what they like and discriminate what they disregard. This would mean that the definition of piety will be full of pious and impious deeds. Therefore, this definition contradicts itself (Burnet, 128).
Thirdly, Euthyphro returns the favor by declaring that all gods agree that a person who takes another person’s life with prejudice must bear the consequences. In his response, Socrates alleges that the definition of pious does not lie on whether wrongdoers should be castigated or not, but rather if the person acted partially.
In his fourth attempt, Euthyphro describes piety as the portion that is fretful with the gods. Socrates criticizes this by alleging that by elaborating the part that shows concerns to the gods involves what is considered right by each god, hence referring to the second definition. By the end of the conversation research paper writing help, Euthyphro failed to bring out the real meaning of the word piety by establishing a pure standard that can be referred to when defining the word pious (Burnet, 127).
Subsequently, how Socrates argues and the way Euthyphro makes his case gives a clear picture of what the former considers being an ideal definition of piety. What Socrates is looking for in these definitions are inclusivism and generality. Contrary to his expectation, Euthyphro gives acts of piety or pious deeds that are specifically focusing on pleasing the gods or that are closely related to the gods. Nevertheless, gods have different preferential treatments to various issues, hence weakening the evidence given by Euthyphro in his trial to establish the difference between impious and pious, apparently.
In summary, Euthyphro needs to come up with a definition that is inclusive, exhaustive and general. As such, it is to declare that piety is the status quo of being adored by all the gods. Conversely, it is of less significant to ask why the gods would prefer some things over others. With such argument, the status of pleasing all the gods has inclusivity and generality that the Socrates was looking for, in his quest to rescue his self-image.

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John Burnet, Plato: Euthyphro, Apology of Socrates, Crito, pp. 127-128

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