In Plato’s dialogue Euthyphro, Socrates asks Euthyphro what piety is. What is Euthyphro’s strongest response? Why does it fail to satisfy Socrates? Attempt to alter Euthyphro’s response or propose your own – can you give a definition of piety that satisfies Socrates’ requirements?
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Unraveling the Concept of Piety: A Philosophical Inquiry
In Plato’s dialogue Euthyphro, Socrates engages in a thought-provoking discussion with Euthyphro about the nature of piety. When asked to define piety, Euthyphro’s strongest response revolves around the notion that piety is what is loved by the gods. However, this response falls short of satisfying Socrates due to its circular reasoning and lack of clarity. To propose a definition of piety that aligns with Socrates’ requirements, we must delve deeper into the essence of piety and its relationship to morality and divine command.
Euthyphro’s Response: “Piety is what is loved by the gods.”
Euthyphro asserts that piety is defined by what is pleasing to the gods. This response implies that actions or behaviors deemed pious are so because the gods love them. However, Socrates challenges this definition by posing a crucial question: Do the gods love pious actions because they are pious, or are pious actions pious because the gods love them? This dilemma highlights the inherent problem of defining piety solely based on divine approval without a deeper understanding of its intrinsic nature.
Altering Euthyphro’s Response: Proposing a Definition of Piety
To satisfy Socrates’ requirements and provide a more nuanced definition of piety, we can redefine piety as follows:
Piety is the pursuit of moral goodness guided by reason and virtue, independent of divine whims.
This definition emphasizes that piety should be grounded in ethical principles and rational reflection rather than arbitrary divine preferences. By linking piety to moral goodness and virtuous conduct, individuals are encouraged to act in accordance with universal ethical norms that transcend individual beliefs or cultural practices. This definition aligns with Socrates’ emphasis on the importance of intellectual inquiry, self-examination, and adherence to objective moral truths.
Satisfying Socrates’ Requirements: A Definition of Piety Beyond Divine Approval
Socrates seeks a definition of piety that transcends mere obedience to the gods and delves into the essence of morality and ethical conduct. By redefining piety as a pursuit of moral goodness based on reason and virtue, we move away from a narrow interpretation centered on divine authority towards a broader understanding rooted in philosophical inquiry and ethical reflection. This definition not only satisfies Socrates’ requirements but also challenges individuals to cultivate a deeper sense of moral responsibility and intellectual integrity in their pursuit of piety.
In conclusion, the dialogue between Socrates and Euthyphro prompts us to reconsider our understanding of piety beyond superficial definitions based on divine approval. By redefining piety as the pursuit of moral goodness guided by reason and virtue, we embrace a more profound and meaningful interpretation that resonates with Socrates’ philosophical inquiries into the nature of morality and ethics. As we reflect on the concept of piety, we are reminded of the enduring relevance of philosophical discourse in guiding our ethical beliefs and shaping our understanding of the human condition.
