In Plato’s first dialog Euthyphro, there are two characters introduced, Socrates and Euthyphro. The two of them have a discussion about what brought them to the king-archon’s court. The discussion leads to an argument between the two about what piety is. The Euthyphro dialog illustrates to the reader what brought them there, the true philosophical dilemma for Euthyphro, and the false dilemma for Socrates that relates to arguments employed later by Socrates in Plato 's apology dialog. In the beginning of Euthyphro, Euthyphro first asks Socrates why he has come to the king archon’s court (Euthyphro). Socrates then tells him a man named Meletus has charged him for corrupting the youth (Euthyphro 2B). This curiosity is shared by Socrates who
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Socrates just simply asks Euthyphro a series of questions to see if Euthyphro had an exact definition to what piety was. The real dilemma for Euthyphro is when Socrates asks him to consider “Is the pious being loved by the gods because it is pious, or is it pious because it is being loved by the gods” (Euthyphro 10A). This is confusing to Euthyphro because Socrates uses a tautology way of reasoning, which ends up causing Socrates’ false dilemma. When reading the dialect one can see him using tautology when Socrates tells Euthyphro, “Now if you will, do not hide things from me but tell me again from the beginning what piety is” (Euthyphro 11B). Euthyphro’s dilemma might have been caused by Socrates’ questions, but now he does not believe himself to be as wise as before Socrates and him had the argument over piety. Euthyphro was a highly intelligent sophist. This must have been why Socrates decided to have the argument to find the meaning of piety with him in the first place; instead a false dilemma had arisen for Socrates. He tried to find the definition of piety to better help his defense, but could not. If he had considered a third option that he wouldn’t have experienced a false dilemma and that Euthyphro wouldn’t had gotten somewhat upset with him since he felt they were going in
Socrates just simply asks Euthyphro a series of questions to see if Euthyphro had an exact definition to what piety was. The real dilemma for Euthyphro is when Socrates asks him to consider “Is the pious being loved by the gods because it is pious, or is it pious because it is being loved by the gods” (Euthyphro 10A). This is confusing to Euthyphro because Socrates uses a tautology way of reasoning, which ends up causing Socrates’ false dilemma. When reading the dialect one can see him using tautology when Socrates tells Euthyphro, “Now if you will, do not hide things from me but tell me again from the beginning what piety is” (Euthyphro 11B). Euthyphro’s dilemma might have been caused by Socrates’ questions, but now he does not believe himself to be as wise as before Socrates and him had the argument over piety. Euthyphro was a highly intelligent sophist. This must have been why Socrates decided to have the argument to find the meaning of piety with him in the first place; instead a false dilemma had arisen for Socrates. He tried to find the definition of piety to better help his defense, but could not. If he had considered a third option that he wouldn’t have experienced a false dilemma and that Euthyphro wouldn’t had gotten somewhat upset with him since he felt they were going in