Euthyphro

Nonfiction | Essay / Speech | Adult

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Dialogue/Socratic Questioning

Socrates’s method of philosophical inquiry consisted of asking questions to draw out the truth that he believed lay hidden within the human soul. We see this throughout “Euthyphro”—for example toward the beginning of the dialogue, when he asks Euthyphro: “So for heaven’s sake tell me now what you were just then affirming you knew: what do you say piety and impiety are, be it in homicide or in other matters?”

From there he progressively leads Euthyphro along the path to developing more clear and distinct ideas about the nature of holiness. Socrates’s method is not so much to impress his own ideas on the other person as to draw out that person’s own unconscious ideas. He does this by asking questions or making statements that compel the other person think and analyze his own assumptions.

Skimming “Euthyphro,” we notice that the majority of Socrates’s speeches end with a question, and many of those that don’t include some expression like “explain” or “tell me.” Other times, his speeches aim at clarifying what the other person thinks: “I understand: you think I’m a slower learner than the jurymen, because you’ll obviously give them a demonstration that it was unjust and that all the gods disapprove of such things.” (19)

It is significant that Plato not only presented the substance of his teacher’s philosophy but also portrayed his philosophical method. The fact that Platonic literature is written in dialogue form, with its inherent drama and multiple viewpoints, has likely contributed to its enduring popularity with readers.

Irony/Flattery

Irony is an important tool in Socrates’s philosophical method, and he uses both irony and what Harold Tarrant terms “ironic flattery” throughout “Euthyphro.” One definition of Socratic irony is “a pose of ignorance assumed in order to entice others into making statements that can then be challenged.” This definition holds true for a number of passages in the dialogue. Socrates frequently says the opposite of what he thinks, sometimes flattering Euthyphro’s knowledge of religion or argumentative skill. He does this in order to keep the argument going or to lead Euthyphro to confront the seriousness of his situation vis a vis his father. The following will serve as a brief example: “Come now, Euthyphro, my friend, teach me too—make me wiser” (19). Here is a longer example:

For if you didn’t know clearly what holiness and unholiness are there’s no way that you would have taken it upon yourself to prosecute your father, an elderly man, for a laborer’s murder; but you would have both been worried about the gods and ashamed before men if you took such a risk, in case you should be wrong in doing it. As it is, I know well enough that you think you have true knowledge of what’s holy and what’s not. Tell me then, most worthy Euthyphro, and don’t conceal what you think it is (30).

In the middle of the dialogue, when Euthyphro is slow in grasping a point, Socrates flatters him by saying, “As I say, you’re taking it easy, basking in the wealth of your wisdom” (23). This line will prove ironic in the end as Euthyphro gives up and withdraws from the discussion. Socrates reacts to this by lamenting that he will now be deprived of Euthyphro’s great knowledge. We might well assume that Socrates had doubted all along that Euthyphro really understood holiness as he claimed, and his questioning was aimed at making Euthyphro see his lack of clear knowledge.

Another possible aim in Socrates’s use of flattery is to draw Euthyphro into the debate in a friendly way and perhaps to have a bit of fun with him. It is conceivable that, had Socrates told Euthyphro what he really thought about his position, Euthyphro might have been less inclined to engage in discussion.

Image and Metaphor

“Euthyphro” makes only occasional use of images to illustrate philosophical concepts. Myths of the gods are cited several times, including the incident in which Zeus’ father swallowed his children. On Page 25, Socrates induces Euthyphro to clarify what he means about our “looking after” the gods. He cites several examples from everyday life, including grooms for horses, kennel masters, and cattle farmers. He then asks Euthyphro whether piety toward the gods is like the actions of these caretakers. Socrates’s object is to make Euthyphro admit that piety toward the gods is not like this, nor do they “benefit” in the way that a horse benefits from the care of a groom. This train of thought leads Socrates to cite further examples of service: doctors, shipbuilders, and house builders, with the aim of proving that serving the gods is not like any of these. Another brief use of metaphor occurs early in the dialogue, when Socrates compares Euthyphro’s adversary to a “wild goose in flight” (11). Like the dialogue format, these images and metaphors serve to make the philosophical argument more concrete and vivid, as well as to draw distinctions and clarify points.