Conversations between Socrates and Euthyphro can often times be difficult to follow and understand however, with careful reading and critical analyzing, much can be gained and inferred. This can be seen in the many great and intellectual conversations that were had in class last week. A combination of my own interpretations as well as those of my peers allowed for the whole class to gain a deeper understanding of this reading. As a brief overview, we were able to discuss the difference between knowledge and opinion, the use of irony within the conversation and how it affects the reading, and the relationship between piety and justice.
One of the main points of conversation during this dialogue included the difference between opinion …show more content…
It was unlike people to prosecute their family at this time in Athens. When Euthyphro says, “For, they say, it is impious for a son to prosecute his father for murder. But their ideas of the divine attitude to piety and impiety are wrong, Socrates.” (Plato, 4e). Socrates is quick to question Euthyphro and his knowledge on the subject of piety, Socrates says “Whereas by Zeus, Euthyphro, you think that your knowledge of the divine, and of piety and impiety, is so accurate that, when those things happened as you say, you have no fear of having acted impiously in bringing your father to trial?” (Plato, 4e). This begins the discussion on finding a definition for piety and the relationship between piety and justice. Socrates sees that Euthyphro has strong belief toward doing what is pious because that is what is just. Socrates uses his way of questioning and irony to persuade Euthyphro to tell him what it means to be pious. After many suggestions the two men never find a solid definition for piety. Euthyphro has to leave at the end of the dialogue and Socrates gets upset because he felt that Euthyphro was his way of escaping the indictment by Meletus that Socrates is impious (Plato,