What Philosophy Is

Morality and Religion

As you read the material for the next class, keep the questions below in mind. To answer these questions you will have to reflect critically on what you have read and possibly re-read important passages. Keep in mind that there are two basic kinds of information that you need to look for in the readings.

  1. What are the main points or conclusions that an author accepts with respect to a particular issue?
  2. What are the reasons or important considerations that lead the author to accept that conclusion?

For our purposes, it is information of the latter sort (2) that will be our primary concern since our most basic task is to evaluate the reasons that are offered to support accepting one possible conclusion about an issue, rather than another.

Although I strongly suggest that you write out brief answers to these questions, you do not have to turn in written responses. You do, however, need to be prepared to speak intelligently to these issues in the next class meeting. Also, it is reasonable to assume that the final exam’s questions will be drawn from these questions—particularly those in bold.

Reading:

  • Plato, Euthyphro from Stephen M. Cahn (ed.), Philosophy for the 21st Century, pp. 13-24.

Dialogue Outline and Questions:

  1. Characters and Setting (2a-5c, these denote the number/letters in the margins)
    1. Where does this dialogue take place?
    2. What is Socrates doing there? Why does this surprise Euthyphro?
    3. Why is Euthyphro there? Why does this surprise Socrates?
    4. What does Euthyphro promise to teach Socrates?
  2. The Request for a Definition (5c-6e)
    1. Right away (at 5d), Socrates suggests three things concerning holiness that Euthyphro immediately accepts. What are these three things?
    2. After this (at 5e), Euthyphro provides his first definition of holiness and unholiness. What is it? Why does this definition fail to satisfy Socrates?
  3. Second Definition (7a-8b)
    1. What is the second definition of holiness and unholiness provided by Euthyphro (at 7a)? Why does this definition fail to satisfy Socrates?
    2. In refuting this definition, Socrates makes an extremely important distinction (at 7b-e) between two types of quarrels. How to people resolve quarrels about measurement according to Socrates? But what kind of quarrels are not so easily settled, but often lead to violent conflicts? Can you guess how Socrates thinks these types of quarrels ought to be settled? (Hint: this whole dialogue is an example of resolving such a quarrel.) Why might this be crucial to the study of ethics?
  4. First Interlude (8b–9c)
    1. Here Socrates further explains his reasoning for rejecting the second definition, since Euthyphro does not “get it” the first time. (I.e., Socrates is just repeating and clarifying his previous argument and not presenting a new one.)
  5. Third Definition (9c-11b)
    1. What is the third definition of holiness and unholiness provided by Euthyphro (at 9e)? Why does this definition fail to satisfy Socrates?
    2. In refuting this definition, Socrates makes another extremely important distinction (starting at 10a) between “what is loved-by-the-gods” and “the holy”. To begin with an analogy: what is the distinction between “seeing” and “being seen”? How are these two things logically related?—that is, does one result in the other or are they equivalent? How does this relate to the distinction between “what is loved-by-the-gods” and “the holy”? Why do you think Euthyphro just doesn’t claim these two things are equivalent? Wouldn’t that shut up Socrates?
  6. Second Interlude: Socrates as Daedalus (11b-e)
    1. Here Euthyphro complains that Socrates is confusing him. So Socrates says he’ll help out Euthyphro.
  7. Justice and Piety (11e-12e)
    1. Here Socrates introduces the concept of justice and its relation to holiness. How does Euthyphro claim they are related (at 12d)?
  8. Fourth Definition (12e-14b)
    1. What is the fourth definition of holiness and unholiness provided by Euthyphro (at 12e)? Why does this definition fail to satisfy Socrates?
  9. Fifth Definition (14b-15c)
    1. Realizing he’s in trouble, Euthyphro presents a fifth definition (at 14b). What is this fifth definition?
    2. Why is Socrates not satisfied by this fifth definition?
  10. Conclusion (15c-16a)
    1. Realizing he is “full of it” and cannot answer Socrates, Euthyphro runs away.

 

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