Euthyphro's Definition Of Obscenity

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Plato’s “Euthyphro” begins with Socrates running into Euthyphro at the court of Athens. Socrates has been indicted by Meletus, a “young person no one knows,” (p. 8) for corrupting the youth. Euthyphro is attempting to imprison his father for murder. Socrates, astonished, inquires more about Euthyphro’s father. He has accidentally murdered a man who killed one of his servants. Socrates believes that imprisoning one’s own father is morally wrong, Euthyphro points out to the ancient gods, such as Zues who imprisoned his father, Kronos, for castrating his own father, Uranus. As a reverent man and claimed expert in all things holy, Euthyphro insists what he is doing would be approved by the gods. Perplexed, Socrates asks Euthyphro for a definition of what it means to be holy. …show more content…

Holiness and Obscenity can be subjective; what may be considered either of those in one place may not be considered those in a different place. What is “obscene” to somebody from San Francisco (considering the Folsom Street Fair is this weekend) may be completely different that what someone in the Mid-West may believe. Socrates, completely aware that Euthyphro is not as much of an expert as he claims to be, asks Euthyphro to deliver a clear explanation. By doing so, Socrates is able to challenge him, unbeknownst to Euthyphro. The lesson Socrates is trying to teach is that people must be able to challenge their beliefs and call into question the

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