Plato Analysis Paper

“Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” represented a vision he had that humans were shacked in chains in front of a fire that gave the illusion that the shadows of items were actually in front of them. This is where these humans lived their childhood “fixed in the same place.” (Republic, 514) The shadows that the so called “slaves” seen were all they knew and they would mistake it for reality. Plato would agree that humans mistake their smallest perceptions as reality.

Plato’s allegory proves that this flaw affects our education and the ability to see things clearly. In Plato’s Euthyphro, this allegory helps us understand the story significantly better yet these stories are completely different, since they are both in search for a truth.

In Plato’s Euthyphro, Socrates, a Greek philosopher, was on his way to his trail that would determine whether he lived or died. On the way to the trail, Socrates meets Euthyphro who was going to trail for a different reason. Euthyphro intended to press charges against his father for manslaughter. Long moments later into their conversation, Euthyphro is skeptical whether he would actually to take his father to court or not. Socrates offers some advice to Euthyphro and brings up piety. Euthyphro supports the first of the many definitions of piety that Socrates was explaining to him. When Socrates asks Euthyphro what piety meant to him he stated “Piety is doing as I am doing.” (prosecuting the wrong-doer). Socrates wanted to find out what the essence of piety actually was, since prosecuting the wrong doers could not be the only way. There were many other acts of piety that were not covered by this example of punishing the wrong. This is similar to what Plato was stating in “Allegory of the Cave”, that freeing a prisoner from the cave would turn him from the shadows and look into the reality that gave them true knowledge.

Euthyphro adds what his second definition of piety was and proclaims, “Piety is that which is dear to the Gods.” In the novel, Euthyphro mentions Zeus and how he punishes his father Cronos, for eating his children and this catches Socrates attention. Socrates believed that Euthyphro did not believe that the gods were able to fight. This proved that many things can be pious and impious, because some gods can hate them for a reason, meanwhile other gods would love them for that same reason. Socrates asks what made Euthyphro think that the Gods actually agreed he should punish his own father. (Euthyphro, 4d)

Euthyphro third definition of piety is a slightly altered from the previous one and states that, “What all the gods love is pious.” But this brings us upon a question that can change the magnitude of everything. Do god’s love something because it is pious or does it become pious because it is loved by the gods? (Euthyphro, 10e) Euthyphro says that the good is loved by the gods because it is good and adds that being loved by the gods and actually being a god are two different things. This proves that Euthyphro’s definition of piety is only characteristics of piety, but not actually the definition.

Euthyphro then asserts his fifth definition of piety, and implies that “Piety is learning how to please the gods by prayers and sacrifices.” (Euthyphro, 15a-d) Socrates interrupts and asks what was the benefit of gods from receiving gifts. Since Euthyphro says the gods need nothing, it is hard for him to find a way that humans can actually help the gods. Socrates hints that humans actually cannot do anything for the gods even though they only can help humans. Socrates adds that human should focus on being good and not focus on having a “special role” to the gods. (Euthyphro, 15a-b) Euthyphro says that the gods are pleased, not benefited. The conversation between Socrates and Euthyphro then retracts back to the first definitions of what piety meant and the conversation ends.

In “Allergy of the Cave” and “Euthyphro” the characters seek a higher truth whether it be about justice or human perception. In “Allergy of the Cave” Plato put out a theory concerning human perception. Plato also claimed that knowledge that we gain through our human senses is only our opinion of things and in order to gain true knowledge we must have philosophic meaning. Though, in “Euthyphro” Socrates asks whether piety is a part of justice or is justice apart of piety. In the reading, Euthyphro agrees that piety is a part of justice. Socrates brought the conversation to a more universal idea, and discuss about morals and whether their theories on pious and impious based on the actions of the gods. According to Plato, education is seeing things differently, thus our concept of truth will always change. Education was personal to Plato and was the transition from darkness to light.”

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