The Plato Paradigm

Ivor Ludlam: A Critical Analysis of Plato’s Euthyphro

Click here for a structural diagram, summary, and full account of Plato’s dialogue Euthyphro.

Traditional View

• The dialogue is about piety.
• The “Euthyphro dilemma” is the dialogue’s main claim to fame.
• The dialogue is aporetic. There is no final conclusion about piety.

This Analysis

• The concept of respect for the gods, real and apparent, is dramatized.
• Actual respect for the gods stems from appreciating their benefit, while apparent respect for the gods stems from fearing their power and believing that they may be bought off.
• Euthyphro is the personification of the Athenian court system dealing with perceived offences against the gods.
• Socrates is the personification of real respect for the gods.
• The difference in perception is rooted in the ability or inability to think dialectically.