Analyze the following argument
against Euthyphro's claim that the pious is whatever is loved by
all the gods.
Your analysis should do the
following:
- Be in numbered steps (I
highly recommend using a numbered list in a word processor or
html editor, so that you don't need to renumber if you change
the order as you go).
- Be no more than 300 words.
- Be in your own words
everwhere possible.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU USE THE TRANSLATION FOUND IN HACKETT
VOLUME I INSTEAD OF THE TEXT PRINTED BELOW. THE PASSAGE IS EUTHYPHRO
10d1-11c1. I COPIED AND PASTED THE PASSAGE BELOW SIMPLY BECAUSE I
WAS NOT ABLE TO TAKE THE TIME TO TYPE IN THE TEXT OF THIS PASSAGE
MYSELF.
BRING TWO COPIES OF YOUR ARGUMENT ANALYSIS WITH YOU TO CLASS ON
MONDAY
- I took this text from Project Gutenberg, which uses the Jowett
translation. It is a good translation, but in my experience,
students like Hackett better, and I like the Hackett much
better, because when I read it and the original Greek, they
match better for what I want to do.
- Project Gutenberg wants me to display the following notice
prominently:
- "This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no
cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You
may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of
the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or
online at www.gutenberg.org"
SOCRATES: And what do you say of piety, Euthyphro: is not piety,
according to your definition, loved
by all the gods?
EUTHYPHRO: Yes.
SOCRATES: Because it is pious or
holy, or for some other reason?
EUTHYPHRO: No, that is the reason.
SOCRATES: It is loved because it is
holy, not holy because it is loved?
EUTHYPHRO: Yes.
SOCRATES: And that which is dear to
the gods is loved by them, and is in
a state to be loved of them because
it is loved of them?
EUTHYPHRO: Certainly.
SOCRATES: Then that which is dear
to the gods, Euthyphro, is not holy,
nor is that which is holy loved of
God, as you affirm; but they are two
different things.
EUTHYPHRO: How do you mean,
Socrates?
SOCRATES: I mean to say that the
holy has been acknowledged by us to be
loved of God because it is holy,
not to be holy because it is loved.
EUTHYPHRO: Yes.
SOCRATES: But that which is dear to
the gods is dear to them because it
is loved by them, not loved by them
because it is dear to them.
EUTHYPHRO: True.
SOCRATES: But, friend Euthyphro, if
that which is holy is the same with
that which is dear to God, and is
loved because it is holy, then that
which is dear to God would have
been loved as being dear to God; but if
that which is dear to God is dear
to him because loved by him, then that
which is holy would have been holy
because loved by him. But now you see
that the reverse is the case, and
that they are quite different from
one another. For one (theophiles)
is of a kind to be loved cause it
is loved, and the other (osion) is
loved because it is of a kind to
be loved. Thus you appear to me,
Euthyphro, when I ask you what is
the essence of holiness, to offer
an attribute only, and not the
essence--the attribute of being
loved by all the gods. But you still
refuse to explain to me the nature
of holiness. And therefore, if you
please, I will ask you not to hide
your treasure, but to tell me once
more what holiness or piety really
is, whether dear to the gods or not
(for that is a matter about which
we will not quarrel); and what is
impiety?
EUTHYPHRO: I really do not know,
Socrates, how to express what I mean.
For somehow or other our arguments,
on whatever ground we rest them,
seem to turn round and walk away
from us.