Plato’s Plato’s EuthyphroEuthyphro

PAR 101: Invitation to Philosophical Thinking

Walter Thomas Schmid, Ph.D.Walter Thomas Schmid, Ph.D.Philosophy and Religion, UNCWPhilosophy and Religion, UNCW

Plato’s Plato’s EuthyphroEuthyphro• Philosophical drama= set in Athens Philosophical drama= set in Athens

in 399 BCin 399 BC• CharactersCharacters

– Socrates, famous philosopherSocrates, famous philosopher– Euthyphro, “Mr. Orthodox”Euthyphro, “Mr. Orthodox”

• Background:Background:– Greek polytheistic religionGreek polytheistic religion– Socrates accused of impiety by Anytus Socrates accused of impiety by Anytus

and Meletusand Meletus– Euthyphro charging his father with Euthyphro charging his father with

‘pollution’, religious crime‘pollution’, religious crime

Socratic InquirySocratic Inquiry (Starts from a real

situation)1. Seeks definition of a

moral concept, e.g. What is X? (What is piety? justice?)

2. Examination of defn refutation through self-contradiction(elenchus)

3. Progress more insightful definitions

4. Ends in perplexity (aporia), should realization by the interlocuter he doesn’t know, begin search for wisdom.

Socratic Dialectic = test of self-Socratic Dialectic = test of self-knowledknowledgege

• Anyone one who has an intellectual Anyone one who has an intellectual affinity to Socrates and enters into affinity to Socrates and enters into conversation with him is liable to be conversation with him is liable to be drawn into an argument; and whatever drawn into an argument; and whatever subject he may start, he will be subject he may start, he will be continually carried round and round by continually carried round and round by him, until at last he finds that he has to him, until at last he finds that he has to give an account both of his present and give an account both of his present and past life; and when he is once entangled, past life; and when he is once entangled, Socrates will not let him go until he has Socrates will not let him go until he has completely and thoroughly sifted him to completely and thoroughly sifted him to determine if he knows what he is talking determine if he knows what he is talking about –i.e. if he knows about –i.e. if he knows himselfhimself. . 

LACHESLACHES 187 187

What is a “definition”?What is a “definition”?Verbal DefinitionVerbal Definition

• DictionaryDictionary meaning – meaning – how different people how different people understand itunderstand it

• More than one More than one meaningmeaning

• May not apply to all May not apply to all instancesinstances

• May not state essenceMay not state essence• Disagreement is Disagreement is

normalnormal

Real DefinitionReal Definition

• NormativeNormative meaning— meaning—how all people how all people oughtought to to understand itunderstand it

• One One truetrue meaning meaning• Applies to Applies to allall true true

instancesinstances• States States essenceessence• Ideal of Ideal of rational rational

agreementagreement

Definitions in Definitions in EuthyphroEuthyphro: :

to hosion to hosion (the ‘truly (the ‘truly religious’) is:religious’) is:4. KNOWEDGE: 4. KNOWEDGE:

Know how to pray and sacrificeKnow how to pray and sacrifice (14c)(14c)

3. INTENTION/TRAIT3. INTENTION/TRAIT

3b. 3b. Serving the gods, as servants to mastersServing the gods, as servants to masters (13d)(13d)

3a. 3a. Caretaking of the gods Caretaking of the gods (12e) (12e)

2. HOW VIEWED BY OTHERS2. HOW VIEWED BY OTHERS

2b. 2b. What is loved by or dear to all the godsWhat is loved by or dear to all the gods (9e) (9e)

2a. 2a. what is loved by or dear to the godswhat is loved by or dear to the gods (7a) (7a)

1. SINGLE TYPE OF BEHAVIOR1. SINGLE TYPE OF BEHAVIOR

Prosecuting the wicked Prosecuting the wicked (5d)(5d)

First DefinitionsFirst Definitions

#1:“Prosecute the #1:“Prosecute the Wicked”Wicked”

• Euthyphro’s Euthyphro’s justification – justification – “textual proof”“textual proof”

• Socrates’ response-- Socrates’ response-- his view of the his view of the Greek godsGreek gods

• One concept—many One concept—many types of P-actionstypes of P-actions

#2a: “Loved by the #2a: “Loved by the Gods”Gods”

• Socrates on Socrates on “contested terms”“contested terms”

• Polytheistic religion Polytheistic religion and conflict among and conflict among the godsthe gods

• Definition of any Definition of any virtue must be a virtue must be a ‘guide to conduct’‘guide to conduct’

Definition 2b (#3)Definition 2b (#3)

““What all the gods What all the gods love”love”

• Unity of the gods Unity of the gods one God, one God, monotheismmonotheism

• Definition answers Definition answers first two objectionsfirst two objections

• But is it a good But is it a good definition of what definition of what makesmakes an action or an action or person ‘pious’?person ‘pious’?

QuestionQuestion: : “Is it “Is it pious because all the pious because all the gods love it, or do gods love it, or do they love it because they love it because it is pious?” it is pious?” (10a(10a))

• Compare: Did she win Compare: Did she win the race because the the race because the judges said so, or ….?judges said so, or ….?

• P b/c gods love it P b/c gods love it = = externalexternal relation; relation; gods gods love it b/c plove it b/c p = = internalinternal to person or actto person or act

Theological Theological Voluntarism vs. Voluntarism vs.

RationalismRationalism• ““It cannot be that It cannot be that

God wills it God wills it because it is because it is right. For then right. For then what is what is rightright would be above would be above God and God God and God would not be all-would not be all-powerful!”powerful!”

• ““It cannot be It cannot be right because right because God God willswills it: for it: for then if He then if He changed his changed his mind, what is mind, what is right today could right today could be wrong be wrong tomorrow!”tomorrow!”

3rd Definition – a and b 3rd Definition – a and b (#4, 5)(#4, 5)

3a: “Caretaking of the 3a: “Caretaking of the gods” gods” (from Greek (from Greek therapeiatherapeia, ‘cult’ of , ‘cult’ of ritual, honoring) ritual, honoring)

• Socrates’ analogy to Socrates’ analogy to caretaking of animals, caretaking of animals, cropscrops

• Euthyphro’s answer Euthyphro’s answer and the problem of and the problem of the Greek theology: the Greek theology: how can they conflict, how can they conflict, if they are perfect?if they are perfect?

3b: “Seeking to serve 3b: “Seeking to serve the gods” the gods” (human (human servants to divine Lords)servants to divine Lords)

• Ancient model of pious Ancient model of pious servant to Divine Lordservant to Divine Lord

• Analogy to servant of Analogy to servant of master-artist, Socrates’ master-artist, Socrates’ question: what good do question: what good do they want us to bring they want us to bring about? And Euthyphro’s about? And Euthyphro’s answeranswer

• Socrates uses in Socrates uses in ApologyApology

Defn 4: Defn 4: know how to pray and know how to pray and sacrificesacrifice

• Euthyphro’s interpretation seems more Euthyphro’s interpretation seems more like bartering – ‘making a deal’ with like bartering – ‘making a deal’ with God/sGod/s

• Is there a deeper meaning – knowing Is there a deeper meaning – knowing what to pray for, what is truly good, and what to pray for, what is truly good, and what to sacrifice, give back? what to sacrifice, give back?

• But if we know what is truly worth But if we know what is truly worth seeking in life, and what to do, even at seeking in life, and what to do, even at sacrifice to ourselves, do we need to be sacrifice to ourselves, do we need to be religious? religious?