HUM2225 Dr. Hotchkiss September 30, 2016 Moral Insight Plato’s Euthyphro is based on a lesson between Socrates and Euthyphro outside of the Athenian court about the definition of pious or impious. Euthyphro was surprised to see Socrates there and even more curious to find out why he was there. Socrates explained that the court was persecuting him for impiety because Meletus was spreading rumors about him corrupting the Athenian youth. Euthyphro explains to Socrates that he was there to prosecute his father for murdering a farm worker named Dionysus. Socrates swells Euthyphro’s ego with a sarcastic comment. Euthyphro implies that he is an expert in the field of holiness. Socrates obviously amused by Euthyphro self-proclaimed expertise that he pretends to be unfamiliarity with the topic at hand and asks Euthyphro to teach him what is pious. …show more content…
Socrates dissatisfied with this definition begins to push Euthyphro to think on his argument of pious and impious rather than an example. Taken back from what Socrates has just told him that he attempts to define pious but instead proposes the possibilities of pious, not a definition. Socrates explained to Euthyphro that the correct definition would help him argue against Meletus’ charges of impiety. He attempts to answer Socrates’ question once more by stating that pious is a form of