EUTHYPHRO

Euthyphro is one of Plato',s early dialogues, dated to after 399 BC. Taking place during the weeks leading up to Socrates&rsquo, trial, the dialogue features Socrates and Euthyphro, a religious expert, attempting to define piety or holiness. The dialogue is set near the king-archon',s court, where the two men encounter each other. They are both there for preliminary hearings before possible trials. The argument of this dialogue is based largely on &ldquo,definition by division&rdquo,. Socrates goads Euthyphro to offer one definition after another for the word &lsquo,piety&rsquo,. The hope is to use a clear definition as the basis for Euthyphro to teach Socrates the answer to the question, &ldquo,What is piety?&rdquo,, ostensibly so that Socrates can use this to defend himself against the charge of impiety._,