Hello, All.
Here is a link to the first act of the Euthyphro, which is the first act in the trial of Socrates.
Please
READ the first act. Yes, just
READ it. It's recommended that you print it out, and that you highlight it.
It's really important that everyone reads it, so we're prepared for tomorrow's class.
Thanks!
FOR FRIDAY:
Answer the following questions related to Euthyphro:
1. Under what circumstances do Socrates and Euthyphro meet? Why is each of them at court?
2. Euthyphro takes up Socrates' challenge to explain the nature of holiness (or piety). What is
Euthyphro's first attempt at a definition? How does Socrates demonstrate its failure?
3. What is Euthyphro's second attempt at defining "the holy"? How does Socrates show that
this definition is also inadequate How does Euthyphro address this problem?
4. Socrates asks Euthyphro at one point, "is the holy loved by the gods because it is holy? Or is it
holy because it is loved?" What does he mean by this question? What do they agree is
the right answer to it? Why is that answer a problem for Euthyphro's claim that the holy is
what all the gods love?
5. Suppose moral rightness/wrongness was defined in the following way: What makes an act
morally right is that it is commanded (or permitted) by God. What makes an act wrong is that
it is forbidden by God. Whatever God commands or permits is right; whatever God forbids
is wrong.
- How might Socrates criticize that definition?
- How might you answer his criticisms?
