Plato's dialogue Euthyphro recounts a discussion between Socrates and Euthyphro regarding the meaning of piety. Socrates and Euthyphro coincidentally meet outside the court in Athens, where Socrates is about to be tried on charges of impiety. Socrates is amazed and dismayed to learn that Euthyphro is prosecuting his father for murder. Euthyphro was trying his father for murder because one of their servants had killed a slave, so while his father sought advice on what to do with his servant, he tied him in a ditch and left him where he was later found dead. Most people would find a son accusing his father of impiety, but Euthyphro claims to know better. For this reason Socrates asks Euthyphro to answer the question "What is piety?". Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Euthyphro, a sophist, claims to be wise regarding such matters, while Socrates, making no such claim for himself, professes only to be ignorant. Socrates wants to see if he is as he claims to be, Euthyphro's first definition of Pieta is “to do as I do; that is to say, piety is to prosecute anyone who is guilty of murder, sacrilege, or any other similar crime, be it your father or your mother, and not to prosecute them is impiety.” Socrates immediately shoots him down by saying that his answer was just an example and not a general definition of the concept. Euthyphro's second attempt to define piety was no better than his first. His second definition stated that piety is that which is loved by the gods. Wickedness is what is hated by the gods. Socrates once again objected to this definition by saying that some things that one God hates, another God may love. According to this reasoning, something can be pious and impious towards the Gods. This doesn't make sense or meet the definition. So Euthyphro tried again, his third definition was Piety is “that which is loved by all the gods. Wickedness is what all gods hate.” From this definition comes the philosophical question: do the gods love pity because it is pious, or is it pious because the gods love it? In other words, is something morally good because God commands it or God commands it because it is good? Socrates' argument to this definition is the heart of the dialogue. He uses examples that make Euthyphro look silly. He says things are not pious because the gods see them a certain way. Rather, the gods love pious actions, such as helping a stranger in need, because such actions have a certain intrinsic property, the property of being pious. After this. Euthyphro attempts yet another definition to satisfy Socrates. His fourth attempt to define pious was: "Piety is that part of justice which concerns the care of the gods." and once again he was overthrown by Socrates. Only this time its definition isn't clear. In Euthyphro's fifth and final attempt he says that Piety means saying and doing what is pleasing to the gods in prayer and sacrifice. At this point in the conversation, Socrates believes that Euthyphro is simply repeating himself. After five failed attempts to define piety, Euthyphro is quick to say, “Oh dear, has the time come?” Sorry, Socrates, I have to go.' leaving the question unanswered. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Although Euthyphro leaves the dilemma unresolved, the answer is clear in the Bible. God's divine character serves as the standard of goodness. He is the creator of all things, he does everything for a reason. We define the goodness of a given object by its ability to satisfy the purpose for which it was made. If God creates a thing for a certain purpose and.