Socrates found Euthyphro in the agora and, after a very brief intercourse, launched straight into the question of what virtue is; in Euthyphro's case, the specific virtue discussed is piety. Socrates was able to view his subjects, including Euthyphro, in such a critical light which stems from his statement that “I do not think I know what I do not know” (Apology 21d). This statement shows that Socrates recognizes that he does not know everything and provides a theory for why he always tries to learn from his interlocutors. He tends to avoid assertions and favors an investigation into the interlocutor's position, which helps him discover this person. He generally lets the character of his interlocutor and his willingness to learn (or lack thereof) direct the discussion. However, ultimately, Socrates tends to teach his interlocutors more than they teach him. Socrates seems well aware of the roles he plays. He was placed in Athens for a reason and knew how to awaken everyone around him (Apology 30th). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Euthyphro provides a perfect example of Socrates' willingness to learn from his interlocutor and his ability to teach the interlocutor in the process. In this particular dialogue, Euthyphro is the interlocutor. He is very orthodox and stubborn when it comes to his religious beliefs. Euthyphro believes that he is “superior to the majority of men” in matters of piety (Euthyphro 5a). He believes that no matter who the victim of a crime is (Euthyphro 4b), the perpetrator must still be prosecuted. Euthyphro believes that if someone disagrees with this position, "their ideas about the divine attitude toward piety and impiety are false" (Euthyphro 4e). This is what motivates Socrates to delve deeper into the question of piety. He wants to show that someone like Euthyphro, who thinks he knows what piety is, actually has no idea what it is; there are so many subtleties and implications around the word that Euthyphro completely overlooks. It is with this statement that Socrates' commitment to reasoned argument begins to emerge. This commitment is at one point stated directly by Socrates: “I am the kind of man who listens within myself only to the argument which, after reflection, seems best to me” (Crito 46b). Socrates wants to make sure that his interlocutors fully understand the definitions they are presenting and how they relate to virtue, as they attempt to logically argue their point of view. The ability to argue is something that the majority of Socrates' interlocutors initially struggle with, and this is clearly evident in the case of Euthyphro as he attempts to define piety. Euthyphro's initial assertion about piety is that what he is currently doing, suing his father. for murder, is pious (Euthyphro 6d). Socrates is able to very quickly dismiss this definition of piety on the grounds that it is just a very specific example of piety and fails to let anyone know what piety is at a fundamental level, essentially what which makes things pious. As is Socrates' way, he tells Euthyphro to try again. In his second definition, Euthyphro states that pious is that which pleases the gods, and impious that which is not (Euthyphro 7a). This definition is at first glance more pleasant because of its more general character. However, the gods are in discord, so this definition is not correct since an action cannot be both godly and ungodly. At this point it should be clear that Socrates is employing his usual method of debate, known asthe name Socratic debate. (or elenchus). He is engaged in a conversation with Euthyphro during which Socrates asks Euthyphro numerous questions in an attempt to stimulate critical thinking and illuminate the ideas present. Socrates' method is that of hypotheses elimination, using a very systematic method, Socrates gradually identifies the hypotheses which contain inconsistencies and pushes Euthyphro to become aware of the nature of these inconsistencies and to propose new definitions; because it would not be logical to have a belief that makes no sense. Elenchus has 4 steps; which can be examined using Euthyphro's second definition of piety. First, Euthyphro asserts the thesis that “that which is dear to the gods is pious, that which is not, is impious” (Euthyphro 7a). Next, Socrates asks Euthyphro to accept additional premises which include that "the gods are in a state of discord" (Euthyphro 7b). Socrates then showed that this other premise contradicts Euthyphro's original thesis. Finally, Socrates claims that Euthyphro's thesis is incorrect because of the additional premises. Socrates follows this method quite closely for each definition of piety that Euthyphro offers for consideration. The majority of Plato's other dialogues involving Socrates and his interlocutors also use this method of inquiry. From here, Euthyphro moves on to his third definition of piety: “Piety is what all the gods love, and conversely, what all the gods hate is piety. ungodly" This introduces Euthyphro's dilemma, still widely debated today: "Is the pious loved by the gods because he is pious, or is he pious because he is loved by the gods? » (Euthyphro 10a). Socrates goes on to emphasize this point: “But if the beloved of God and the pious were the same thing, my dear Euthyphro, then if the pious were loved because he is pious, the beloved of God would also be loved because it was God loved; and if he whom God loves were loved by God because he was loved by the gods, then the pious would also be pious because he was loved by the gods” (Euthyphro 10e – 11a). Due to what is now established as Socrates' commitment to logical argument strives to show how this definition is a logical fallacy. The argument could potentially go in circles forever and is therefore known as circular reasoning. Socrates moves the discussion forward because it is clear that neither yet has an adequate definition of piety. It is actually Socrates who comes up with the next definition of piety, piety being a form of justice. He quickly rejects his own definition, calling it too broad (Euthyphro 12d). From there, Euthyphro gives yet another definition of piety: piety is “the care of the gods” (Euthyphro 13b). Once again, Socrates uses Elenchus to show Euthyphros that his definition is inadequate. Euthyphro then gives a final definition of piety which Socrates summarizes in the statement "that piety would be a knowledge of how to give to, and ask of, the gods" (Euthyphro 14d). Euthyphro points out that Socrates follows what he has to say very well and Socrates responds that he only desires Euthyphro's wisdom (Euthyphro 14d) which matches the initial assessment that Socrates always tries to learn from his interlocutors. However, after a bit more discussion, Euthyphro's final definition ends up, once again, narrowing down to what the gods like, making it all the more obvious that Euthyphro never really thought about piety . We see that his dialogue ended in almost the same place where it began. Socrates, always eager to learn, declares that we must start from the beginning in the examination of piety (Euthyphro 15c)..