Euthyphro Concept of Holiness and Piety

Introduction The dialogue between Socrates and Euthyphro in front of the King Archon’s court presents two individuals in an argument on how to define and comprehend holiness. The two were to attend court hearings on different cases. During their discussion, they reveal to each other reasons why they are to appear in court.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Euthyphro: Concept of Holiness and Piety specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to Burrington (n.d.), Socrates was to attend a court hearing in which Meletus accused him of distracting the attention of young people from believing in the gods that the state religion recognized. Instead, Socrates was propagating the belief in new gods. On the other hand, Euthyphro was at the court to file a case against his father, who, he argued, had caused his family and friends be unkind to him. The father had placed a servant who murdered one of the slaves in isolati on to prevent the sin from spreading around. Later, the servant died even before the messenger could report on what religious steps could be taken against the servant. Euthyphro explained that it was wrong, in line with his accepted beliefs, to protect a manslayer. In addition, he said that his actions would prevent poisoning his father’s associates. According to Socrates, it was a taboo to lodge harmful proceedings against one’s father. However, Euthyphro claimed that family relationships were not important when a man was unjustly murdered (Geach, 1966, p.369). This paper examines the attempts at providing a logically sound and universal definition of piety as they are presented in Plato’s dialogue Euthyphro. Socrates’ aims Socrates wanted to understand the interpretation of the term holiness from other people’s standpoint. This step could help him in defending himself at the court (God, 2009). Socrates wanted to gage whether his action of preachi ng to the youths to accept foreign gods could be viewed as holy or not. He also wanted to know whether his act was appeasing or annoying all the gods, and whether it was right or wrong. The concept of holiness also took major position, as Socrates wanted Euthyphro to evaluate his decision of accusing his father of murder. In the dialogue, Socrates aimed at making Euthyphro back his actions with solid religious premises. According to Socrates, many people have confused religious actions that are wrong or right, as they argue from archaic religious contexts. Remarkably, these two characters were faced with cases, which required deep philosophical explanations and comprehension. The first definition Socrates requested Euthyphro to define what is meant by piety. In his first response, Euthyphro defended his ‘religious’ actions by alluding that even Zeus punished his father the same way.Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Socrates refuted this response by saying that even though it can be genuine, the exemplification cannot be part of the definition. Therefore, Euthyphro needs to understand the difference between what he considers religious, and what he considers moral. Further, Socrates adds that he had difficulties in comprehending how misunderstanding arises among the gods. The second definition In the second definition, Euthyphro suggested that pious is what pleases the gods (God, 2009). Socrates finds that this definition is much more logical since it appeals to generalization, rather than one particular example (Koukl, n.d.). He mentions that he needs to find a formulation that could serve as a standard against which people could measure all their acts, and see whether they have acted piously or not. The idea that Socrates presents is a very important one, and it lies at the core of the method that we try to use when governing our society. We need an objective formulation of our laws and regulations to be able to tell with confidence if someone has broken them. However, despite the fact that the definition is logically more valuable, Socrates responded by indicating that what is appealing to one god could be unappealing to another god. Therefore, this definition tells us little about the essence of piousness. The third definition Euthyphro felt frustrated and defined piety as that which pleases all the gods. This definition prompted Socrates to ask Euthyphro the question, â€Å"Is what is pious loved by (all) the gods because it is already pious, or is it pious merely because it is something loved by them?† (Burrington, n.d.). Socrates is aware that if an act is pious just because gods love it, then we know nothing about what piety in itself is. This idea is a bit difficult to grasp, but it might help if it is viewed through examples. For instance, Socrates mentions that there is nothing in the essence of a carried thing that is determined by that particular condition in which it temporally finds itself. Similarly, gods may love an action, but that action is not in its essence pious for that reason, it is rather in a state of being loved and nothing more. One might think that Socrates is chasing unimportant nuances here, but what he is really doing is indicating how precise we have to be in defining our laws and morals if we want to be able to condemn someone of breaking them. The fourth definition In an attempt of providing a better definition, Socrates appeals to logic and the relations between notions. He tries to define the notion of piety as belonging in its entirety to the notion of justice. He and Euthyphro agree that piety belongs to the domain of justice, but this does not mean that every just action is at the same time pious. They locate several types of behaviours that can be regarded as morally right, but do not belong to the domain of piety; for example, caring for other human beings. The next thing that is necessary for a good definition, in Socreates’ view, is to differentiate pious acts from other just or ethical acts. However, he does not seem to be able to find such a characteristic that makes pious acts stand apart (Burrington, 2012, p.3). What I also find necessary when defining piety in such a way is to provide a formulation of justice or moral rightness which is an incredibly difficult task in its own right; however, Socrates and Euthyphro do not try to accomplish that.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Euthyphro: Concept of Holiness and Piety specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Final attempts at definition In the end , Euthyphro makes two more attempts at giving Socrates a satisfactory answer. Firstly, he argues that when acting piously, people look after the gods. Socrates immediately spots that such a definition would imply that in each particular action people contribute to one particular god which makes him stand out from the rest of the gods, which is something that gods forbid. Secondly, Euthyphro also mentions that humans act piously in order to satisfy gods so that they could pray to gods, and expect them to grant their wishes in return (Burrington, 2012, p. 3). Following Kant’s deontology, I would say that if this were true, it would move the notion of piety from the domain of morality to the domain of rationality. This is because if one performs an action in order to profit from it, then it is a merely rational action, which involves no moral value. Kant says that an action counts as moral only if a person performs it because they feel that it is their duty to act in that particular manner (Kant Pluhar 2002). When finally pressed to present overtly what is at the core of piety, Euthyphro again puts forth the idea about piety being intrinsically connected to what gods love, which means that the conversation ends with a version of the third d efinition. Conclusion Socrates’s objective in this dialogue was to show Euthyphro that there are different perspectives of viewing or understanding a concept. In that light, he wanted to understand the religious expert’s argument, and widen his points of argument. This was Socrates’ intention because he assumed the role of a student or learner in the dialogue. From this scenario, Euthyphro was fully  able to give his understanding of piety and morality. In the dialogue, Socrates played a passive role, so he could allow Euthyphro to respond to his questions, and then he offered suggestions to provoke further response from Euthyphro. There is no point at which Euthyphro asked Socrates questions. In my opinion, holiness refers to a state or an act that is morally right in itself and that the gods love. The definition fails to give the level or point at which an act qualifies to be morally right. Who qualifies an act as morally right? Is it not the people? Is what is morally right loved by gods precisely in order to make it morally right? On the other hand, is it morally right because people have accepted it to be so? In most cases morals are defined differently as each person has their own set of standards they govern themselves by. There are individual differences in people’s arguments, cultures, perceptions, and understanding.Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Summary In the dialogue Euthyphro, Socrates tries to reach a universal and logically sound definition of piety which could stand as a standard against which people could measure all their actions, and be able to tell with absolute precision whether the action is pious. He does so through his famous dialectical method in which he only asks questions, and together with the interlocutor tries to arrive at truth. He points out that it is wrong to define notions through examples because such definitions are of little use in different situations. Socrates also mentions that a definition needs to be universal, and that claiming that an action is pious just because it is appreciated by one god is not enough to define piety since the same action can be hated by another god. After that, in the second definition, he claims that defining notions through their external states is also wrong since a good definition needs to capture the essence of the thing itself. The idea that one can appeal to t he relationships of superiority and subordination between notions as in the case of saying that piety is subordinate to justice is also presented in the dialogue. In the end, final definition is not reached, but the reader has learned a lot about all the different factors that have to be taken into account when trying to define an abstract concept. References Burrington, D. E. (n.d.). Guides to the Socratic Dialogues: Plato’s Euthyphro. Hartwick College. Retrieved from http://users.hartwick.edu/burringtond/dialogues/euthyphro.html Geach, P. (1966). PLATO’S† EUTHYPHRO†: An Analysis and Commentary. The Monist, 50(3), 369-382. God, F. (2009, April 23). Socrates versus Euthyphro. No Double Standards. Retrieved from http://impartialism.blogspot.com/2009/04/socrates-versus-euthyphro.html Kant, I., Pluhar, W. S. (2002). Critique of practical reason. Indianapolis: Hackett Pub. Co. Koukl, G. (n.d.). Stand to Reason: Euthyphro’s Dilemma. Stand to Reason: Stan d to Reason Homepage. Retrieved from https://www.str.org/ This essay on Euthyphro: Concept of Holiness and Piety was written and submitted by user Lorenzo Gutierrez to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here. Euthyphro Concept of Holiness and Piety

Geography of the Worlds Sinkholes

Geography of the World's Sinkholes A sinkhole is a natural hole that forms in the Earths surface as a result of the chemical weathering of carbonate rocks like limestone, as well as salt beds or rocks that can be severely weathered as water runs through them. The type of landscape made up of these rocks is known as karst topography and is dominated by sinkholes, internal drainage, and caves. Sinkholes vary in size but can range anywhere from 3.3 to 980 feet (1 to 300 meters) in diameter and depth. They can also form gradually over time or suddenly without warning. Sinkholes can be found all over the world and recently large ones have opened in Guatemala, Florida, and China. Depending on location, sinkholes are sometimes also called sinks, shake holes, swallow holes, swallets, dolines, or cenotes.   Natural Sinkhole Formation The main causes of sinkholes are weathering and erosion. This happens through the gradual dissolve and removal of water absorbing rock like limestone as percolating water from the Earths surface moves through it. As the rock is removed, caves and open spaces develop underground. Once these open spaces become too large to support the weight of the land above them, the surface soil collapses, creating a sinkhole. Typically, naturally occurring sinkholes are most common in limestone rock and salt beds that are easily dissolved by moving water. Sinkholes are also not normally visible from the surface as the processes that cause them are underground but sometimes, however, extremely large sinkholes have been known to have streams or rivers flowing through them.   Human Induced Sinkholes In addition to natural erosion processes on karst landscapes, sinkholes can also be caused by human activities and land-use practices. Groundwater pumping, for example, can weaken the structure of the Earths surface above the aquifer where the water is being pumped and cause a sinkhole to develop.   Humans can also cause sinkholes to develop by changing water drainage patterns through diversion and industrial water storage ponds. In each of these instances, the weight of the Earths surface is changed with the addition of the water. In some cases, the supporting material under the new storage pond, for example, may collapse and create a sinkhole. Broken underground sewer and water pipes have also been known to cause sinkholes when the introduction of free-flowing  water into otherwise dry ground weakens soil stability.   Guatemala Sinkhole An extreme example of a human-induced sinkhole occurred in Guatemala in late May 2010 when a 60 foot (18 meters) wide and 300 foot (100 meters) deep hole opened in Guatemala City. It is believed that the sinkhole was caused after a sewer pipe burst after tropical storm Agatha caused a surge of water to enter the pipe. Once the sewer pipe burst, the free-flowing water carved out an underground cavity that eventually could not support the weight of the surface soil, causing it to collapse and destroy a three-story building. The Guatemala sinkhole was worsened because Guatemala City was built on land made up of hundreds of meters of a volcanic material called pumice. The pumice in the region was easily eroded because it was recently deposited and loose- otherwise known as unconsolidated rock. When the pipe burst the excess water was easily able to erode away the pumice and weaken the structure of the ground. In this case, the sinkhole should actually be known as a piping feature because it was not caused by entirely natural forces. Geography of Sinkholes As previously mentioned, naturally occurring sinkholes mainly form in karst landscapes but they can happen anywhere with a soluble subsurface rock. In the United States, this is mainly in Florida, Texas, Alabama, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania but about 35-40% of the land in the U.S. has rock beneath the surface that is easily soluble with water. The Department of Environmental Protection in Florida, for example, has a focus on sinkholes and how to educate its residents on what to do should one open up on their property. Southern Italy has also experienced numerous sinkholes, as has China, Guatemala, and Mexico. In Mexico, sinkholes are known as cenotes and they are mainly found on the Yucatan Peninsula. Over time, some of these have filled with water and look like small lakes while others are large open depressions in the land. It should also be noted that sinkholes do not occur exclusively on land. Underwater sinkholes are common around the world and formed when sea levels were lower under the same processes as those on land. When sea levels rose at the end of the last glaciation, the sinkholes became submerged. The Great Blue Hole off the coast of Belize is an example of an underwater sinkhole.   Human Uses of Sinkholes Despite their destructive nature in human-developed areas, people have developed a number of uses for sinkholes. For example, for centuries these depressions have been used as disposal sites for waste. The Maya also used the cenotes on the Yucatan Peninsula as sacrificial sites and storage areas. In addition, tourism and cave diving is popular in many of the worlds largest sinkholes. References Than, Ker. (3 June 2010). Guatemala Sinkhole Created by Humans, Not Nature. National Geographic News. Retrieved from: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/06/100603-science-guatemala-sinkhole-2010-humans-caused/ United States Geological Survey. (29 March 2010). Sinkholes, from USGS Water Science for Schools. Retrieved from: http://water.usgs.gov/edu/sinkholes.html Wikipedia. (26 July 2010). Sinkhole - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinkhole

Engineering hero of your choice Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Engineering hero of your choice - Assignment Example The great hero started his engineering career by being an employee with different companies located in California and in these companies he was working the projects of creating life support systems that were based on the lunar module and the development of moon vehicle. After his early career operations, he started working on the Space Shuttle program for the company named Morton Thiokol. Boisjoly is recognized as an engineering hero not only because of his work, but even because of the purpose behind his great findings which could have saved important lives and heavy capital losses. On the date of 28th January, 1986, it was decided that the Space Shuttle Challenger mission was to take place but the mission was contradicted by Boisjoly and his colleagues as the figured out that the mission would foil and result in heavy losses. He later took the matter to the people managing the company Morton Thiokol who even agreed that it would not be correct to continue with the mission and they decided to inform NASA about it. The company informed NASA about their concerns but later added that they were not completely sure that their findings will prove to be true or not and the mission was not aborted (Vaughan, 1990). As soon as the mission started taking place, all the findings of the great hero started proving correct. As soon as the shuttle was started, the O-rings started b urning and this caused the occurrence of black puff as seen on the tapes of the event. Later the shuttle started taking off, at that very moment, Boisjoly believed that he was wrong as the shuttle did not explode, but while the shuttle was in air, it exploded into pieces and proved the hero correct (Dalal, 1989). Although, Boisjoly conducted a courageous act of identifying the fault with the space shuttle and tried to save cost and life, he was looked down upon by