Presented by Paul Mannick

Plato sets his little dialogue Euthyphro on the steps of the Aereopagus, the Athenian court that dealt with religious matters crimes like impiety and murder, which cast a curse on the city. Socrates is there to receive charges of impiety and corruption of the young. Euthyphro is there to prosecute his father for the negligent homicide of a slave. Though not spelled out—and without the benefit of any authority—I believe that Euthypho’s case will be dismissed outright. Socrates, however, will be put to death.  In a manner dripping with irony, Socrates seeks Euthyphro’s help to understand what it is to be pious—in order to effectively answer the charges against him. The dilemma for which the dialogue is famous is the question whether things are good because the gods like them or do the gods like them because they are good. Socrates and Euthyphro, as does the author of Genesis 1, choose the latter horn. 

Readings: Paul's introduction to the dialogue, and, if you get a chance, the dialogue itself.