Socrates was an influential thinker, also known as a Greek philosopher in the fifth century, who was dedicated to careful reasoning and honest knowledge. He developed a new purpose, which was the pursuit of the truth. While Socrates was well known for his teachings and and conversational skills, he never wrote anything so we don’t know much about him. Not knowing so much about Socrates life, we learn a thing or two from his students, as well as from Plato for any knowledge of his reason, method, and results. Even though Plato himself was a philosopher and who often included his own theories into the dialogues between Socrates and other famous figures. Plato’s short story called Euthyphro, relates to a discussion Euthyphro and Socrates have …show more content…
Euthyphro has the reputation of being a wise person, godly of some sort. He gives morally reconstructed orders and on political matters, as well. Both Socrates and Euthyphro are involved in matters of a legal nature. Socrates has been accused of impiety and is facing a court trial. Euthyphro is the plaintiff in a trial for murder. Socrates is surprised and shocked to learn that Euthyphro is bringing this charge against his own father. Socrates, as he has recently been charged with impiety and is about to be tried before the Athenian court to determine his guilt or innocence of the crime against him. Because he felt sure that the Athenian people in general did not understand the real nature of either piety or impiety, Socrates asks Euthyphro to answer the big question "What is piety?" Socrates is looking for an answer from Euthyphro to provide him a definition with an essence of what piety is. He has a real purpose in doing this, for Euthyphro, (a Sophist) to be wise concerning such matters, while Socrates, making no such claim for himself, proclaims only to be ignorant. Socrates was willing to expose the shallowness of his claim. Socrates consistently disagrees with Euthyphro's thoughts that what makes right actions right is that the gods love and approve of them. Gods are most likely to disagree between themselves about moral matters, …show more content…
If, on the other hand, the gods love right actions only because they are already right, then there must be source of values, which they love and adore. This dilemma is difficult in order prove morality and righteousness. Considering other examples to this dilemma such as: “Do my parents allow my curfew to be eleven because it is right, or is it right because my parents want me home at eleven?” According to Plato, an ethical dilemma is a complex situation that often involves an apparent mental conflict between moral imperatives, in which to obey one would result in transgressing another. In each case, actions become right or wrong just because of the authority's approval or their disapproval. Its choice, then, has no actual foundation, and it is impossible to be morally